Updated on September 5, 2023
Moving can be a stressful task, especially when you are transporting expensive and fragile items like electronics. No one wants to arrive at their new home to find a busted television or broken hard drive. This comprehensive guide will provide some of our favorite expert tips to pack and move your valuable electronics securely.
Preparing Before the Move
Before moving day, you should do a few things to ensure a successful transition.
Back-Up Your Files and Data
Suppose you have electronic devices that contain important information and data. In that case, we suggest backing up all your files on a portable hard drive or a secure cloud service like Microsoft One Drive, Dropbox, or Google Drive. If something unfortunate happened to your computer, you would have a backup with your essential personal and professional data.
Gather and Review User Manuals
Find all the manuals that go with your devices to review uninstallation and installation recommendations from the manufacturers. They may recommend specific steps before you unplug and pack everything up. If you don’t have them anymore, try looking them up at the manufacturer’s website, or, for more complicated items, try YouTube for videos explaining easy takedown and reassembly techniques.
Consider A Protection Plan
Sometimes, despite careful planning and precautions, bad things happen during a move. Many moving companies, like 1-800-PACK-RAT, offer protection plans to cover the cost of your items in the unlikely event of damaged electronics. Be sure to look carefully at what these plans offer and determine the amount of insurance you feel your stuff needs to have peace of mind during your move.
Packing Your Electronics
Packing your electronic devices correctly will help ensure that your things get to your new home safely and in one piece. This isn’t a process you should hurry through, though, and your electronic devices should be treated with the same level of care and attention you would provide furniture or precious heirlooms.
Take Pictures
Before pulling cords and wires out of the back of your electronics, take pictures of the configuration. This will save you the headache of figuring out how to set up everything correctly when you arrive at your new location in case you don’t have the instructions or setup manuals anymore.
Organize and Label Wires
After disconnecting wires and cords from a device, neatly wrap up the cord by holding one end of the wire, bending your arm at a 90-degree angle, and wrapping the cord in a neat circle. It would be best if you kept all the lines from the device together. Consider using a Ziploc or grocery bag to store all the wires in one place. You can then label the bag with the name of the device they belong to.
Wrap Your Devices
Wrapping your devices will not only help protect them from damage but also help keep dust out of any openings. You can use moving blankets to wrap more oversized items and towels or other linens for your smaller items before putting them in moving boxes. If you no longer have the boxes your electronic devices came in, you can purchase boxes made to transport different electronic items like televisions, monitors, or laptops.
Storing And Moving Your Electronic Devices
Your electronic devices must be packed carefully to ensure their safety for temporary or long-term storage— or a local or long-distance move. This means having the moving and storage supplies you need to adequately pack your electronic devices safely no matter how long they will be stored. You should also consider portable moving and storage containers to provide even more protection for your belongings during your moving and storage event.
Create An Inventory List
Consider creating a detailed inventory list for each box or container you use for your devices. This will simplify the process of finding and retrieving a specific item from storage or are ready to unpack and set up your devices. You can tape each list to the outside of the box, so you do not need to open a sealed container to find out what is inside. It will also help you and anyone else helping you load and unload your stuff know to handle that particular box with utmost care.
Seal Your Boxes
Dust and debris are not your friends when it comes to electronic devices. If your devices will be stored for over a few weeks, you should take extra care. Tightly seal each box using shipping tape to ensure nothing can make it inside the box.
Be Mindful of The Elements
Electronic devices can be sensitive to temperature and humidity changes, so you should be mindful of how long you plan to store your stuff. Find a storage company that can provide you with the level of service and facility amenities you need to have peace of mind your belongings will stay safe and secure just the way you originally packed them.
1-800-PACK-RAT Can Help
We hope these tips help as you prepare to move. By following these simple guidelines, you can protect your valuable electronics, no matter how far you are moving or how long you’ll need to store your stuff. If you are looking for a reliable moving and storage partner, call 1-800-PACK-RAT (1-800-722-5728) or visit us online today! With over 20 years of experience and 65+ locations across the continental United States, there isn’t a moving or storage scenario we can’t handle. Let us help make your next moving and storage needs simple – give us a call or go online today to see how we can help you!