BEDS

Disassemble beds and mark the pieces so that they are easy to put back together. This can be as easy as using colored removable stickers. At the place where two pieces connect put a sticker labeled “A” for the first connection, “B” for the next connection, etc. Remember to mark which pieces are the master bed vs. the guest bedroom vs. the child’s bedroom.

Lash bed rails together with shrink wrap. Don’t use tape as it may leave a residue or damage the finish when you try to remove it. Place covers on mattresses to keep clean during moving and storage. If you disassemble any furniture, place the nuts, bolts and screws in a small zip lock bag. You can tape the bag on the inside or bottom of the furniture to keep all pieces together

ELECTRONICS

When you disassemble electronics such as computers and stereos (items that have numerous cables), place small colored stickers on the cable and the same color sticker where the cable goes. If possible, use the original packing for electronic items.

WOOD FURNITURE

Spray your wood furniture with a good quality furniture spray before storing it in the facility to give it some added protection

REFRIDGERATORS & FREEZERS

Empty all food. Thoroughly clean and dry all interior surfaces to prevent mold and mildew buildup. Failure to defrost the freezer could result in water damage to your other stored property. Shelves should be either secured in place or detached and wrapped. An open box of baking soda can help avoid unpleasant odors but, don’t put the baking soda inside the fridge until it is positioned in the storage.

The electric cord should be unplugged and taped to the back. If there is an ice maker, it should be disconnected from the water line and drained in advance. Be sure to wedge refrigerator and freezer doors open when placing into storage and place a drop cloth over the fridge/freezer to keep the interior from getting dusty. Use shrink wrap to secure the doors closed before moving but don’t forget to open the door slightly before leaving them in storage

WASHING MACHINES

All hoses should be disconnected and drained. If you elect to place hoses in the tub or drum, be sure to wrap the metal couplings with cloth or paper to avoid damage to the tub’s surface which could result from bouncing or vibration. The electric cord should be unplugged and taped to the back. The washer drum should be secured (see the Instruction Manual for specifics).

DRYERS

should have the vent hose removed and containerized. The electric cord should be taped to the back. Clean the lint trap. Gas dryers need special care to avoid damaging the flexible gas line. Be sure to turn off the gas supply before disconnecting the flex line from the dryer!

TABLES

Remove furniture legs if possible, and wrap in bubble wrap. Place the screws and hardware from the table in a plastic bag and attach it to the leg or the bottom of the table top with stretch wrap or tape (if securing to an unfinished surface). If a table has extra leaves wrap them in padding and bundle them together with stretch wrap.

Have a lot of rope available to tie down the load before driving to the storage. It is easier to buy this in advance

LABELING

To minimize confusion and to make retrieving items from storage easier, keep these important and helpful tips in mind:

Every room will have boxes that contain essential items that you need immediately and boxes of items that can be unpacked at a later time.

Label the boxes in order of unpacking priority. For example, Kitchen #1 would indicate that the box is for the Kitchen and needs to be unpacked first. The less essential kitchen items would be in a box labeled kitchen #2, #3 and so on.

Label all boxes clearly so you can identify the contents and keep an inventory. Label them on more than one side so you can identify them quickly. Mark “Fragile” on any boxes containing breakable items.

Avoid marking or labeling over a seam of closure or on top of sealing tape.

On the top and front of each carton, write a general description of the contents and indicate the room from which it came or which it will go in your new home. Use different colored dot stickers for each room; then, at your new house, hang a balloon of a corresponding color outside the room where you want the color-coded boxes to be delivered.

Identify the “Top” of fragile boxes if the contents might be damaged by storing the box on the sides or bottom. The “Top” should be the most stable orientation of the package as it rests on a flat surface.

Every item to be moved must have a label on it.

Mark “Heavy” on all boxes over 30 pounds to warn the mover and hopefully avoid strained backs.