If you’re dreading packing up your living room, we get it. It can be overwhelming. Living rooms usually hold a lot different objects varying in size and shape. Like other high traffic areas such as the kitchen and bathroom, you’ll likely be using your living right up until the very last minute. Start packing early and begin with the small items you don’t use on a daily basis. Then work your way up to larger pieces. We’ve provided a guide to how to pack your living room and tackling everyday items like books, lamps, and electronics.
Start with the books
If you’re downsizing, this is a good time to sort and donate books you don’t want to keep. Second-hand stores, school libraries, and used book retailers are all great places to leave the books you no longer want.
Try and find boxes that are sturdy and if you can, it’s better if they’re new. Or if you’re going to utilize used boxes, just make sure they aren’t damp as the moisture can damage your books. Be sure to use strong packing tape and secure all sides to avoid the boxes from falling apart.
While it’s tempting to pack all of your books into a single box, try spreading them out to redistribute the weight. You might think that having the least amount of boxes will speed up the process, oftentimes it doesn’t. If they’re too heavy, they might require two people to carry them or they might need to be repacked into several lighter boxes, which will definitely take more time.
If you have movers, they will likely assess the contents of your home and pack the truck accordingly. But if you’re doing this yourself, be sure to pack any book boxes on the floor of the truck. The books can be heavy and in order to avoid them from toppling over, it’s best to pack them at the bottom so they don’t cause damage to the furniture.
Wrap Your Pictures Carefully
Moving framed art works and pictures can be a bit daunting. If you aren’t comfortable, feel free to leave this to the professionals. But if you want to handle this portion of the move, here are some tips.
First, find the most appropriate box. If the pictures are small, you can probably pack a few of them together. What if your pictures are large? It’s best to pack them separately. Specialty boxes do exist but they may be more expensive or harder to find. Regular medium and large sized boxes should work.
If the picture has a glass cover, tape an ‘x’ on the front. This will help keep the majority of the glass together if it does shatter or break.
Then wrap the whole piece in cheap packing or butcher paper to protect the frame from any scratches or nicks. After that, wrap the frame in bubble wrap for extra protection and padding.
Place the picture in the box and use more packing paper to secure the frame in place. This will keep it from moving on the journey. Tape the box thoroughly, mark as fragile, and describe its contents so that you and the movers know what it is.
Protect Your Lamps, Vases, & Delicate Objects
While lamps may seem easy to pack, they’re actually quite delicate and fragile. Make sure they are broken down and the lightbulb is removed. Then pack each individual piece separately.
Find a box that will give you enough room to wrap each lamp with bubble wrap or towel and fill in any gaps with packing paper so it doesn’t move around in the box. Be sure to label the box as fragile and the room it belongs to for easy unpacking.
Take that same care and apply it to your vases, decorative objects, and oddly shaped pieces. Be sure to use plenty of bubble wrap or paper to secure them into the box and fill in any empty spaces.
Organize the Electronics
While this might be your least favorite part, you’ll thank yourself when you get to the unpacking. We recommend wrapping up your cord neatly and labeling what device they belong to. If it helps, take pictures of how the cords are connected to their device. It will be a helpful guide and speed up the reassembly later on.
Electronics are sensitive to extreme weather. If you’re moving in the sweltering heat of summer or in the cold of winter, we recommend taking them with you instead of leaving them for the movers to move. They’ll likely be sitting in the truck while everything else is being loaded as well.
After you’ve packed your electronics and cords, label the boxes as “pack last” so your movers know to literally leave them as the last items packed into the truck. This ensures they don’t spend that much time in the truck and aren’t crushed by other boxes and items.
Always Protect the Furniture
If you’re unsure how to pack your living room furniture, here’s how. But if you’ve hired movers, most ( 606 Movers included!) will have complimentary moving blankets for any of the wood, glass, and metal furniture. They’ll secure them to your furniture to avoid any damage.
If you’re moving sofas and accent chairs, we recommend always opting for a plastic cover. Most movers will have shrink wrap or plastic wrap for purchase to keep them clean and safe. If you’re renting and expect to move again in the near future, we recommend investing in reusable covers. It’s both the green and cheaper option.
We hope these tips help you pack your living room and happy moving!