Throughout the years, myself and employees of my moving company Pacific West Moving LLC have witnessed some interesting things in the moving industry. More often than not, improper packing results in goods being damaged, scratched, vulnerable to the weather, and every now and then a hazard to the movers.

A few years back I had a client who really put the icing on the cake. The client was a great guy who had several degrees from major universities and worked for the government. This client however lacked the common sense that may be required to complete the move. This famed clients basically purchased 20 or 30 huge boxes...somewhere between 4-5 feet tall and 2-3 feet wide. For those not familiar with moving boxes, these are quite huge. Either way, the client loaded these boxes with his possessions thinking he would save time and space. Quite the opposite occurred as many of the boxes were completely full with books, magazines, and other heavy items. To even attempt to move the boxes it required 4 bulky movers. The boxes were so big the dollies would not work either.

In hindsight I believe the client realized he had made a poor decision about how to pack correctly. The correct way would have been to purchase many small to medium sized boxes, many of which you can find at a self storage location, and load the boxes tightly with goods. This allows for the items to be firm within the box, movers the ability to move the box, and furthermore allows easy placement within the truck during a load.

Correct taping and labeling also go hand in hand with this. What good is a finely packed box if the top or bottom is not secured? Many quality boxes used for moving can weather a storm, rain and even snow but they must be taped tightly in order for it to work correctly.