The school year is just about over – summer is so close you can almost taste the piña coladas (or virgin piña coladas), but first you have pack up your dorm room. Here are some tips on how to pack and how to pack using a mobile storage container.

How do I pack all my stuff?

We suggest that you use moving boxes (avoid stuffing all your stuff in bags – no matter how heavy duty the packaging says your bag is, it will probably rip). Small boxes are perfect for your heavy items like your books (you know those things that were collecting dust, until few weeks ago when you opened it for the first time to cram for finals). Medium and large boxes are good for your lighter items like sheets, pillows, lampshades, etc. And wardrobe boxes are perfect for hanging clothes and so easy to use, all you do is hang your clothes on the metal rod.

LABEL, LABEL, and LABEL some more! You’re not going to see these boxes for at least 3 months. That’s 3 months of traveling, music festivals, summer pool parties, binge watching your favorite TV shows, and just relaxing. Don’t make your brain work more than it has to over break. Write the contents of the box on the outside so you can just forget about it, or you can even take pictures of what’s inside each box and use an app like Sortly.

• Make sure you fill your boxes completely, so your items do not rattle around
• Use packing paper to cushion the contents in the box, if you don’t have packing paper use your towels/clothes/sheets for at least some protection
• Don’t forget to label your boxes
• Keep your irreplaceable and valuable items with you

How do I pack my bike?

If you are using a storage unit prop your bike up against one of the walls, and drape a moving blanket over your bike to prevent any scratches and limit movement. If your bike takes up too much space consider taking off the wheels, so you can fit it into a tighter space.

How do I pack my Mini fridge?

Remember to defrost your fridge, especially if you have a layer of ice built up in the freezer section of your mini fridge. Also, place the mini fridge standing up and not on its side. Check out 123 Moving and Storage’s in depth guide on how to move a refrigerator.

How do I pack my portable storage container?

• Pack items tightly to prevent things from shifting during transport
• Load heavy items on the bottom and lightweight items on top
• Keep the weight of the container under 2,000 pounds – this should be easy
• Distribute the weight of the load evenly, so try to balance out the weight by putting the heaviest items on opposite sides
• Use a strong commercial-grade padlock to secure your items

Have any other questions on how to pack any other items? Give us a call!