Are you getting ready to move to a new home? If so, one of your main concerns may be about how to prevent damage to your belongings during a move. If you’re doing the packing yourself, you should take steps to make sure everything is packed safely before the movers take it to your new place. Here are four common items that will need to be carefully packed to avoid damage.

1. Televisions

Your TV may be one of the more expensive items that you’ll take with you during a move, and one that is most likely to break if precautions are not taken. The keys to successfully moving a TV are the box and your packing material.

Ideally, you would still have the box that your TV came in, which will be the right size and have all the custom Styrofoam so the TV doesn’t move in the box. If you don’t have the original packaging, you can buy  box from your moving company designed for moving your TV.

Can’t find a box? You should do whatever you can to protect the screen so it is not damaged in transit. Get an extra-large box and cut it up so that you have a piece of cardboard the size of the screen. Secure it to the TV so the cardboard covers the entire screen, and then wrap it with moving blankets for extra cushioning.

2. Lamps

Lamps are largely shaped items that need some special attention to make sure they arrive at your new home in one piece. Start by separating the lamp shade and the lamp base since the base is what is going to be put into a box.

If your lamp’s base is small enough, place it in a box and wrap it in bubble wrap so that it doesn’t move around within the box. You will need to wrap large lamps in bubble wrap since they will be packed loosely in the moving truck.

Lamp shades can be stacked with other lampshades within the same box, but you should still wrap the material with bubble wrap or plain paper. Avoid using newspaper since the ink can come off the newspaper and transfer to the lampshade.

3. Glass Tables

You’ll need to disassemble your glass tables so that the glass is separate from the table itself. The glass can be wrapped in bubble wrap and secured with tape to prevent it from unwrapping. If the table has legs that can be removed, take them off so that they do not break off during the move. Table legs can be wrapped in bubble wrap and placed in a large box so that they are not lost in transit.

The table itself will need protection on the corners so they do not get banged up along the way, but the rest of the table can be covered with a padded moving blanket.

4. Dishes

The best way to pack dishes is to use a specialty box designed for the item you are moving. You should be able to find boxes that fit the unique shapes of dishes and glasses. The goal is to make sure that the items do not touch each other directly since movement can cause your dishes to crack on impact.

If you are stacking dishes, put a piece of cardboard between each dish so that there is some cushion if the boxes get shaken. Once again, it is wise to stick to plain paper when wrapping glasses so that the ink from newspaper doesn’t transfer.

With your items packed and ready to go, Island Movers can take care of the rest of the move for you. Or you can contact us to learn about our professional packing services.