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Packing: Where to Start?

By Diane Schmidt, About.com

  • Disassemble all furniture. Any pieces that can come apart, make sure you disassemble them. Desks are lighter without the drawers; the drawers are lighter without the contents, although I have moved desk drawers with their contents still inside them. The trick is to stuff linens on top of the contents then tape down the linens. This can be done if the drawers are stackable and can be placed in the nook beneath the desk when on the truck. You don't want the contents spilling over the truck bed while on the move. See loading a truck for more tips and tricks.

  • Keep box weight at a minimum. To prevent injury to yourself, your family, friends or the movers, make sure your boxes are not too heavy to manage. Most boxes should weigh less than 50 pounds with an ideal weight being 40 pounds or less. If you have any overweight boxes, make sure you mark them clearly so that no one injures themselves on the job.

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