Packing for an International Move

While the idea of packing your own belongings is tempting, it should be left to our specially trained, professional international movers. We have the experience, expertise and moving supplies to protect your goods from the extra stress of international air and sea shipments. Additionally, we can help you adhere to the stringent shipping requirements and heightened security measures in the current global environment.

Here are some of the tools, moving supplies and moving boxes your North American international movers will be using to pack your belongings.

Tools, Materials & Moving Supplies

• Unprinted newspaper and tissue paper (newspaper ink can soil and even damage some items)
• 2" plastic tape (to assemble and close cartons)
• Utility knife and scissors
• Permanent markers

Types of Moving Boxes

1. 1.5 cu. ft. in U.S., and 2.0 cu. ft. in Canada (book box)
   Use for heavy or dense items including books, records, shoes, canned goods, kitchen canisters, small appliances and hand or power tools.

2. 3 cu. ft. in U.S., and 4.0 cu. ft. in Canada
   General-purpose size. Good for toys, lampshades, pots and pans, kitchen utensils, etc.

3. 4.5 and 6 cu. ft. in U.S., and 5.0 cu. ft. in Canada
   For large, lightweight items such as pillows, bedding and toys. Do not overload these moving boxes.

4. Stand-Up Wardrobe
   Equipped with a bar for hanging clothes, curtains and draperies. The bottom is not designed to support weight; do not pack other items in the bottom of these cartons. Lay-down style wardrobe moving boxes are also available.

5. Dishpacks
   Specially designed with available cell dividers for transporting dishes, glasses, bowls and other kitchenware. Also good for lamps, small pictures, knick-knacks and light appliances.

6. Mirror Boxes
   Telescoping, large and small sizes. Provides extra protection for mirrors, large pictures and glass tabletops.

7. Mattress Boxes
   Available in crib, twin, standard, double and queen/king sizes.

8. Custom Crates
   Wooden crates can be custom built in various sizes. These crates are ideal for marble, large glass table tops, chandeliers, antiques, statuary, trophies and other large, bulky or delicate items requiring extra protection.

9. Padding
   Provided for furniture and larger items. All non-packed or crated items will be padded using the highest quality materials available on the market today.

Packing the Professional Way

North American's packing staff can ensure that your belongings are properly protected for your move.

Here's how we go about packing the right way:

• All packing materials, moving supplies and cartons will be new
• All china, glass and crystal will be individually wrapped prior to packing
• Cartons will be taped across top, bottom and all sides
• All rugs and carpets will be rolled and wrapped
• Customer's name, room and contents will be marked on each carton

All items not suitable for packing will be padded for transport. These items include furniture, large bulky pieces and large appliances. Such items are paper padded and, where items require additional protection, double wrapping and crating may be used.

Proper padding requires the following steps:

• All furniture will be dismantled, if appropriate
• All hardware (nuts and bolts) will be placed in plastic bags before being put in the master hardware moving box
• All furniture will be wrapped in a minimum 3-ply paper pad
• Corner pads will be used to provide additional protection
• All paper pad seams will be sealed using export vinyl tape
• Skeleton or full crates will be used on awkward or fragile pieces

Getting the Most for Your Money

In determining the cost of your shipment, we consider its density - the combination of its weight and cubic volume. Large, odd-shaped items decrease space-efficiency and increase the cubic volume of your shipment. So, to minimize the cubic volume and help keep your costs down, there are certain items that may not make sense to take.

For example:

• Rattan/wicker
• Large quantities of disposable diapers
• Large plastic outdoor children's toys

Talk with your international moving company representative if you have any questions about particular items.