The living room or family room contains a lot of different types of items – from furniture and electronics to knick knacks. You and your movers will use all different types of packing techniques and packing materials to get the room ready for the move.

Before You Begin Packing

Sort through the living room/family room and decide what you will move with you and what you can get rid of. You can have a garage sale or donate items you don’t want to pay to move.

Gather your packing supplies, and have the boxes, tape, packing paper, markers and bubble wrap ready in the living room/family room so you don’t have to go hunting for the materials while you’re in the middle of packing. Assemble the boxes and reinforce the bottoms.

Knick Knacks

You probably don’t need your knick knacks every day, so these can be packed first. Since they are fragile, you will want to pack these with extra care, or even consider having professional movers pack them. Packing your fragile items first and having them out of the way, makes it easier to pack up the rest of the room. Be sure to label these boxes “FRAGILE” and “THIS WAY UP” where appropriate.

Wall Hangings

Remove the window treatments, framed photos and wall clocks. You can either fold your curtains and drapes and place in a box, or if you can, pack them in a wardrobe box. Hang your curtains over the bar in the wardrobe.

For pictures, mirrors, and other wall hangings, consider having professionals pack these. These must be carefully packed in order to avoid damage during the move, and insurance coverage on these items reverts to MoveInsure’s Silver coverage if they are not packed by professionals.

Prepare the Furniture

Disassemble parts of the furniture that can come off; secure those that don’t come off by taping them down. Place screws and nuts in a bag or envelope, and tape to the bottom of the furniture.

Pack sofa cushions and throw pillows in a large box; the upholstered furniture will be wrapped by the movers. Take photos of the furniture so you know how it should look when it’s reassembled.

Books and CDs

Pack your books in small boxes, because these can get very heavy. It’s best to pack hardcover books standing up with the spines to the side of the box, or stacked.

Pack CDs in their protective sleeves and cases, and pack them standing up, not lying flat. Layer packing paper at the bottom and top of the box, and make sure that the box is packed tightly. Boxes containing CDs should be labeled “FRAGILE.”

Electronics

If possible, pack the DVD player, stereo, and other electronics in their original boxes. Detach removable cables and label them so that you know where they belong. Tape cords to the bottom of the appliances so the plugs don’t get damaged.

Flat screen TVs require special care so that they don’t break. If you have the original box and foam packaging that it came in, this is best. Special packing crates are also available from your mover.

Label all boxes with “Living Room” or “Family Room” so they are brought to the correct room when you move into your new home. Write a brief description of what is in them on the box. You should keep a more detailed description on a list for yourself so you can find specific items more easily.