| Welcome to your brand new job in a brand new | | | | fragile goods arrive safe and sound at your |
| city! You have finally landed that elusive job you | | | | destination: Use Bubble wrap for breakable items. |
| were looking for all along, but are now to concern | | | | The little air pockets are extremely effective. |
| yourself with the nitty-gritty of moving your | | | | Do not save on wrapping paper - use plenty to |
| household goods. If you can afford the services | | | | pack well. For a cost-effective solution, use |
| of a professional company to save you all the | | | | shredded paper to line the inside of boxes and to |
| hassles, skip this article. If you'd like to save some | | | | fill any gaps or holes. Labeling boxes as "FRAGILE |
| money or are the DIY types, however, read | | | | - THIS SIDE UP" will make the handler be a little |
| these quick tips to move in peace. Even though I | | | | vigilant. Plates and platters should be packed |
| have restricted myself to packing the dining room | | | | vertically into boxes to avoid cracking and |
| only, the principles apply equally to other parts of | | | | breaking. Keep your stuff in layers. Keep larger |
| your house as well. | | | | items such as plates and platters on the bottom. |
| Although packing the dining room may well be less | | | | Cushion each layer with lots of old newspapers, |
| complicated than its other counterparts like the | | | | shredded paper or bubble wrap. Place bowls, |
| kitchen or the bathroom, it has its own specialties | | | | saucers and small serving plates on top of the |
| that need looking into. The smaller parts like the | | | | bottom layer. Pack glasses and cups repeating the |
| crockery need different treatment from the | | | | same steps as above. |
| larger items like the larger dining room chairs or | | | | Your spare bed sheets are very useful to cover |
| the hutch. Yet large size alone does not mean | | | | the gap between the top layer and the lid of the |
| they are any less precious, or need less care. | | | | box. |
| Your crockery was probably the best available in | | | | While packing your furniture, use your old clothes |
| the market when you bought it- in fact, it may | | | | and spare rugs to pack the tops and the legs to |
| still be. Now is the time to start thinking of | | | | ensure scratch free transport. A couple of old |
| moving it safely. In all probability you would have | | | | mattresses tied onto the top of your dining room |
| long discarded the original packing, unless you are | | | | table acts as an excellent cushion. |
| a frequent mover who knows that the best | | | | The legs of each dining chair should be packed |
| packing is done in the original box. Equal value can | | | | separately. Bolt the doors and drawers of all the |
| be drawn, however, from similar sized cardboard | | | | cabinets and hutches. For fragile items like glass |
| cartons which can be used to pack even more | | | | door hutches, use the services provided by |
| than one set to save on space. What needs to | | | | professional packers to shrink wrap them in |
| be remembered here is that crockery pieces | | | | polythene. |
| should not be able to scrape against each other. | | | | Transit insurance of your goods is essential to |
| This is easily achieved by wrapping the pieces in | | | | cover the risk of damage en-route. Get your |
| paper, or separating them with small pieces of | | | | goods valued properly. While it may be attractive |
| cardboard. Fill up the vacant spaces with paper | | | | for you to under-value your precious possessions |
| shreds to stuff it tight. | | | | to reduce your costs, just think of the loss you |
| The larger items of furniture like the dining room | | | | would undergo should any untoward incident take |
| tables can be packed by separating the legs from | | | | place. |
| the top. It is a good idea to go for removable | | | | Best of luck for your new job! And don't worry |
| legs if you are in a transferable job, as it will | | | | about your furniture - you can now be sure it will |
| make your work much easier. | | | | arrive in one piece. |
| Use the shelves in your hutch to pack cushions | | | | The author has just redone her home using |
| etc. Putting heavy stuff like crockery in it will | | | | Amish Oak furniture. She bought from wholesale |
| make it extremely heavy and difficult to lift. | | | | Amish furniture dealers. Their dining room furniture |
| Here are some additional tips to ensure your | | | | is extremely long lasting. |