Gentle Giant Moving Company, a residential mover in Massachusetts, New Hampshire, New York, North Carolina, Rhode Island, and Virginia, recently announced the return of its "Pack Like the Pros" summer season packing seminar on July 21, 2007. The company also published an updated advisory on common packing pitfalls and offered tips for anyone planning to pack their own belongings for an upcoming residential move.
The free "Pack Like the Pros" seminar will be held on Saturday, July 21 from 10:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m., at the Gentle Giant headquarters in Somerville, Massachusetts. A complimentary sampling of professional packing materials will be provided to each guest at the seminar, where experts will demonstrate hands-on packing techniques, offer tips, and provide advice on preventing damage during a move.
"We want to share important information that many people may not know about safe and effective packing," said Larry O'Toole President and founder of Gentle Giant Moving Company. "Based on years of experience with common moving challenges as well as the knowledge we have regarding how to pack newer electronics and high-tech equipment, we feel that we have the ability to help people, whether they move with us or not. Our goal is to improve the process of moving for everyone by reducing packing stress."
According to Gentle Giant's Quality Control Director Ayanna McKinnon, "Customers are often surprised when we show them how to pack certain items or tell them which items are most susceptible to damage while moving." McKinnon offers the following advice on preparing for a move:
- Wrap mattresses and box springs, and never drag them. "Many people end up with dirty or ripped mattresses because they leave them unprotected, or they drag them on the floor and they become snagged," said McKinnon. She urges everyone to carefully wrap mattresses and box springs in special plastic bags. "If you use a mover, make sure they use a new mattress bag because bed bugs are a potential problem you want to avoid."
- Move flat panel televisions in their original packages or have a crate professionally made. "It's important to know what you're doing with plasmas and LCD TVs," McKinnon said. "Plasma TVs should never be laid flat, and LCDs have problems with changing altitude over long drives." She also advises against turning on any TV right away. "They should to return to room temperature or they will be more susceptible to internal damage."
- Pack plates and dishes vertically, and wrap them individually. "A dish that is hit on its edge is much less likely to break than one that lands flat," explained McKinnon. "And if they're not separately wrapped they rattle during transit, and that could cause them to crack."
- Pay special attention to keepsakes or special items related to personal hobbies. "Think about moving those things yourself, or simply point out those special boxes to your movers. Items like those are impossible to replace because their monetary value doesn't compare with their personal value."
- Pack lamp shades separately from lamps. "Lamp shades can all go into one box, separated and cushioned with paper, but watch out for silk shades," she said. "Silk has a 'memory,' so any indentation caused by the pressure of wrapping material can cause a permanent mark."
For more information on the free seminar and how to get more moving tips from Gentle Giant, check out the press release Gentle Giant Moving Company Helps Consumers 'Pack Like the Pros' with Live Summer Packing Seminar.
