September 24, 2015
Packing How To’s: Moving Your Electronics
Electronics are a bigger part of our lives that ever before. We are investing more into our electronics so it makes sense that they become ‘precious cargo’ when it comes to moving your belongings. We put together a few best practices for preparing your home electronics for an upcoming move.
Manufacturers know best: your first stop for packing advice with any electronic device is your owner manual or the product website. Manufacturers know the most about protecting their products and spending the time to learn from them is a good investment.
Record and insure it: take the time to make a list of your electronics and their serial numbers before you get packing. Send a copy to your insurance company before you move so they have advanced notice of your move and what’s involved.
Keep the originals: whenever possible, keep the original packaging for your electronics. The box and preformed filler like Styrofoam are designed for maximum protection.
Invest in packaging: if the original packaging went to the curb a long time ago, it’s worth finding a suitable alternative. You can purchase specialty boxes and packaging at various online outlets. Check with your moving company to see if they have specialty boxes to rent. If your budget is limited, look for standard packing supplies like plastic bubble wrap and Styrofoam packing peanuts. But always invest in a good box.
Simplify with color: it’s tempting just to stuff all your cords and cables into one box and figure you will remember what goes with what. That may work for someone with very few electronic items. For the rest of us, we recommend taking the time to tag each cord with a colored sticker to make the sorting and reconnecting as hassle free as possible.
Seal the deal: nearly every type of electronic device is sensitive to dust, humidity and water. Once you’ve wrapped the device in packaging, place it in your chosen box and secure it with additional packing material to keep it from moving inside the box. Then seal the box well with packing tape. We recommend sealing every edge and corner along the flap sides of the box.
Back it up: remember to back up computers and devices with operating systems prior to packaging them. Check all of your electronics to see if they have a shutdown mode and use it where applicable.
Taking a few steps to protect your ‘precious cargo’ will be well worth the peace of mind it gives you on moving day. And don’t forget to give us a call. We treat all of your belongings like precious cargo.