If you are like a lot of homeowners who have just sold their homes, packing up to move is the least enjoyable aspect of the whole thing. Packing is always time consuming, but it is worse when you have weird shaped items to pack. Sometimes the most commonly used items end up being difficult to pack.
Here are some tips for how to handle it.
Think Outside The Box
Many weird shaped items either do not fit inside a standard sized box or they will rattle around and get damaged. Try to think of unusual packaging materials that might fit the bill, such as egg cartons, cardboard paper towel tubes, insulated coolers and even file cabinet drawers. Often, you will be able to fit a odd or strangely shaped item into one of these.
- For instance, sharp knives can be tucked into paper towel tubes. Fold the two ends down and tape shut.
- Your kids rock or shell collection can be packed inside egg cartons, layered with newspaper and taped up.
- A delicate light fixture such as a small chandelier can be packed into an insulated cooler and surrounded with Styrofoam peanuts.
Deal With Sporting Goods And Gardening Equipment
Sporting goods pose a particular challenge when packing. If your family engages in water sports, archery or other activities, you will be wondering how to pack things like fins, a crossbows, skis, and other expensive but weirdly shaped equipment. Here are some ideas.
- Pack snorkeling and scuba gear into a large, new, plastic trash barrel. The fins will be able to fit on end so they get warped, and there will be plenty of room for masks, snorkels and scuba tank, if necessary.
- Use a specially designed television box to pack a cross bow and arrows or any other item that?s flat and wide.
- Ski poles will fit nicely into a bicycle box (along with the bicycle). You can get one from a local dealer or buy one from the moving company. Secure the poles with a zip tie first.
- Wrap up garden shovels and hoes with a zip tie and pack them into their own bicycle box. You can use the same box to pack rolled up tents, sleeping bags and other camping gear.
You can see that with a little ingenuity there is always a way to pack weird shaped items. Be forewarned though – the stranger the item, the more creative you may have to get!
Did you just move into a new city? Transitioning to a new city is hard enough, but when you also need to find a job, it can be even tougher. Since everything is a bit new to you, there are definitely some strategies to implement that will make your job hunting easier. Here are some tips to keep in mind.
Last week’s scheduled economic reporting included readings on U.S. Housing markets, housing starts, and building permits issued. Weekly reports on new and continuing jobless claims and mortgage rates were also released.
Every now and then when a person is selling their home, a cash buyer comes into the equation. If you have listed your home for sale and your real estate agent has informed you that a cash buyer is interested, you will want to understand how this affects the potential sale. 
Moving with pets can be strenuous, especially for the pet. Oftentimes pets might even go missing on moving day or shortly before or after. Many pets, such as dogs and cats, are sensitive and acutely aware of when big changes are taking place within the home.
If you’ve expressed any interest in buying a home that you can work on, your real estate agent may present you with one or two fixer upper properties for your consideration. Fixer upper homes can offer good value for certain kinds of homebuyers.