How to Keep Your Belongings Safe During a Move

Even a small move can be stressful. There’s packing to worry about, addresses to change, and ensuring the power and internet are sorted in your new place. Between the phone calls to various utilities and making sure everything makes it into a box, you really don’t need any additional worries.

With all this going on, you probably haven’t given much thought to how to keep your belongings safe during a move, but this is something really important to consider. Thankfully, safeguarding your belongings during a move is pretty easy and it doesn’t require hiring an armed security guard.

How to Keep Your Belongings Safe During a Move

Whether you’re moving across town or across the country, the risk of damage or loss of items is a major concern. Here’s a guide on how to keep your belongings safe during a move.

Start with a Plan

Create an Inventory: Before you pack anything, make a detailed inventory of your belongings. List all items in each room and take photos or videos for additional documentation. This record will be invaluable in case of loss or damage.

Choose the Right Moving Day: If possible, choose a moving day that avoids peak times, which can reduce the risk of hurried packing or transportation issues.

Safety Starts with Packing

The safety of your belongings starts with the packing process. If you just toss glass items in with books or a cool rock sculpture gifted by a friend, you’re probably going to have problems. There’s a good chance anything fragile will break during the move.

Guess what, you also can’t blame the moving company for the damage. After all, you’re the one who tossed the item into a random box.

So, how can you keep your belongings safe when moving house? The answer is easy, you want to use the right packing supplies. Yes, this is going to take a little extra time and effort but it’s worth it when nothing is broken during the move.

You’re going to need some packing paper or newsprint. Both will work fine. You may also need some old towels or blankets.

If you don’t have extra linens lying around you’re willing to sacrifice for the move, no worries. You can pick up gently used towels and blankets at your local resale shop. Most have a home section. You may even be able to use some old sheets. Since you don’t care about color, pattern, or style, you can grab the cheapest ones.

Packing Fragile Items

Find a box and grab a blanket. Tuck the blanket inside the box. The idea is to make a type of bed for your fragile items.

The blanket should cover the bottom and sides of the box. Leave enough material hanging out of the box which you’ll need to tuck in when you’re ready to close the box.

Now, grab the packing paper or newsprint and the items you’re packing and wrap each item separately. You may need to use more than one or two sheets of paper. Carefully lay the items in the box. However, don’t overstuff the box.

Remember, these are fragile and breakable items. If you’re planning on laying things on top of each other, grab some small towels or more packing paper. Creating a protective layer between the items is one more way of safeguarding them.

Before sealing the box, tuck the excess blanket inside. You want to cover the surface while adding another protective layer between your belongings and the top of the box. If there are any gaps on the sides, tuck some extra paper towels down to prevent anything from shifting during the move. You can also use blankets to cover the corners of furniture and appliances.

Choosing a Reliable Mover

• Research Movers: Look for a reputable moving company with positive reviews and proper licensing. Request quotes from multiple companies and ask about their insurance coverage.
• Insurance Coverage: Ensure the mover provides adequate insurance that covers the full value of your belongings. Consider purchasing additional insurance if necessary, especially for high-value items.
• Communicate Specific Needs: If you have items that require special handling, discuss these with the movers ahead of time.

Choosing a Shipping Company with Tracking Services

You can track your pizza delivery and Uber driver, so it makes sense you’ll want to track your belongings. Most moving services offer tracking, typically without an additional charge.

How it works is fairly simple. You typically download the app. Once you open the app, you should be able to track the movers’ progress. You can see when they make a stop and if they’re getting close to your new address.

If the service doesn’t offer tracking, think about installing a device in your boxes. You can pick up a simple tracker relatively cheaply. You know the ones you use to track your luggage or children’s belongings like backpacks? This will work great for your move.

Think About Getting Moving Insurance

Yes, most reputable moving companies offer a guarantee. If your belongings don’t show up, you may be able to be partially reimbursed for your loss. However, without moving insurance, you’re probably not going to be able to recoup all of your losses.

Some moving services offer insurance policies. You’ll need to provide the moving company with a complete list of everything packed away in your crates and boxes. The cost of a policy through the moving company is rarely cheap, so it’s something else to think about.

Another option is to go through your insurance provider. Your homeowners or renters insurance often covers moves. This type of coverage is usually an add-on to your existing policy, but it’s worth talking to your insurance agent about.

Moving Day

• Personal Bag: Keep important documents, valuables, and essentials with you. This includes passports, jewelry, family heirlooms, and medications.
• Supervise Loading: If possible, oversee the loading of your items onto the truck. Make sure fragile items are properly placed and that nothing is left behind.
• Transport Route: Be aware of the transport route and expected delivery times. Make arrangements to have someone available to receive your belongings at the new location.

Unpacking and Checking

As soon as the movers arrive at your new home, inspect your belongings for any signs of damage. Check off each item from your inventory list as it’s unloaded.

If you discover any damaged or missing items, file a claim with the moving company immediately. The sooner you report the problem, the better your chances of resolving it satisfactorily.

Unpack items room by room, starting with essentials. This method reduces clutter and helps you identify any further issues with misplaced or damaged items.

By following these steps, you can minimize the risks associated with moving and help ensure that your belongings arrive safely at your new home. Proper planning, careful packing, choosing the right movers, and taking security measures can all contribute to a smoother, safer move.

Disclosure: Some of the links above are affiliate links, meaning that at no additional cost to you, I will receive a very small commission if you click through and make a purchase. These links help to pay the editorial costs of writing a blog. For more information, please read my full affiliate disclosure here.

I also use Artificial Intelligence Image generators to create some of my images. These are to show you examples of my ideas and inspiration when I cannot produce the real images myself.