Packing Tips: Living / Family Room

The following tips for packing a living or family room can be adapted to any of the larger main rooms in your home, such as great rooms. We provide tips on how to properly pack books, lamps, furniture and electronics since all are common items in living rooms. Keeping our instructions in mind while packing allows you to pack all of those items and be sure that they are secure and protected during the move.

In addition to the tips for packing a living room, there are a couple more hints to keep in mind. For one, the majority of pictures and mirrors can be wrapped and then placed in telescoping cartons. Secondly, valuable fine art or fragile items might possibly need specialized crating and that is something best left in the hands of the professionals from your moving company.

Packing Tips for the Living Room

Stereo Equipment

You need to prepare equipment like CD players, digital video disc players and turntables before the move.
The laser on compact and digital video disc players has to be secured with the transport screws that are found on the unit either in the back or on the bottom.
Many turntables come with a plastic lock and that should be used so that the tone arm is kept in its place. For more protection you can also tie string around the arm so that nothing will happen even if the lock fails. The platter, or where the records are placed, is secured by tightening the screws which are normally found on top of the turntable. However, if you are not sure then refer to the user manual.

Speakers

Speakers are to be packed into dish packs that are well cushioned.
Normally, no servicing is required for receivers, tape decks or speakers before being moved.
Large or especially heavy speakers are just padded and then placed on the moving truck.

TVs

Your moving company should be informed if you have a plasma or big screen TV, because these might have to be crated before the day of the move.
Contact your cable company and have your service discontinued. If you have converter boxes then these have to be returned and the receipt stored away for future reference.
Get in touch with a cable company at your new location and have service continued in the new home.
The new location for a TV should be on a hard surface that is at least 6' away from where you would sit down to watch it. Most TVs shouldn't be put in an enclosed area, but that is possible provided that there is enough ventilation.

DVD or VCR

Moving a DVD or VCR doesn't require any special servicing. Once at your new place, these devices are set up on a hard surface where they have enough ventilation at the openings. No objects should be placed on top.

Satellite Dish

You will have to contact a technician from the satellite dish distributor or an electrician to have the equipment, which is quite sensitive, disconnected and disassembled. In some cases you may need this equipment to be crated and this can be done by a professional moving company. However, whether or not this will have to be done depends on the size and how the unit is made.

CDs, Tapes and Records

CDs and records should be packed standing on edge on top of a layer of crushed up paper. Never place them flat in the box. At each end you can provide support with a hardcover book or many pieces of cardboard that is cut to fit the space. A top layer of crushed paper is then added. Finally, the contents have to be identifiable and that is done by labeling the box and then marking it as "Fragile".

Cassette tapes should be in a case and individually wrapped using crushed paper.
Individual tapes are packed onto a couple layers of crushed paper. They can be placed vertically or horizontally.
Records not in their jackets have to be individually wrapped in plastic wrap or tissue paper so that they are protected from damage, like scratching. Since records are heavy they belong in small boxes.

Books

Books of roughly the same size should be packed together in small special book cartons.
Books should be packed so that they are flat or have the spine on the bottom of the box, because if the spine is facing up then the glue can break off from the binder.
Any expensive or important books, like those with a sentimental value, should first be wrapped individually and then packed into the carton.

Photographs

Family photos, videos, negatives and slides should be put into separate boxed and not combined with other items from the household.

(Please note: these items have to be taken care of if you are moving to a very hot or humid climate. This is done by ensuring they are kept in a storage area that keeps them protected from those elements.)

Photographs in frames should be protected with padding and cushioning. They should be stood on edge in the moving box.
Irreplaceable items should be taken by you personally to your new home, if at all possible.
Boxes should all be labeled so they are easy to identify.

Silk or Artificial Flowers

Any artificial flower arrangements are to be packed into a separate box. They should also be placed in plastic wrap, paper towels or tissue paper. If you are able to do so, then it is also best to secure the base of the arrangement to the bottom of the box so that it won't shift. Once finished you have to label the carton with "Fragile - This Side Up".

Lamp Bases

Once you have removed the bulb and lamp harp, all three items should be wrapped separately in newspaper and placed together in a carton. Any empty spaces should also be filled with wadded paper.

Lamp Shades

When wrapping a lamp shade make sure to always use clean tissue paper and never use newsprint, because that will stain or soil the shade. A pillowcase or large lightweight towel will work just as well.
You will need a carton for your lamp shade that is at least 2 inches larger than the biggest shade. Clean paper should then be used to line the box with and provide a layer of protection. It is not necessary to wrap the lamp shade itself.
If you happen to have smaller shades then you can put them inside the larger ones, but only if you don't have to jam them in.
If the lamp shade is made of silk then it needs to be packed alone in order to avoid stretching the silk.
Lamp shades should be packed alone and never with other items.
LAMP SHADES-FRAGILE-TOP LOAD ONLY should be written or labeled on all cartons containing these items.

Chandeliers and Leaded Glass Shades

It is recommended that you let professionals from your moving company handle the packing of glass lamp shades, chandeliers or other large items.

Glass Table Tops, Large Mirrors, Paintings, Marble Slabs, Statues and Large Vases

When it comes to custom boxes and crates for these types of items, you are better off consulting with your moving company. Keep in mind that paper is never allowed to come into contact with the surface of an oil painting.

Rugs

Area rugs are to be left on the floor so that the professionals from the moving company can deal with them.
Consider professionally cleaning your area rugs before the move, because when you pick them up from the cleaner they will be rolled up, wrapped and ready to be shipped.
Area rugs should be the last items loaded onto the truck and unloaded first. This way any furniture being moved off the truck can go straight on top of the rugs.

TV Stand and Stereo Cabinet

Glass doors should be removed, if possible, and then packed into a special mirror carton.

Furniture

Large, upholstered items are put in shrink wrap by the moving company.
Discuss with your moving professional about what is to be done with leather items.
Couch pillows can be packed into large boxes.
The corners of tables can also be protected using cardboard.

Piano

If you have to move a grand or baby piano then you should have your moving company professionals prepare it for the move.
Upright pianos, like console or studio, don't really need any preparations for the move and all that has to be done is pad wrap these pianos so that the surface is protected.
Once you reach your new home have the piano tuned.

Pool Table

The pool table should be disassembled and crated by an experienced service provider. It might be possible to receive help with these tasks from the store where the pool table was purchased and therefore it is worth asking there.
It is possible to crate on slate.
Once you reach your new home you will need professional service providers to uncrate, assemble and level the pool table.

Using Packing Tips for the Living Room

These tips are to be used as a guideline when the time comes to pack your living room. We gladly offer this advice, because your possessions deserve the best treatment whether packed by us or by you. By following the tips you will be able to pack like a professional without actually having one there with you.