Top 10 Supplies You Need for Moving

Whenever you decide it's time to move, you need specific supplies to make the move easier. Whether you're a student moving into a new apartment or dorm room or you need to move your family across county to a big city, such as Chicago for work, the right tools will make moving much easier. Here are seven of the top supplies you should have ready when it's time to move.

Labels

Labeling your boxes is one of the best ways to make packing and unpacking easier. Whether you choose a fancy label maker or you simply use markers, you need some type of tool and system for labeling.

It's best if all of the boxes going to the kitchen are labeled in one color, while all of the boxes going to the other areas of the house all have their own color, as well. This makes it easy to spot which boxes need to go where when unloading the truck.

Clear Ziploc Bags

Ziploc bags are one of the best things you can have around when packing for a move, according to lifehacker.com (http://lifehacker.com/347680/five-essential-tools-for-moving). Before you start packing go to the store and get a few boxes in different sizes. They will come in handy when keep small items together, especially is you need to disassemble pieces of furniture.

Bubble Wrap, Boxes and Other Packing Materials

Of course, you need the right boxes, bubble wrap and packing materials for your items. A professional moving company will use specific boxes designed to transport items, such as flat screen TVs, dishes, aquariums, fine art and other fragile items. If you plan to handle packing on your own, you need to use the same type of boxes. You cannot trust just any old box and expect your items to arrive undamaged. Make sure you get the proper boxes before you start packing. We recommend you try Chicago Green Boxes as they are eco-friendly, sturdy, and reliable.

Chicago Green Boxes

Furniture Sliders

When you're doing the moving on your own, furniture sliders come in handy. They help you move large pieces of furniture without scratching the floor and without needing to lift the item the entire way.

Hand Truck

A hand truck will make moving heavy items much easier. You can also move multiple boxes at one time making the number of trips you need much less. If you're taking on the move by yourself, a hand truck is a vital tool for your move.

Dollies

Moving furniture isn't easy, but with dollies it becomes easier. In most cases, dollies will give you the ability to roll a piece of heavy furniture to the moving truck.

Proper Transportation

Whenever you move, you need the right type of transportation. Without the right type of moving truck, you may not be able to move all of your items safely or in one trip.

Lifting Straps

It may be worth renting some lifting straps, also known as moving straps, if you plan to move heavy objects. These straps will help with weight distribution and make lifting easier.

Furniture Pads, Plastic Wrap and other Moving Supplies

You may also need to get the right furniture pads, plastic wrap and other items to help protect your belonging, while in transit.

A Professional Moving Company

The final tool you need for a successful move is a professional moving company. If you hire the right company to handle your move, you won't need to worry about any of the other tools. Not only will they transport your items, but they will also pack and unpack for you. Even if you do the packing yourself, you will be able to get all the right packing boxes and materials from the moving company you hire.

The Pro Move

These essential tools are necessary if you want to ensure your move is successful. It doesn't matter if you're just moving across town or if you need to move across the country, the right tools will make the process easier.

Tips for Packing Wine and Wine Glasses

Packing specific items correctly or incorrectly is the difference between unpacking boxes of broken glass or actually item intact, in their proper condition. One of the types of items many struggle to properly pack is wine glasses and wine bottles. Here are some expert tips you can use to properly pack your wine glasses and bottles for moving.

Cell Boxes Work Great for Wine Bottles

Wine bottles are usually shipped from distributors in what is known as a cell box. This type of box provides a divider set up to fit one wine bottle in each cell. Moving companies often sell these boxes to make it easier for you to pack specific items.

You can use cell boxes for wine bottles, liquor bottles and even your stemware. When the movers hit a bump and the box shifts, the cell divider helps protect your items from breaking.

Packing without Cell Boxes

While cell boxes are the best solution and available from your moving company, if you waited until the last minute, these may not be available. If this is the case, you can try calling your moving company and having them come take over the packing. However, if this isn't an option, you need a way to pack your wine bottles and glasses without a cell box.

Start by wrapping your wine glasses in a brown paper bag, if you don't have any tissue paper handy. Then, you need to create your own "cells" inside a box to keep the bottles and glasses from rattling. Styrofoam plates work great for creating your own cells. Just make sure you cushion the bottom of the box, as well. You can even use a sweatshirt to cushion the box, in a pinch.

Use Paper to Wrap Your Wine Glasses

Crystal wine glasses need to be wrapped in paper, but not newspaper. When you wrap them in newspaper the ink from the paper will transfer to the glass and you will have to scrub them to get them clean. They may survive the move, but end up broken from all the scrubbing.

Instead of using newspaper, choose white tissue paper for wrapping your wine glasses. You want to use a separate sheet for each glass. Start the glass at an angle on one of the corners and roll it up. Then, you can simply fold the ends and you have a well wrapped wine glass ready to be packed.

Bubble Wrap Protects Well, but Be Careful

Bubble wrap is the go-to for protecting fragile items. If you plan to use it with wine glasses, make sure you never wrap them direction in bubble wrap. It should go above the tissue paper to allow you to tape the bubble wrap to the paper and not the glass. You don't want to end up damaging your nice wine glasses when you pull tape off of them.

Temperature Sensitive Packing for Wine Bottles

If your wine bottles get too hot or too cold, you may ruin the wine. If you plan ahead, you can order special wine shipping containers through your moving company. However, if you didn't plan ahead, you will want to use a cell box for your wine and have the bottles travel with you so that you can control the temperature in your own vehicle. Let the movers handle everything else, but take your wine bottles with you, if possible.

Along with keeping the wine from getting too hot or too cold, the position of your bottles matters. Some red wines will need to be packed upside down to keep the cork wet and the sediment from settling. You should also avoid opening a bottle of wine immediately after moving. It needs at least seven days to adjust as it has been shocked.

Label "Fragile" on the Boxes

You want to make sure the movers treat your wine bottles and glasses with care. Label the outside of each box with "Fragile" stickers to ensure they understand it's necessary to treat those boxes with extra care.

Use these tips to better pack your wine bottles and glasses for moving. If you're unsure or you just want to make sure everything arrives safely, hire a professional moving company to pack your items, move them and unpack for you.

Chicago Moving Specialists

What Should you Pack First When Moving?

Packing your house, apartment or business for a move is a huge job. If you've decided to forgo the services of a professional moving company for the packing process, you will need to know what to pack first for your big move. By packing in the proper order, you won't find yourself opening packed boxes to use things before you move. Before you even get ready to pack anything, you need to have the right supplies on hand, which include:

• Bubble wrap

• Newspaper

• Scissors

• Labels

• Marking Pens

• Packing Tape

• Padding Supplies

• Boxes in different sizes

If you don't have the right supplies, make sure you gather them together first.

Holiday Decorations

One of the first things you can get packed and out of the way are holiday decorations. Unless they are displayed because you are moving during the holidays, these are items you won't need. They can be packed and put in storage until it's time to move.

Books and DVDs

Next, you can start packing your books and DVDs. You may want to leave out a few to enjoy before you actually move, but most of your collection can be packed away. Make sure to use smaller boxes for packing books as they can become rather heavy in larger boxes.

Collectible and Knick Knacks

As much as you may enjoy your collections and your knick knacks, they are not vital to your survival between now and the day you move. They can all be carefully packed in labeled boxes until moving day.

Winter/Summer Clothing

If you're moving in the summer, you can pack up your winter clothing early in the process. Those moving in the winter can pack up summer clothing. You won't need out of season clothing, so you can get it packed away and ready for the big day.

Clothing can even be used as padding if you want to wrap collectibles or other items in it. This is a great way to protect your belongings and save a little bit on packing supplies.

Other Seasonal Items

Any other seasonal items you won't need until after you move can be packed away. This may include lawnmowers, snow blowers, bikes, beach umbrellas, etc.

Wall Decor and Pictures

You may not want to pack your wall decor and pictures because they make your house a home, but they can be packed early in the process. Not only will it save you time later on, but it will also help you detach from your current home.

Anything Else you can do without

Early in the packing process, you can pack up anything you won't need until you get into your new home. It's smart to start packing many weeks in advance to spread it out and make it less overwhelming. Start with anything you know you will not need until you arrive at your new home.

Use these tips to help with starting the packing process. By getting a few boxes packed up every week, you will make the final few days before your move much easier. Of course, if you want to take all the stress out of the process, you can use an affordable moving company to pack, move and unpack your items.

Chicago Affordable Moving Company