1. Double-walled cardboard wardrobe boxes are ideal for storing clothing. Shoes and folded items can be placed in the bottom. Formal clothing can be hung from the bar.
2. Garbage bags or extra-large Ziploc bags can be used for storing clothing, linens and draperies.
3. Store clothing, linens and draperies with fabric softener sheets to keep them smelling fresh and to absorb moisture.
4. If you’ll be storing wool items, pack them with mothballs to prevent potential moth damage.
5. Bundle unused hangers and tie or tape them together.
6. When packing up your drapery rods, put all the curtain attachments into a plastic bag and tape the bag to the rod to avoid losing pieces.

SOS TIP: GO BOX sells double-walled cardboard wardrobe boxes.
SOS TIP: Don’t throw out your wardrobe box after your move. Wardrobe boxes can be used like a second closet to avoid your main closet from getting overfull. Just store your unused seasonal clothing in the wardrobe box.
SOS TIP: A less toxic alternative to fabric softener sheets is dried lavender, rosemary or mint in a cotton bag or cotton sock. A less toxic alternative to mothballs is using Aromatic Eastern Red Cedar or Juniper wood which can be purchased by the lineal foot and cut into smaller pieces. Buying the wood by the lineal foot is less expensive than buying specially made wooden hangers or other wooden items. Cedarwood, lavender and patchouli essential oils will also repel moths.

1. Use a double-walled cardboard dishpack and newsprint to protect your china, crystal or glassware.
2. Place a layer of crumpled newsprint on the bottom of the dishpack.
3. Wrap each item separately with newsprint.
4. Stack dishes, bowls and saucers on their side and glassware upright.
5. Use crumpled newsprint on the sides of the dishpack. Wrapped china should never touch the unprotected sides of the dishpack.
6. When you have finished one layer of china remember to put a layer of crumbled newsprint between each layer of china.
7. At the top of the box, fill any empty space with crumpled newsprint. This ensures a tight fit and keeps items from shifting.
8. Mark each box as fragile.
9. Place heavier items on the floor of your gobox and lighter items on top of stacks.

SOS TIP: If you are in a hurry, wrap every second piece of china in newsprint. If you run out of newsprint, kitchen linens can be used to wrap dishes. This is not ideal, so don’t do this with your best china!
SOS TIP: GO BOX sells dishpacks, newsprint and tissue paper. Here are more tips on how to save on packing supplies.
SOS TIP: Use tissue paper for wrapping figurines or other delicate items before using newsprint. Use bubble wrap for extremely fragile items.

1. Collect all your important papers such as: birth certificates, passports, tax returns, banking information, insurance papers, etc and store them in one place. Store valuable documents inside plastic sleeves or Ziploc bags. Keep all important records with you during your move. Do not pack up and lose track of these documents!
2. Archive or banker’s boxes are ideal for storing files and heavier items. Label the outside of each box to identify the contents. It will make it easier to find documents later.
3. Pack files and heavier items into small boxes. The 1.5 cube box is a good size. Weight quickly adds up and can make large boxes difficult to lift.
4. Store important photographs between layers of cardboard and tape them together to prevent your photos from curling. Label these boxes fragile. Consider using plastic totes for important photographs and family records.
5. If a box is not completely filled, pack the empty space with packing materials. This will add support to the box and avoid possible collapse.
6. Place heavier boxes on the floor of your gobox.
7. Place lighter boxes on top of stacks to prevent collapse of those underneath.

SOS TIP: GO BOX now has banker’s boxes or you can get archive or banker’s boxes from any stationary store. You assemble these 10” x 12” x 15” boxes and lids yourself. They are inexpensive, very sturdy and have openings on the sides to make lifting easier. The design makes the box almost as strong as a double-walled box. You also won’t need to use packing tape with these boxes.
SOS TIP: For heavy items like books or files use a 2 cube box or less. Boxes of similar size stack easier.
SOS TIP: Consider using plastic totes if you are storing important photographs or family records in damp conditions. Read more about plastic totes.

1. Ideally, pack electronics in their original boxes if you still have them.
2. If you don’t have the original box, wrap each item separately with bubble wrap. Wrap the edges of the computer with bubble wrap. The bubble side should be towards the computer. Fill empty spaces in your boxes with crumpled newsprint.
3. Pack all cords and accessories in a plastic bag and store in the computer or electronics box for safe keeping.
4. Mark each computer or electronics box as fragile.

SOS TIP: Do not use Styrofoam peanuts which can breakdown and get into openings causing damage. If you have completely wrapped the item first, Styrofoam peanuts are safe.
SOS TIP: GO BOX sells packing blankets, but if you are a storing with GO BOX, we rent packing blankets too. Packing blanket rentals are only available to GO BOX customers while in storage or for your move.

1. If you have the box your plasma TV or computer monitor came in, use it.
2. Disassemble the plasma TV from its base, if necessary. Wrap the plasma TV base in bubble wrap or packing blankets. The base does not need to be boxed.
3. Wrap the plasma TV in bubble wrap or packing blankets and pack the plasma TV into the double-walled cardboard plasma TV box.
4. Place all the cables, wiring, and controllers in a plastic bag and place in the plasma TV box for safe keeping.
5. Fill any open space in the plasma TV box with crumbled newsprint.
6. When storing the plasma TV in your gobox, do not lay the plasma TV box flat on the ground. Store upright. If possible, protect the plasma TV box with mattresses.

SOS TIP: Whenever you use bubble wrap have the smooth side away from the object and the bubble side toward the object you are packing.
SOS TIP: GO BOX sells plasma TV boxes. GO BOX sells packing blankets but if you are storing with GO BOX we rent packing blankets too. Packing blanket rentals are only available to GO BOX customers while in storage or for your move.

1. Wrap large mirrors and pictures with bubble wrap or packing blankets and pack in a single-walled mirror or picture box. If you have many smaller mirrors and pictures, regular single-walled cardboard boxes work well. Remember to wrap each item individually.
2. When storing mirror and picture boxes in your gobox, do not store flat on the ground. Store upright. If possible, protect the mirror and picture boxes with mattresses. If you are using regular boxes mark these boxes as fragile.

SOS TIP: Whenever using bubble wrap, have the smooth side away from the object. The bubble side should be in contact with the object you are packing.
SOS TIP: GO BOX sells mirror and picture boxes. GO BOX sells packing blankets but if you are storing with GO BOX we will rent packing blankets too. Packing blanket rentals are only available to GO BOX customers while in storage or for your move.

I’d like to demystify the type of packing supplies you will need for your move. There are basic supplies everyone needs for moving. You can save money on your move by planning in advance. For more information on saving money on your move please read How can I save on packing supplies?

I have been asked many times what is the meaning of a 1 cube box. A 1 cube box is 12″x12″x12″ or can be a box of any dimensions that equal one cubic foot. So a 2 cube box can be any dimensions but must equal two cubic feet. A 3 cube box can be any dimensions but must equal three cubic feet, and so on.

GO BOX has a number of standard sized single-walled cardboard boxes for moving. Under normal conditions, single-walled cardboard boxes will do six or more moves before needing to be replaced. For a full list, please see Packing Supplies.

It is important to get the right size of box for the weight of the contents. In general, smaller boxes are better for heavier items and larger boxes are better for lighter items. This will avoid the box failing from excessive weight and avoid personal injury from excessive lifting.

Here is a list of moving boxes and their most common use:

• The 1.5 cube is a small box that can take heavy loads. This size is best for storing books, files and small heavy tools.
• The 2 cube is a small to medium box that can take heavy loads. This size is best for books, files, small heavy tools, CDs, and small appliances.
• The 3 cube is a medium box that can take medium loads. This size is best for kitchen items, small appliances, toys, and CDs.
• The 6 cube is a large box that can take light loads. This size is best for linen, towels, blankets, pillows, small pictures, and large fragile items.

When you are moving you will need tape to put your boxes together. GO BOX sells industrial quality tape. This tape is a little more expensive but will not fail under normal use. A tape dispenser is useful but not necessary. You will also need newsprint for wrapping and padding your china, glassware, and other breakables. China, glassware and breakables are best stored in a double-walled cardboard dish-pack. I will talk about specialty boxes in another post.

During your move, packing blankets are your best friend. Here at GO BOX we think packing blankets are the best tool for moving and storage. We know packing blankets will protect your furniture better than anything else. Use packing blankets to protect and pad your furniture. Packing blankets are great for wrapping up disassembled furniture and fragile items.

GO BOX sells packing blankets but if you are a storing with GO BOX we will rent packing blankets too. Packing blanket rentals are only available to GO BOX customers while in storage or for your move.

SOS TIP: The most popular box sizes are 2 cube and 3 cube. The 3 cube is the favorite size for professional movers. Watch out though. Movers are used to lifting big, heavy boxes!
SOS TIP: Linen, blankets, pillows and towels can also be stored in heavy, plastic garbage bags. Save the 6 cube boxes for large fragile items, like lamps, and small glass pictures.
SOS TIP: GO BOX sells a range of packing supplies and discount packing kits.

This is an example of a hinged plastic storage box. The hinges on these boxes are prone to breaking. If the hing fails and cannot be fixed, the box does not have a top. Hinges can fail from the weight of stacking. Also, if water gets on top of the box, it can leak into the contents of the box.

There are a number of companies that are renting plastic totes for moves. This system is being marketed as a green solution to using cardboard boxes. The idea is to reduce or eliminate the use of cardboard boxes and instead rent these plastic totes. After the person does their move, the empty totes are returned or picked up for another person to rent.

What makes this option possibly “green” is if the totes are made from a high percentage of post-consumer recycled plastic. Also, I suppose, if the plastic totes are rented there may be less guilt about owning a product that requires so much non-renewable resources to produce.

So, are plastic totes for moving greener than cardboard boxes? My answer is no. Cardboard boxes are made from renewable resources and can easily decompose back into the environment. Plastic totes are made from non-renewable resources and won’t be decomposing in your garden any time soon.

Renting plastic totes for a move is also marketed as being equivalent cost-wise to buying new cardboard boxes. When I checked prices to confirm that claim, I discovered that you would pay 12-24% MORE by renting plastic totes than by buying the equivalent amount of cardboard boxes.

If you include the charge to have your plastic totes delivered and picked up that premium jumps to 30-70% (depending on the size of move). The premium, by the way, is worst for the smallest moves which are the ones that this system seems best suited for. Remember that you need to pack AND unpack all your things within a week or you will pay more for a longer rental period.

Now perhaps you feel fine about paying a huge premium because you are convinced by the “green” claims of this moving system. I understand that inclination. I will pay a premium for food produced by sustainable agricultural methods because I am convinced that the quality is better than that produced by the industrial food system.

So are you REALLY sure that plastic totes are in fact an eco-friendly solution to cardboard boxes? If you are then the large premium isn’t a problem for you. If you haven’t thought about this, would you be willing to pay a lot more to use plastic over cardboard because that is what you will be paying.

The cost of using plastic totes for moving might end up being double the cost of using cardboard because you probably already have some cardboard boxes and maybe even some plastic totes as well. Obviously it’s most economical not to buy or rent what is already available to you. If at all possible reuse packing supplies you already have in your home. Here is how to avoid buying packing supplies in the first place.

Sometimes it is better to buy plastic totes especially if you move a lot, have to store in damp conditions or have a rodent problem. For more information about when it is better to use plastic totes over cardboard boxes please read Are plastic totes better?

If you want to save the environment, I think there are better ways to do so than by renting plastic totes. For example:

1. Live close to or where you work to avoid long commutes.
2. Grow at least some of your own food and buy most of your food from local producers that follow sustainable methods.
3. Learn how to use your kitchen and prepare most of your meals yourself.
4. Look through your garbage and assess how you could reduce your waste stream. Before you consider recycling, try to reduce your waste stream. Start composting to build soil in your back yard.

If you are interested in finding local food producers GO BOX Storage supports eatkamloops.org which has a list of over 150 local farms and ranches.

You are the only one who can make these decisions. Even a full service moving company can’t do this for you. They will just pack up all your stuff and you will have to deal with the problem at the other end.

Deciding what you want to keep, sell, give away, or dump takes time. Only you know which possessions are valuable and worth moving to your new home. By sorting before moving, your new home will be uncluttered. Using GO BOX helps organize this process of simplifying your life.

Some of our happiest customers have paid for part of their move by selling items that their family no longer uses. As I have said before, the best way to save money on moving and storage is to never move or store anything you don’t need anymore.

When it’s time to move you have many options: a full service moving company, GO BOX, rent a moving truck, or get friends to help with your move.

These are moving pictures from the web. There are dangers driving a vehicle much larger than what you are used to.

Here are a few points that will help you decide which type of moving service would be most suited to your personal needs. They are listed from the cheapest to the most expensive options.

1. If you are on a very limited budget, have friends and family help with your move. This option is best for people who have a small amount to move and are moving in the local area. You can reduce problems by making sure you are mostly packed before your friends arrive to help. Pay your friends in pizza or some other trade that suits everyone.

2. Renting a truck is the next cheapest option. This option is best for people with larger quantities to move or for out-of-town moves. Normally, you will need to have a credit card to rent a truck. There will be strict time limits on your rental and penalties if you are late in returning the truck. There is also the cost of fuel which can be a surprisingly big expense in a vehicle much larger than the one you are used to driving. Insurance is expensive too but the photo above explains why that is so. Make moving day less stressful by having all your packing done in advance. Also make sure to reserve your truck well in advance if you are moving during the busy days at the beginning or end of the month.

3. GO BOX is a great option if you want time to organize yourself before moving into your new home or you need storage between your moves. When you rent a gobox you get a minimum of one month of storage. If you need storage between moving from your old house into your new home, GO BOX will save you the labor of repeatedly packing and unpacking a mini-storage unit. If there are any unexpected delays getting into your new home, your possessions are safe in our warehouse for as long as you need. Here is a link to order a gobox online. Most customers who transfer goboxes directly to their new home give themselves 25 days to pack their old house and 5 days to unload into the new house. GO BOX does regional moves too. Here is a link to get a long-distance moving quote.

4. If cost is not a concern and/or you want someone to handle everything, you will need a full service moving company. If you are moving across Canada or out of the country, you will need the services of a national or international moving company. This is the most expensive option but everything is handled for you. The people who use professional moving companies often have their employer paying for the move. Also people who have physical infirmities really value the services of professional moving companies.

We would like you to consider using GO BOX, but there are times when our service will not be suitable for your needs. However, if you’re interested in decluttering your home or simplifying your life, GO BOX can help. Get started on organizing your own move by reading Using the GO BOX Estimator.

This is not a good moving day.

Here are some funny moving pictures from the web. Not planning ahead sometimes means resorting to unsafe moving techniques.

Moving can be stressful. Over the years, I have seen many GO BOX customers make moving fun. Some even pay for part of their move by selling possessions they no longer use. If you think this is impossible, please read on. Moving can be fun and here’s how to make your next move great.

1. Give yourself and your family extra time to pack. Nothing beats a playful attitude.
One of the easiest ways to make moving more fun is to have a playful attitude about the move. Be excited. Excitement is contagious. Don’t leave things to the last minute and be forced to rush a move. Take the stress out of the move by having extra time to pack.

2. Never move or store anything you don’t need.
The best way to save money on moving and storage is never move or store anything you don’t need anymore. Moving is an ideal time to sort through your possessions. Get rid of things by having a yard sale, making a donation to a local charity or taking a trip to the dump. You might even pay for your move by liquidating all those possessions that are just gathering dust and taking up space.

3. Get organized and use our GO BOX Estimator.
Most people under estimate how much stuff they really have. It can be a nasty surprise to realize you need four goboxes when you budgeted for two. The way to avoid this unpleasant surprise is to use the Estimator. Yes it does take some extra time, but it will save time and effort in the end. By using the Estimator you will mentally start organizing your move. You will notice those items that need to be sold, given away or dumped. For best practices, read Using the GO BOX Estimator.

Underestimating how much stuff we have is a common problem. Plan ahead or stock up on duct tape!

4. Be happy, get your gobox early and start packing.
Many of our happiest customers start organizing and packing well before moving day. These customers get their goboxes early to organize and sort their possessions. This is a good idea especially if you have been in your home a long time, have a very large move to do or are planning to downsize. Some customers get two goboxes to start. The first gobox is for items that are going to be given away to friends and family, sold online or in a yard sale, given away to charities or taken to the dump. The second gobox is filled with possessions the family knows they want to keep, but do not need on a day-to-day basis.

5. Remember to take regular breaks while packing.
Packing is a big job and can be very tiring. Stop at least every hour and go for a short walk, listen to music, dance or have a cup of tea. One great advantage to using goboxes is that they are right at your front door and they can be packed anytime during your day when you have a free moment.

6. Mark each box with a room destination.
Many people end up moving boxes around their new home because the boxes were brought to the wrong room. Avoid this common problem by marking each box with a room destination such as: kitchen, dining room, living room, office, bathroom 1 or 2, bedroom 1, 2, 3 or 4, garage, shed, deep storage, etc. There is no need to label each box with the contents, just a room destination. Only label boxes going into deep storage with a list of contents. Don’t unnecessarily move boxes around your new home.

7. Plan to move out early.
Spend a restful night at a hotel or take the family to a local campsite and have a fun night around a camp fire. Do something that everyone will enjoy. Staying in a hotel may seem like an extravagant expense but it can loosen up the timeline and ease stress. How much is your mental health worth? Just consider the possibility. Our happiest customers move out before the possession day. This extra time helps with cleaning the house and dealing with those last minute emergencies that can ratchet up the stress and fray tempers. If you want to reduce your stress, don’t try to sleep in your bed the night before your possession day!

Some people keep their goboxes at their old home until all the goboxes are transferred to their new house. With GO BOX you get a minimum of one month of storage. A good plan is to give yourself 25 days to pack and 5 days to unload at your new home. Most people need more time to pack and much less time to unload. Give yourself at least a few days to unload to avoid unexpected delays at the new house. Not everyone will be as well organized as you. Remember, “stuff” happens. Be prepared.

If your goboxes are going into storage before moving to your new home, just give GO BOX a call and we’ll bring your gobox back to the warehouse for safe keeping. If you need another gobox just ask for an empty gobox to be dropped off at the same time.

Here are two tips if you are going into storage for a while and/or will have several goboxes:

1. Fill out a GO BOX Inventory for each gobox going into storage. If you are going into storage for a while because your new house is being built or you just haven’t found a new place, consider filling out a GO BOX Inventory. Each gobox has its own number and the Inventory Sheet will keep everything in order and make it easier to find something while you are in storage. Read Should I use a GO BOX Inventory?

2. Have one easy access gobox while in storage. Most of us use only 20% of what we own on a daily basis. Choose one gobox to store items you may need to access while in storage. The other goboxes will have possessions that you do not expect to need until you move into your new home. This easy access gobox reduces the time spent searching for something you need from your stored items.

SOS TIP: To have fun moving, have a playful attitude and organize your move by using the GO BOX Estimator. Be happy by starting to pack well before your moving day. If you are going to be in storage for a while consider using a GO BOX Inventory.

I must admit, I'm impressed. If this fine piece of furniture makes it in one piece the driver should get an award. If this move happened in Canada the driver would get a ticket after the police recovered from shock!