So you've found yourself a new place and you're ready to move into it. If you're a moving veteran, then you know the importance of proper packing, stacking, and being organized. If this is your first move, then you're about to be initiated into a world where the rule of "things break when you move" is an unwritten and accepted law for many.



But with a few good moving tips, hopefully you can avoid becoming one of the thousands of people each year that break something valuable while trying to move from one place to another.

Quick Moving Tips for the Uninitiated

More experienced movers are probably already aware of most of these tips, but for the first-timer these cannot be ignored unless you enjoy the sound of crashing glass in the back of your moving van.

* Use a Moving Company

Find yourself a professional moving company that will do the moving for you. You'll still need to box everything up, but the moving company employees will load the truck using proper techniques to prevent anything from crashing around. Don't forget to get references or check opinions on the Web for your chosen moving company. There's a horror story of a bay area moving company that caused nearly $7,000 of damage to not one, but two of a client's BMW's. Both cars were heavily damaged despite being transported separately. That's the kind of moving company to avoid.

*Cushion and Pad All Fragiles

Things like china and other utensils, glassware, small appliances and so forth should be individually wrapped before stuffing it into a box. This will prevent items from getting scratched or broken as they shift in the box. A lot of people use newspaper. Be careful about which items you use newspaper on, as the ink will often rub off onto your valuables.

*Fill in Empty Spaces

To prevent items from moving around in their box, fill up any empty space with whatever you can. You can use crumpled newspapers, towels, or anything you happen to have on hand that won't cause more damage than it prevents. Note: rocks from your fish tank are not good for filling up empty box space.

*Watch the Weight

Large boxes are great for packing towels and clothing, but are very bad for boxing books. Books are heavy, and after stuffing 50 of them into a large box, you're going to have a heckuva time picking that box up! Also along the lines of weight, pack your moving van evenly from front to back and side-to-side. Too much weight on one side will cause the van to dip on that side and is very dangerous for driving.

*Pad Sensitive Equipment Such as Electronics

In addition to being sensitive, electronics such as your TV or stereo system are typically on open display in your home. To prevent them from getting covered in ugly scratches, pad them the best you can. A common trick is to lay the TV on the couch, then cover it in thick blankets or comforters.

*Choose Your Moving Company Carefully

I know I mentioned this already, but if you are using a moving company, it can't be stressed enough.

This is far from an all-inclusive list, but doing just these few small things can save you a lot of headache down the road.