How to Move Those Odd Household Items

Moving day is around the corner, and – amazingly – you are completely packed. Well, wait a minute. You still have the aquarium and your pet clown fish, the indoor Ficus Benjamina that reaches the ceiling, and the gilt harp in the corner of the upstairs den.

How do you move stuff like that? We’ve come up with the perfect solutions for moving those odd items that you don’t plan for, but still want to take with you.

Aquariums

Of course you wouldn’t think of leaving Nemo behind. A 200-gallon aquarium adds a lot of life and color to your home, and it’s an expensive item to risk shattering the glass or otherwise breaking the motor or foundation.

If you insist on doing it yourself, you need the right supplies and equipment. You can find mirror boxes, which are designed specifically to protect glass at your local hardware store. Or you can find them for sale from many moving companies. In fact, you can find specially made boxes for most odd shaped or fragile household items.

Crystal Chandeliers

The buyers of your old home offered to purchase that stunning, multi-tiered crystal chandelier, but you really wanted to keep it in the family. It’s not easy to pack, but with some planning and care, it can be done.

You can start with several large cartons and cut them in half. Then secure the various pieces together with duct tape to create a custom-shaped box. And this will be tedious, but definitely worth the effort: wrap each individual crystal in foam packing paper prior to placing the entire chandelier into the custom box.

Large Indoor Trees

You’ve nurtured your beloved Ficus benjamina for years, and it gracefully brushes the ceiling now. How to move it without killing it? You will need to plan ahead to ensure your tree doesn’t go into shock during the move. Try to keep the tree in an environment to closely mimics the interior environment of your home. If you must put it in the moving van, make it the last item on and the first item off the truck. You may also try wrapping the branches in wet newsprint for added protection.

Large Musical Instruments

Whether that gilt harp in the corner of the upstairs den is just for decoration or to create divinely celestial music, getting down the stairs, into a truck and then into the new home will be very difficult. The same goes for a baby grand piano. This is one area that is best left to professionals. Some movers specialize in only moving large musical instruments, and some moving companies offer it as a separate service. Definitely hire a pro!