4 Steps To Packing Your Garage For A Move

If you're getting ready to move, there is a little extra preparation involved when packing up your garage, particularly for those who have tools of various sizes, gasoline, and other chemicals lying around. But getting your space organized and move-ready is relatively simple when you know what to do. Whether you hire a moving company like Bell Moving & Storage or handle it yourself, here are four steps for packing up your garage.  

Plan Ahead

Because there are special considerations, and the process is slightly more involved than packing up dishes and clothes, you definitely don't want to wait until the last minute to take care of this. You'll need to be especially organized, so make sure you have the following items: small to medium sized boxes, bubble wrap, newspaper, blankets, resealable sandwich bags, markers, packing tape, and zip ties or string.

Sort The Large Items

Next, you'll want to sort out your large items that won't be packed in a box. These include bikes, lawn mowers, step ladders, brooms, rakes, shovels, chainsaws, hoes, and so forth.

Many of them, like lawn mowers, ladders, and bikes, can be moved as is. But if you want to disassemble your bicycle for moving, that's also an option.

Some large yard tools, like rakes and shovels, have sharp edges that can cut you or the movers as well as damage your furniture on the truck, and because of their size, packing them in a box isn't always feasible.

The best way to deal with this is to bundle them together in small groups, fasten the handles with zip ties (or string if you prefer) and wrap the bottom edges with something soft and protective of your choice such as newspaper, bubble wrap, or towels. If you have the original box that the tool came in, use that for moving the item.

Tip - If large items need to be disassembled before packing them up, and you're worried that you won't remember how they go back together, take a picture of what they look like before-hand while they're still intact, and use that as a reference when you get settled in your new place.

Prepare Hazardous Materials

If you're hiring a moving company, be aware that they won't move things deemed to be hazardous for transportation. Things commonly found in garages that may be on this list include fuel of any kind (lighter fluid, kerosene, charcoal, and yes, even that propane tank on your grill), fire extinguishers, fireworks, paint and paint thinners, oil, car batteries, and other chemicals used for cleaning or whatever other project you might have going on.

Be aware this also means that they will not handle any of your fuel-powered tools unless the tank is completely empty.

If you have neighbors that can use some of these items, you may consider making a donation to them. If not, you'll have to find a way to safely transport the items yourself or dispose of them. This can be done by calling your local waste management for information on a pickup or a recycling location.

Sort The Small Items

If you have a large tool box that contains small parts, often all that's needed is to tape up the drawers to prevent spillage. But if you're worried about all those nuts, bolts, and screws being tumbled around and making a mess, sort them into small, plastic resealable bags, and either tape those baggies to the side of the tool box, or pack them in a small, individual box.

If you opt to pack them in a moving box, be sure to write on the bag with a marker which tool box they came from. Or use colored tape to match up containers with their corresponding contents.  

When packing up smaller garden tools that have sharp edges such as hand saws, gardening sheers, pickaxes, and scythes, be sure to protect yourself in the same way you did your larger items by wrapping them with newspaper before packing in a box.  

Tip - Small garden tools or handheld electrical ones that are particularly heavy can be packed in moving boxes. Just be careful not to add so many items to that box that it becomes compromised due to the weight. You don't want the box to be so heavy that it breaks open, damaging your goods or causing injury. 

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