Laura in VA Posted June 6, 2008 Share Posted June 6, 2008 Our express shipment goes out on Tuesday. I'm planning to pack the schoolbooks we'll need just in case it takes 3 months for the regular shipment to arrive. Should I pack them in plastic tubs, or just let the movers pack them into boxes? What about the books that I'm sending over with the regular shipment and the ones that will go into long-term storage? If you have any advice you'd like to share I would appreciate it. Thank you! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rebecca in VA Posted June 6, 2008 Share Posted June 6, 2008 to Guam, so this advice may not hold, but... You should pack the books in a plastic box, because you'll need a container to store them in when they arrive. Otherwise they'll end up all over the hotel room. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mommytobees Posted June 7, 2008 Share Posted June 7, 2008 ::delurking:: We're in the middle of PCS'ing to Yokosuka, Japan. I put about 4 months worth of school materials into Rubber Maid bins. The movers took 'em all out and packed them into boxes, then wrapped the bins in paper. Kris Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
camibami Posted June 7, 2008 Share Posted June 7, 2008 :confused: I've had it go both ways- some movers unpack my bins, put contents into box, wrap bins in something ridiculous like bubble wrap or paper. Or they just tape the (full) bin and send it on its merry way. Because space is a premium in your hold baggage, and you need to conserve...that pretty much guarantees they'll unpack the bins and ship them empty!:001_huh: (Planning for the worst case scenario has always worked very well for me- unfortunately!) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mrs Mungo Posted June 7, 2008 Share Posted June 7, 2008 I always go out and talk to the movers about it. I pack the books in plastic bins and if I ask them to leave it that way they will. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Whisperlily Posted June 7, 2008 Share Posted June 7, 2008 It depends on the movers, like Mrs. Mungo said, ask them. This last move, they unpacked my books (and everything else I had in plastic bins... including LEGOS) and put them in cardboard boxes, and shipped the plastic bins empty. Some moving companies have moved cleaning supplies/liquids, and some have said absolutely NOT. (When they did move them, I hadn't thought they would. I'd set them aside for a friend, not thinking they'd try to pack them, and when our things arrived, I found them packed in a box.) You just never know unless you ask. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Christine Posted June 7, 2008 Share Posted June 7, 2008 I know each experience is different. My movers tend to unpack my bins if what they deem inside is "heavy". . .but they'll re-pack them with linens and what not. I've never had them ship them empty. Yes, legos, I also put in ziplocs now. . . Did NOT appreciate one mover dumping a whole bin of little bitty legos "free" in a box! I have noticed, that movers are getting less "wasteful" over the years. (They used to waste a lot of space, and use a lot of packing. . .of course, that may be partly due to me getting all paranoid about weight too.) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JumpedIntoTheDeepEndFirst Posted June 7, 2008 Share Posted June 7, 2008 In my experience the larger the plastic bin the more likely the movers are to bust it. I frequently store/pack the next size/out-of-season/saving for younger kids clothes in large plastic bins and they always get busted as they are tossed about or something else is shoved in next to them and eventually the pressure breaks the bin. If you do use them insist that the movers wrap them in padded paper before putting in the crate. The cheap movers packing tape often never comes off the crate again. Be aware that the express shipment boxes are small depending on the mover. We had to give away an ironing board once because it wouldn't fit. If you are worried about damage to the books you can line boxes with garbage bags or wrap garbage bags around the boxes. Don't forget the option to mail to yourself anything that you might need sooner. Bon voyage! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pretty in Pink Posted June 7, 2008 Share Posted June 7, 2008 i'd just call the movers and ask them how they want to do it. i've seen it go both ways, where one moving company packed my mom's ashtray (cigarette butts and all) when i was a kid:001_huh: and i've also seen them unpack rubbermaids that i packed myself and ship them empty:confused: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mrs Mungo Posted June 7, 2008 Share Posted June 7, 2008 Be aware that the express shipment boxes are small depending on the mover. We had to give away an ironing board once because it wouldn't fit. While this is generally true, the hold baggage going overseas goes into a crate. So, in this case it shouldn't be a problem. We packed a surf board and boogie boards in our hold baggage to Hawaii. :lol: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TammyinTN Posted June 7, 2008 Share Posted June 7, 2008 Just finished with a move...literally last week. Talk to your packers as soon as they arrive. Mine were wonderful and worked great with me. I had all my supplies together and they packed them according to my wishes and even let me check to make sure I was happy before sealing those boxes. This was the company doing the moving to our new home...the company that did our storage (90% of our stuff had to go there) wasn't so great. I had to store my library and lets just say we didn't see eye to eye on packing my precious books...but a couple of calls got my wishes handled. Books are so expensive! Anyway...good luck on your move! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Laura in VA Posted June 7, 2008 Author Share Posted June 7, 2008 Would it be advisable to pack all of them in plastic boxes? I'm not going to be able to take many books with us due to lack of space (we'll have about 1100 sq ft w/4 bedrooms- I don't even want to think about it :001_unsure:) so most of the books will have to be stored long-term and I don't think it's a climate controlled facility. Thanks! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TammyinTN Posted June 7, 2008 Share Posted June 7, 2008 You sound just like us. We went from 3000 sq feet to 1080sq feet with 4 bedrooms..I made one an office, couldn't even consider the space a bedroom. I let them pack my books in boxes for storage which is here in Germany for up to 3 years...no climate control and it's humid year round. I'm just praying for good luck or at least replacement cost for them if their ruined...I feel your pain! Hang in there...and much luck on your move!:grouphug: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JumpedIntoTheDeepEndFirst Posted June 17, 2008 Share Posted June 17, 2008 Would it be advisable to pack all of them in plastic boxes? I'm not going to be able to take many books with us due to lack of space (we'll have about 1100 sq ft w/4 bedrooms- I don't even want to think about it :001_unsure:) so most of the books will have to be stored long-term and I don't think it's a climate controlled facility. Thanks! Keep in mind that packing them airtight in plastic can lead to a build-up of humidity over time and temperature changes with the seasons. Wet books a few years later are not so pretty. I would make sure you get some sort of inventory. Make your own, Library Thing, or one of the multitude of programs. Mark all the storage items as stored and perhaps a date. That way you won't buy something you own and you have a record just in case. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JumpedIntoTheDeepEndFirst Posted June 17, 2008 Share Posted June 17, 2008 While this is generally true, the hold baggage going overseas goes into a crate. So, in this case it shouldn't be a problem. We packed a surf board and boogie boards in our hold baggage to Hawaii. :lol: Wow-Maybe its a Hawaii thing because all our overseas moves have had the air shipment in heavy duty cardboard boxes. Crates were only for the regular shipment. And lets just add that if it is raining when they unload the plane and they don't get the boxes on to a dry truck... I was very happy for that heavier cardboard-it saved our stuff. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rebecca in VA Posted June 17, 2008 Share Posted June 17, 2008 We left a number of items in long-term storage in Georgia at a Navy-authorized facility. It was supposed to be climate-controlled, but it clearly wasn't. When we got the items back two years later, mildew was practically dripping off of them. We had to throw every last item away -- everything was ruined. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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