The Do’s and Don’ts When Moving Furniture

Moving can be complicated and stressful, especially when many pieces of furniture are involved. Here are the Dos and Don’ts you should keep in mind to make your furniture move go off without a hitch.

The Dos of Moving Furniture:

·         Do purge unused furniture

If there’s a piece of furniture that no longer appeals to your décor style and personality, you’d be better off gifting it to a friend, selling it, or donating it to a charity organization like Thrift Store, Goodwill, etc.

·         Do hire Portland movers

We can’t emphasize this enough. Even if you’re just moving across town, there are many pitfalls that can plague your move. Due to the size and weight of furniture, they can easily cause wear & tear on your body, get damaged, or delay your move.

It’s always wise to hire an experienced moving company in Portland to help you move furniture. See to it that they’re fully licensed and ready to provide a long list of genuine references.

·         Do generate a detailed inventory list

List all pieces of furniture in your home. It’ll double up as a checklist for choosing what furniture pieces to move, donate, gift, or sell.

·         Do inspect your furniture before packing

Do a thorough inspection of each piece and note any signs of damage in your inventory list before packing your furniture. This will help you and your Portland movers make the move easier and more hassle-free.

·         Do purchase plenty of moving supplies

Moving furniture is no joke. You’ll require an assortment of packing/moving supplies, including shrink wrap, protective sheets, packing tape, furniture blankets, and soft packing paper, just to mention a few. Most full-service movers OR can provide them.

The Don’ts of Moving Furniture:

·         Don’t forget to remove all breakables from the furniture

Make sure to remove glass showcases, tabletops, shelves, and doors before packing your furniture. Wrap these breakables in extra cushioning for the move.

·         Don’t be away during the move

Do plan to be there to guide Portland movers when moving furniture from your old place to your new home.

·         Don’t pack furniture last minute

Woe unto you if you choose to leave packing furniture until the last minute. It’ll rack up your moving cost if the moving company in Portland wasn’t hired to pack.

·         Don’t break communications with the movers

Don’t call local Portland movers the morning of the big day with significant changes to your move. They may not only be able to accommodate last-minute changes but can also cost you handsomely.

5 Tips on How to Wrap and Pack Art

Works of art are some of the most prized possessions in a home, and yet the most at risk of damage when moving house. This is more so for aged art which is very delicate and susceptible to breakage and water damage. The prudent thing to do when moving highly valuable art is to engage specialist moving companies in Portland who have the wherewithal to handle such items. But less valuable art should be handled with care as well, which involves careful wrapping and packing. Here are a few tips to do it the right way;

#1 Get the right supplies

You should pack each artwork separately.  Measure the dimensions for each to get an assessment of what you need. Some of the supplies you will need are;

·         Cardboard boxes of different sizes

·         Cardboard corner protectors

·         Heavy-duty plastic bags

·         Bubble wrap

·         Glassine or archival paper (acid-free)

·         Artist tape

·         Packing tape. Do not use duct, scotch, or masking tape

#2 Wrapping and packing unframed art

Do not make the classic mistake of wrapping unframed art direct on bubble wrap. This is because plastic can form a thin layer of moisture which then sticks on the paint. This will peel the paint when coming off. Place the painted face down on glassine, which is a transparent acid-free paper you can find in many art stores. Tape down the art securely on the four-corner using artist’s tape. Wrap the art between two layers of bubble wrap, roll it firmly and then secure in a damp-free box before sealing it.

#3 Wrapping and packing framed art

Tape the glass diagonally from corner to corner, and from bottom to top in sections of thirds. This will protect the canvas against gouging by the glass in case it breaks and shatters. Wrap the artwork in two layers of packaging paper, and then bubble wrap. If you can get Styrofoam corner protectors such those used for electronics, so much the better. you can also reinforce the package by sandwiching it between two cardboards with corners that extend than the dimensions of the artwork. Place in a damp-free box and seal.

#4 Avoid spaces and damp

Ensure there are no spaces in the packing boxes. You can fill empty space with archival paper. Place a desiccant like silica gel pellets in the boxes to protect against moisture and damp.

#5 Labeling

Avoid mixing up artwork by labeling the boxes ‘FRAGILE.’ This will tell your Portland movers that they should handle with care.

Artwork has a strong emotional attachment in many homes, which is why it should always be wrapped and packed correctly to avoid damage and loss.

How to Avoid Stress During a Residential Move

When you think about moving, your mind automatically wanders off to the hard work that involves scheduling, packing and the expenses you have to incur. Most people will only focus on this one side to moving when there is a whole new experience waiting for you on the other side. There is no way you will live somewhere and not build some sort of attachment to it – getting displaced whether by accident or design can be jarring and it is perfectly alright to grieve this loss. Feeling stressed about an upcoming move? There is nothing wrong with what you are experiencing but it is possible to enhance positive emotions while suppressing the negatives;

Organize the move to the last detail

Being in control of everything that is happening will keep your stress levels in check. If you are not sure what you will need for the move, speak to your local residential movers and request a checklist of supplies. Do you have a friend or relative who recently moved? Ask them about their experience and borrow as many tips as possible. Instead of focusing on just getting your stuff from one house to another, think beyond to your subscriptions, mailing addresses and personalized services like cleaning.

Clear with your property manager

If you had lived at the current address for a long time, it might be a while since you went through the tenant agreement. It is important to refresh your memory on what you signed up for. Do you need to hire professional cleaners to get the premises ready for the next tenant? What are the terms under which the rent deposit will be refunded? Try to work out an exit plan with the property managers ahead of the moving day to avoid disappointments.

Get in tune with your emotions

Moving is literary uprooting oneself from one location and trying to flourish in another. Your neighbors have been your friends, security and larger family for a while but you have to leave them. Depending on why and how far you are moving, you might never see these people again. It is even harder when kids are involved because they too are dealing with the matter in their own way. Make souvenirs to give to your friends and take photos; do not be afraid to express what you are feeling.

Allocate a timeline to unpack

When you are finally at the new house and the Portland local movers have left, you will be alone with your emotions, boxes and new house. It is best to unpack quickly so that you can have as much free time as possible to explore the new neighborhood and even connections.

You have no idea what awaits you in this new life you have just stepped into; keep an open mind and approach every step with a positive mindset.

What to Pack Last When Moving: Last but not Least

It is funny how moving experts tell you to pack items you do not use regularly at the bottom of the pile; or worse still get rid of them. Moving does not happen all the time and some of the essential for moving day are not things you would use on a regular basis. For instance, when was the last time you took down the door at the hinges to let large furniture pieces through? Some moving companies in Portland can help but this means engaging them for much longer which could be expensive.  The easiest system of packing for a move is to label all the boxes. Reserve a box for the most essential items you will need to use in the old house and new house. Actually, some of the items you pack in this box might be needed throughout; they just need to be easily accessible.

Before we delve into the items you will be putting into this last box, let us go through those that should not be in any box at all. They should be in your hand luggage or in a carton in your car – they are either too personal or too difficult to replace in case they get lost. They include;  phones & chargers, medication, a change of clothes for each family member, laptop & charger, special kids’ toys, water & snacks for everyone including pets, tape measure, jewelry, checkbook, cash, Credit & Debit cards, driver’s license, moving day contracts, etc.

Here is what should be in the last box;

Toiletries – these are some of the items you will need minutes before and after the move. Apart from personal hygiene products, you will need to pack a first aid kit in this box just in case someone gets hurt.

Basic tools – even if you must keep away the entire toolbox because it is heavy, leave out a a couple of nails, screws, screw driver, hammer, duct tape, knife, box cutter, scissors and flashlight. These will come in handy when unpacking and fitting the appliances & fitting you have moved with.

Beddings – whether you slept on the floor on the last night before the move or in foldable beds, it is probably what you will use on the first night in the new house. Pack these in the last box together with towels and work & school clothes if need be.

Cleaning supplies – when the final item has been taken from the old house and onto the moving track by Residential moving companies help, this is the best time to clean the old property. Set aside a number of trash bags and cleaning items for this the job which will be packed in the last box.

Clearly, this the last box may be in use in the old house long after the Portland movers have left. Remember to carry it in the car you will move in.