May: Tips & Tricks from deVivre
When I first moved to NYC on May 17th, 2011, I thought that I would never be able to find a place to live. Not necessarily because I'd be moving with such short notice, but because, coming from Boston, you only find apartments with Sept 1st and June 1st move-in dates due to the university schedule that the entire city runs on. When I did move here, I was shocked that people moved so frequently, and whenever they wanted! I quickly learned some things that I have since translated into deVivre "Tips & Tricks".
This month... packing kitchenware so that you can actually use your glasses and plates in your new home (ie: so that they don't end up in a million pieces because you threw them in a box with some crumpled paper)!
1.) Use paper - whether it be packing paper or newspaper, use multiple pieces of paper for all kitchenware. 2.) Cover glass, ceramic, crystal..basically anything that would break if it fell on the floor, all over with your wrapping material. Do not leave any parts of the breakable item uncovered. If you use one big piece of packing paper for stacking multiple plates (think "zigzagging" the paper between each plate) and the plates are exposed on either side of the paper, wrap the entire stack in another piece of paper. 3.) Use bins that are sturdy and won't break. We like eco-friendly reusable totes like the ones from City Moving Boxes. They get delivered when you need them, are easily stackable, and come with a dolly to help keep your move going quickly and smoothly! 4.) Fill your bin to the max, without overfilling it. This is KEY to packing correctly. Start by lining your bin with paper, crumpled on all sides as a layering "cushion". Start filling the bins, using the kitchenware as puzzle pieces. For wine glasses, check out our blog cover photo -- every other glass is upside down so that they fit snugly, but not tightly, into the bin. paper is crumpled in open nooks so that glasses won't move around, even in a bumpy U-Haul. Then, cover the top of the wrapped pieces with paper so that the kitchenware can't move vertically either. 5.) Lastly, label your boxes!! Whether it be in Sharpie on cardboard boxes or with Post-Its taped to the sides (yes, Post-Its will off during the move and you should tape them down), labeling your boxes will save you HOURS unpacking, especially if you have a multi-room home. We like to label on 3 sides to make it even easier - top, length side, width side. That way, you'll be able to see the label no matter how the box is stacked or placed!
Yes, packing is not very fun, but you can do it quickly and efficiently with our Tips & Tricks. OR, you can always call deVivre! You can take a nice little vacation while we take care of business.