Tips for Packing Electronics Safely and Easily When you Move
Outside of sentimental items, many people will tell you electronics are the most valuable items they own. Easy to break and difficult to replace, it’s important to pack electronics properly so that they stay in good condition when you move. At TransCanada Movers, we have a lot of experience moving expensive items, and here are some of our top tips.
First off, Get Prepared -being organized pays off!
Before you unplug that complicated DVD, stereo, 3-D TV system complete with four video gaming consoles, take some photos so that you know how to put them back together afterward. That way, you will know where all the wires go when you’re ready to set them up again, and it will take some of the frustrating guesswork out of setup at your new home.
Then, unplug all those cords and keep them with the relevant electronic device until you can label them. Keeping cords and accessories organized is one of the hardest parts of packing up. There is very little that is more frustrating than having completed a move and being unable to find the remote when all you want to do is settle in. Instead of packing cords, remotes, & accessories in one box, try to put them with their matching electronic device.
If you can’t pack your cords, remotes, and accessories with the relevant device, make sure you label the items. Take a trip to your local office supply store for some velcro and painters tape (comes in multiple colors and is easy to remove). Assign each electronic item a colour, and carefully wrap the cords. Label relevant cords and remotes with the painter’s tape. If you have a cord that belongs to two items, connecting a game system to a TV, for example, label it with both relevant colours.
Before packing the electronics themselves, make sure that you also remove any temperature sensitive items like USB sticks, SD cards, and printer ink. These should be carried separately, and in plastic bags, as they can be damaged by extreme temperatures, or, in the case of ink, cause quite a mess!
Packaging is Important to Protect your Electronics
If you have the original box your item came in, fantastic! This box will be the right size and shape for your electronic device to be stored in, and often are the best choice for packing. If you don’t have the original box, find one that is slightly larger than the item you want to pack so you can ensure that there is material between the item and the box.
Some of the best packaging materials are other things that you need to move, including fabrics. Sheets, towels, or clothes can all be used as packing material. Make sure you avoid packing peanuts as well as any other material that could cause static electricity (like fleece and some plastics) as these can cause electrical damage. The newspaper is another packing material to avoid, as it can scratch fragile screens.
It can be helpful to use double sided packing tape to secure packing material to the bottom and sides of the box. Additionally, wrap the item in bubble wrap or relevant material and secure it. If you’re using tape, don’t apply the tape to the side of the electronic device itself, make sure that it is only used on the packing material. If you can, at this point, add in your accessories, cords, and remotes into the box with stuffing material in between them and the larger electronic. This ensures that none of the smaller items will shift during the move.
Ensure that everything is compact, safe, and ready to go, and then label your items! Write FRAGILE and THIS SIDE UP in bright, bold lettering (arrows don’t hurt either), so TransCanada Movers knows exactly how to handle them – with care! It is really important that items like televisions stay upright, and labels help movers know exactly what is inside the box.
Regardless of whether or not you are an expert packer, TransCanada Movers always recommends backing up any important files. This way, you have peace of mind regardless of what happens knowing that your data is safe.
Once you arrive at your new home
After you move, unpack your electronics and let them adapt to the temperature in the new environment before turning it on. This will give you a chance to unpack and sort your cables (in your well-labelled boxes) and plan out where to put everything.
Don’t feel comfortable packing your electronics yourself? Reach out to us at TransCanada Movers for details on packing quotes, and we can help with moving expensive items, whatever the distance.