Moving soon, need a bit of packing advice.

Skeith

More specifically, packing of electronics. I've decided that I'll hang on to my TV, amongst other things, but I no longer have the original box or the styrofoam inserts that were in it. Since part of this move entails loading my stuff on to a barge, I have no idea how much it'll get jostled around. What's the best way to go about this? And what can I do for an xbox 360 and a wii?

Aldo

At my job we pack electronic devices worth ~500 times as much as your xbox and send them out with the regular post companies. First and foremost: if you're moving essential stuff you should get it insured. For stuff that fits into boxes: get sturdy boxes, pack them with loads of shredded paper, crumbled newspapers, old T-shirts, whatever. Buy a few rolls of tape and make sure all edges of the boxes are covered, to prevent accidental water problems or the box bursting open along the weakest points. More tape=better.

Inside the box there should be a letter detailing whose stuff it is and you should take a photo of everything that goes into the box, so if anything is wrong you will have some proof that it wasn't like that when you packed it.

For the TV...I'm going to assume it's one of those big-huge flat screens? I'm sure a moving company will be able to provide you with a decent box, but it might cost you some money. You may have some luck asking friends/family for someone who recently bought a new telly and who is willing to part with their box. Failing that: offer to buy one on Craigslist for 10$ or something.

Considering you're moving to the same location as your stuff, make sure you remove essential hard disks, cartridges and CDs and take them along with you personally. That way you will cut your losses if something goes tits up.

Iceman.USAF

Take some blankets and wrap the TV in it...assuming you're packing some blankets anyway. Then you take a bunch of packing paper and wrap the TV in that, and then mold several boxes around the TV/blankets/paper shape. I've had the same TV through 4 moves and 3 countries now, not a scratch.

Also, if you're having professional movers pack it, make sure they see it working and document it correctly. If its unplugged and ready to ship when they arrive it'll be marked as "function unknown" or something similar, so if it shows up busted your SOL. Show them it works, and take a picture with the mover or (even better) a video of it working.

Inquisitor77

If it's going on a barge, I would second the insurance requirement. Also, moving companies are notoriously unregulated even just domestically, so I would assume internationally it's even worse. I don't really have any meaningful advice beyond making sure you wrap everything in foam first, and then consider going the multi-box "layered" route, where you have an initial box that's filled with packing peanuts (make sure you put some in before you put the TV in the box, or the "floor" side will have no insulation), and then having another outer box that's also filled with packing peanuts or those newfangled bags of air that seem to be everywhere nowadays.

A hail mary would be to contact the TV manufacturer and asking if you can purchase a shipping box from them. They send out return shipping boxes all the time, so I assume they would have the requisite materials ready to go.

Skeith

Iceman.USAF wrote: »

Take some blankets and wrap the TV in it...assuming you're packing some blankets anyway. Then you take a bunch of packing paper and wrap the TV in that, and then mold several boxes around the TV/blankets/paper shape. I've had the same TV through 4 moves and 3 countries now, not a scratch.

Huh, wouldn't have thought of packing the thing with my bedding, thanks for the tip. I was going to pack all my discs into CD books and old spindles, scratches be damned, and take those on the plane with me, along with the hard drives, PSU and graphics card. Empty cases I'd just do via USPS. I do have a hard case that's large enough to accommodate the tower if I were to check it on to the plane, would that be safer than loading it on the barge if I insulate it with clothes and a pillow or two? Definitely getting insurance on everything.

Mulletude

The more insulation the better. Probably seems obvious but no empty space in a box. Tape all seams and tape them twice. Don't use old boxes either. I'd recommend new sturdy and rigid boxes.

Skeith

Yeah, I've been grabbing boxes from work since March, only the ones that handle the dry stuff. I'll probably have to buy one for the TV though, unless Sharp is willing to help me out there.

mts

Skeith wrote: »

Yeah, I've been grabbing boxes from work since March, only the ones that handle the dry stuff. I'll probably have to buy one for the TV though, unless Sharp is willing to help me out there.

ghetto water proofing is to throw everything inside a compactor bag seal that and stick it in the box. I used to do that when doing river/sea kayaking river trips