Packing

The more you pack yourself, the greater the savings on the move whether you're going to another location locally or, say, Seattle. Here are some pointers on packing:

Moving is a good time to clean house. If you haven't used a particular item in a year, get rid of it before you move.

Don't overload boxes. Overly heavy boxes are more difficult to move and easier to drop.

For long-distance moves, if you have lots of books, ship them through the mail at book rate to save money.

Remove items from garage rafters and attics so you don't have to pay movers to do it.

Label the contents on the outside of boxes and the room they should be delivered to in the new home.

If you use your own boxes, make sure they're strong enough to withstand pressure from all sides and have lids so they can be stacked.

When packing fragile items, clearly mark "fragile" on the outside of the box with arrows on the side to indicate the correct upright position.

Pack all boxes tightly. When you pick up a box, if it rattles or makes a noise, the contents could be damaged in transit.

Stack boxes as close to the moving staging area as possible and help movers transport boxes and small furniture to the truck to save time and money.

For local moves, charged by the hour, unplug all electrical items, remove light bulbs and shades from lamps, wrap electrical cords so they don't trail behind items, break down bed frames, remove mirrors from bureaus.