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WHAT WE CANNOT MOVE OR PACK

Due to regulations and safety concerns we cannot handle certain items. Be sure to read item labels for safety warnings, especially in the garage and under the sink. Please adhere to this requirement for the safety of all involved. This list includes but is not limited to the following; Flammable liquids General contents under pressure Spray cans of any kind: cooking spray, hair spray, shaving cream, starch cans, etc. Paint, whether in an open or closed can Motor oil and oil for indoor candles Perfumes and Nail Polish Remover Grille lighters and matches, including match-book collections Propane tanks for bar-b-que grilles. Gas cans whether full or empty. The smell from an empty can will pervade everything in a truck, including your sofa and mattress. Best to just get rid of old gas cans. broken glass items such as mirrors, window panes, vases, etc.

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Dining Room

China

As mentioned earlier, our teams use Dish Paks for flatware. However, the delicate structure of china calls for smaller boxes; use small or medium size with 3’-4” inches of paper on the bottom to absorb shock. Wrap each plate or saucer individually as follows: Lay a dish on the wrapping paper face up, Pull a sheet of paper over it and lay another dish on top so there is paper between them. Roll the two dishes over so they are upside down with paper covering them. Lay another dish upside down on top of the first two. Cover with a sheet of paper and add one more dish. Last, take yet another sheet of paper, pull it over the set of dishes and roll the set up together tightly. Keep the set tightly wrapped and place it in the box on edge. Do NOT lay dishes flat in the box as they will absorb the shock of everything on top of them. When bundled tightly on their sides, they are quite strong. Continue this along the bottom of the box. Larger dishes and platters can go along the sides. Fill in the empty spaces with generous amounts of paper and be sure the edges of the dishes aren’t exposed to the next layer above. For the rest of the box, we recommend filling in with lighter things such as coffee cups, bowls, tupperware, paper products, etc. This prevents two heavy layers of dishes from banging together and resulting in chipping. Mark the box clearly “FRAGILE”

Serving Platters, Crystal Bowls, Table Pieces

The Dish Pak is ideal for large fragile items such as crystal bowls and cake trays. Large service platters fit neatly along the sides of the box. Be generous with paper when wrapping and cushioning. If on the bottom tier, bowls should be packed on their sides along the sides of the box with the opening facing the side. Cake trays and vases should stand upright. Use common sense for judging what goes on the bottom layer versus what goes on top. Stuff empty spaces with paper to prevent shifting and any solid contact between the contents during the move.

Stemware

The recommended box is the medium size but small boxes are certainly a good idea as well. Tall stemware glasses can be wrapped in the same way as normal glassware, except that some paper should be stuffed into the opening of a stemware glass to absorb shock and give some internal strength to the glass. They can go with either the opening up or down but must remain upright. For very small glasses, use paper towels or bubblewrap. Place them in the box where they can be easily seen so they don’t get missed when unpacking. Be sure to fill the top of the boxes with paper to prevent any crushing and mark the box FRAGILE-STEMWARE. The moving crews will know to keep this box at the top of the load to prevent excess weight being placed on it.

Dining Room Hutch Shelves

Take the shelves out and pack them in a picture carton. Use extra cushioning on the corners. If you’re not moving far, these can be pad wrapped by the crews. Take out the shelf pins, put them in a baggie and put them in a drawer of the hutch bottom or in a place you’ll remember, like the last minute box.

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Kitchen

Bowls

Lay one bowl flat on your wrapping paper facing up. Fold paper over top of it and place the next bowl sitting inside of that one. Using this method, bundle 4-5 bowls together. These can go face down or on their sides depending on whether at the bottom or in the middle of a box. They are stronger on thier edges. Mark the box clearly “FRAGILE”

Cups

Wrap each cup separately. Do not bundle these as it endangers the handles. Once wrapped tightly in a sheet of paper, place them face down in the box. It’s best to keep the handles facing the same way. Fill in the empty spaces with paper and if there’s room on top, a good top layer would be dish towels, boxes of wrap, tin-foil, etc.

Glasses

Use a medium sized carton (3.1 cu. ft). Be sure to use generous amounts of paper on the bottom of the box. Place a glass on the wrapping paper so it’s situated diagonally, corner to corner. Wrap the paper around it by rolling it and then bringing in the corners so that the paper cushions each end. Stand the glass upright in the box with the open end down. They are strongest this way. Fill in the empty spaces with paper to prevent the glasses from shifting. Mark the box clearly “FRAGILE”.

Liquids

Use a small sized box (1.5 cu ft). Mediums and above will not hold the weight of liquids when full. For plastic bottles; fold a couple of sheets of paper in the bottom to absorb any leakage. Make sure the lids are on tight. For liquor or wine, wrap each bottle in the same manner as glasses described above. Stand them upright in the box. Do Not Lay Wine Flat. It will not make it that way. PLEASE REFER TO THE LIST OF THINGS WE CANNOT MOVE for any questionable liquids. Mark the outside of the box "liquids". The crews will adhere to this and ensure it stays upright.

Pots and Pans

Medium, large sized and Dish Pak cartons are good to use here. Conserve space by nesting pots together with paper in-between. For glass lids, wrap them in paper and pack them on their edge like a dish along the sides of the box. Or, wrap them in paper and invert them into their related pot/pan. If you do this, be sure to pack the set on their sides to protect the glass lids. Don't lay them flat. Be sure to fill the box to it’s top to prevent crushing as pots and pan typically will go near the middle or lower portion of a tier when loading a truck. Tip: When getting ready to pack pots and pans in a large box or a Dish Pak carton, gather long non-breakables that only fit in a large box: wooden platters, rolling pins, cutting boards, etc.

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Office
Books
For books and files, use small cartons (1.5 cu ft) or file totes. It’s not necessary to cushion the bottom of the box, but a sheet of paper on the bottom protects the edges of hardback books. Place books on their edges with the binded edge facing up. Books with delicate covers should be wrapped in paper. Paperbacks are perfect for filling in the top and sides.
Be sure to fill book boxes all the way up to prevent caving in even if you have to stuff paper at the top. These boxes will typically be near the bottom of a load and will support much weight during the move. A book box that crushes will cause the load in the truck to shift, which is not good. If you’re packing a series of book cases, use a system such as ‘bookcase 1; box 1’

Records, cd’s

The 1.5 cu ft size box was designed years ago with record albums in mind. They will fit neatly when placed on edge. Be sure to stuff any empty space with paper to prevent them from shifting during the move. Pack cd's on edge as well.

Computers

If you’re not moving far we suggest you take your pc or laptop in your car. If that’s not an option, disconnect all peripherals from the tower. Make sure there are no disks in any of the drives. Use extra tape on the bottom of the boxes for the monitors and tower. The original boxes are ideal but a dish pak will work well too. Use extra paper in the bottom of the box. Taking a minute to roll up wires and network cables will be time well spent when it comes to unpacking and setting back up. Baggies and bread ties are priceless here.

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Family Room

Electronics: Stereo Equipment, DVD’s, etc.

The original boxes are best for these if possible. Otherwise, we typically use medium size boxes when packing electronics. Use extra cushioning and be sure to place the item in the box in which they normally sit, i.e. on their feet. Here’s an idea; With plenty of cushioning on the bottom, place your stereo receiver in the box. Paper around it to keep it from shifting and then lay a blanket or throw pillow on top. Wrap your DVD player in paper and put that in the box next. Paper around that as well. Consolidate wires into a bag and lay that on top. Cover with some paper and you’re done. * Don’t forget to put the remote control with it.

For CD players, make sure there is no cd in the player. For speakers, wrap the speaker in paper and place it in the box with the screen against the side of box. Freezer bags are especially helpful here to prevent tangling of the wires when put in the box.

Plasma TV

The handling of a flat screen tv is unique to each move depending on the size of the tv and the logistics of the move, i.e. going to storage, going locally, or going via the interstate. Some can be simply pad-wrapped for the move. Others need to be boxed and some require custom crating. Our move coordinator will help you with the best scenario and coverage options for your move. Either way, be sure to pack all the components and peripherals together in a box that is clearly marked. When delivering to a new residence, we often see customers and cable technicians digging through boxes to find wires and remotes. Remotes for large items such as big screen tv’s can go into the Last Minute Box.

Lamps

Box sizes depend on the lamp. Packing them upright should be considered when determining the right size box. Tall thin table lamps fit into a lamp carton. Wide ceramic table lamps fit into a dish pak. Desk lamps often fit into medium boxes. Pole lamps can go as is. Take off the bulb and harp, regardless of the type of lamp. Pack the shades separately.

Lamp Shades

Gather sizes that comfortably nest together. There really is no other way to use the space inside of a lamp shade other than with a smaller shade. Use paper in between them. Put a light layer of crushed paper on the bottom of the box and lay the nested shades in. Be sure the top of the box closes comfortably and does not rest on the shades. It’s ok to pack nested shades on their sides if need be. Label tbe box clearly “Lamp Shades” and the room they go to.

Paintings

Depending on the logistics of your move, you have a couple of options for paintings. If you’re not going far, you can save money by laying them in the back seat of your car in between hanging clothes. If you’re packing them, here’s what you need to know: Firpo-Heritage uses a carton that is adjustable to 40” x 60” with a maximum frame depth of 3.5 inches. The cartons are essentially four open corners that telescope together to fit around the picture. They are ideal for oil paintings and prints. They are not intended for large paintings with especially ornate frames or heavy flat items such as glass and marble tops. Consult the move coordinator about these.

To pack paintings, first gather them together and group them by size. Tape together a handful of the picture carton pieces, aka corners and keep them within reach. Take two pieces and telescope them together to approximately fit the length of the picture you want to pack and stuff some crushed paper into the corners of the box. These are the most sensitive areas of a painting during a move. Wrap the painting in either paper or a blanket and place it into the box you have waiting. Tighten up the two sides of the box and add the top parts in the same telescoping fashion. Remember to add paper in the corners of the tops before you put them on. If you’re packing two or more pictures in the same box, make sure they are very similar in size and structure. Do not pack metal framed prints with oil paintings. Put the two pics back to back with plenty of paper in between. Tighten up all four sides of the carton and wrap tape around both horizontally and vertically. You don’t need a lot of tape, but enough so the box feels secure.

Grandfather Clocks

Please call the office for advice on these. Depending on the internal mechanisms of the item, it is recommended you have a clock serviceman prepare them. Chimes, pendulums and bonnets must be prepared appropriately.

Pianos

Preparation of a piano depends greatly on the piano's style: spinet, upright, baby grand, etc. In addition, the delicate internals of a piano make each scenario unique. Your moving coordinator will give you options and help you make the best decision for yours.

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Bedrooms

Linens

Any size box is ok. Typically large, larger and dish pak sizes are used for linens. Be sure to set aside a couple of large boxes in each bedroom for last minute bed linens and pillows on moving day. If boxes are in short supply, contractor-size trash bags are fine for bed linens and pillows.

Mattresses and Box Springs

If you’re packing yourself, we recommend you purchase mattress bags. You can get them from us or at any home center or mini-storage facility. They are worth their weight in gold, especially for mattresses. If putting them into the bags is too difficult, then have them close by on moving day and the guys will pack them for you.

Bed frames

It is standard for the moving crews to disassemble bed frames, but if you feel energetic enough to do so, be extra sure to gather any parts and put them in a baggie. Tape them right to the frame or around the leg of a headboard.

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Garage / Shop

Tools

Use small boxes (1.5 cu ft) for shop items. Fill the boxes all the way up to prevent crushing. Be sure to set aside a few essential tools you might unexpectedly need at new residence. Most customers keep a toolbox handy throughout the move.

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Basement

Toys
Any size is fine, Large boxes (4.5, 6.1) are recommended. You typically can’t hurt these when packing. This is a great place to get family members involved.. it’s easy and takes a big bite out of the overall process.
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Tips from the Moving Crews

Clothing can stay in dresser drawers, loose items must be removed. Night stands must be emptied completely. A dresser may have to go on it’s end to go around a turn. Loose items will spill inside. All cabinets should be emptied Label the destined room for boxes on their sides as well as the tops. When carrying two or more boxes at a time, the side of the box is what the crew member sees. This will also prevent the “let me stop and set this down to see the bottom box" scenario. Pack your throw pillows in trash bags. Save yourself the $2 or $3 for a large box. Large trash bags are ideal. A bag of pillows stays clean and is easy to move. Be sure to tie or tape the bag closed tightly. End Tables and Desks Drawers: Emptying out drawers gets messy, especially in a desk. Dumping everything into a box will make things even worse. Just imagine when you open that box.. If the drawers of your desk or end tables come out, then do just that. Take out the whole drawer, wrap it in paper and pack it in a box. Mark the box with arrows and ‘Keep Upright”. At the new house, unwrap them and pop them right into place. Be sure to take out the essentials first though: checkbooks, keys, documents, remote controls, etc. To prep a garage or shed, gather similar yard tools in bundles of 3-4 items, tape them tightly together. For garden hoses, connect the two ends together to prevent spilling. Take a couple of wardrobes and fill them with anything that will fit, especially the small and miscellaneous things. Consolidating will mean fewer trips the guys make from the house to the truck, thus saving you money. Take battteries out of wall clocks to stop the arms from moving during the move. Freezers should be emptied and left open to dry afew days before the move. An open box of baking soda is a good thing to put inside the fridge or freezer during the move to absorb moisture and prevent odor. Keep out some plastic cups and snacks for moving day. You’re going to be busy and the last thing you want is to get worn out. A glass of water will help you along.

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