Moving Advice
Moving Company
Be sure to show the mover everything to be moved. Obtain
a written estimate before the move, and ask what charges
may be added after they have your goods. Verify that the
mover has the right license. Check their insurance coverage.
Mover’s come in and out of our storage centre every
day. We can tell you which movers our customers most appreciate,
please call us at 487-MINT
for referrals. Keep in mind that the movers cannot always
determine how long the move prior to yours will take,
so make allowance for a possible delay. The complaint
history for public movers is available…see Yellow
Pages under “Movers” heading for whom to call.
Truck
Rental
If you are moving yourselves, it can be difficult to get
a truck rental reservation for a local move during peak
summer periods... especially around Victoria Day, July
1st, and Labour Day. Mint Self Storage has a free truck
to use for move-ins and is available for rent at other
times. Other rental companies give preferential treatment
to long-distance, one-way renters whereas at Mint we cater
to local moves. Nevertheless, month end and the above
holidays are the busiest times for moving, so if your
move is in the Winnipeg area, our recommendation is to
avoid these busy times, or book our Mint truck very early.
Moving
Equipment
These labour saving tools are invaluable…and available
for your use FREE if you’ve contracted for space
at Mint Self Storage.
- 4-wheel dolly: For
moving large pieces of furniture. Just roll them from
home to vehicle to storage room.
- Appliance dolly: Load-locking
straps and stair climbers make it easier to move heavy,
bulky appliances, like refrigerators.
- Hand truck: Lightweight
and easily maneuverable, a hand truck makes moving
a stack of boxes easy and takes the strain off of
your back.
- Rolling flatbed cart: Available
at all Access locations to help move many items at
once from vehicle to storage room.
- Gloves and back supports
- Furniture pads: Available
for rent with your truck rental, or you can use your
own old blankets and comforters.
Loading
the Truck
Park your truck as close to your home as possible. Load
one quarter of the truck at a time, packing it as tightly
as possible, floor to ceiling. Tie down each quarter.
Usually the appliances and largest items go in first,
heaviest items on the bottom and lighter items on top.
Mattresses, tabletops, and other long items fit well along
the sides of the truck. Mirrors ride best placed between
mattress and box spring.
Save your back! Always
bend your knees and use your leg muscles when lifting
heavy objects. Never lift with your back bent. Never
push a hand truck up a ramp…always pull it so
that you are higher on the ramp than the loaded hand
truck.
Get help! Enlist a partner
or two. Your helpers don’t have to be experienced
movers. Even a child can hold open the door for you.
Don’t forget food!
A cooler packed with snacks will be a welcome sight
to you and your movers at some point in the day.
The
ABC’s of Packing
Whether you are a pro or a newcomer to the packing and
storage experience, a quick review of the basics will
reduce your stress and add protection for your cherished
possessions. If you have a question that’s not answered
here, don’t hesitate to call our experienced storage
advisors at 487-MINT.
Begin packing a couple of weeks before you move. Careful
packing pays by preventing breakage and loss of small
and fragile items. Moving time is a great time to weed
out old, unwanted or unneeded possessions. They only take
up storage space.
Another thing, you'll want plenty of sturdy corrugated
cartons, packing paper, sealing tape and a magic marker-type
pen. These supplies and
others are all available at our retail store. Then,
if you'll follow these simple packing tips they will save
you trouble, help you avoid damage to your goods and make
maximum use of the space in your storage locker and moving
truck.
Store only clean and dry things to prevent moth and mildew
damage.
Special
Tips
- Use new, uniformly sized boxes. They stack more
efficiently, maximize the use of your space, and are
clean and pest free.
- Take home more boxes than
you think you need. Most people underestimate their
needs. You can return any boxes you don’t use
if you purchased them at Mint.
- Use special purpose boxes, like dishpaks and wardrobes,
to make packing easier. See our packing supplies page
for a complete list of the types available at Mint.
- Allow plenty of time for packing. It usually takes
much longer than people expect.
- Use small boxes for heavy items, larger ones for
light things, and avoid packing fragile and heavy
items together.
- Fill each box completely to prevent collapse.
- Always cover the floor in a non-climate unit with plastic.
- Use plenty of packing material to protect your possessions.
Uninked packing paper, bubble-wrap, towels, blankets,
pillows and bedding all work well.
- Avoid using printed newspaper for packing. The ink
rubs off and can cause permanent damage.
- Seal all boxes completely with strong packing tape.
- Try to keep all boxes under 30 pounds to save your
back.
- Number your boxes and mark contents and room on
the side.
- Pack small items in drawers, and keep them in place
with folded clothing.
- Fill major appliances with lightweight unbreakable
items.
- Store only clean and dry things to prevent moth
and mildew damage.Special tips
- Appliances: For transport,
tie doors shut (tape may harm the finish). Store with
doors and lids open to prevent mildew. Seal disconnected
hose ends with a plastic bag and rubber band.
- Beds: Fasten bed
rails together with rope. Cover mattresses to keep
them clean. Inexpensive mattress covers are available
in all sizes at Mint.
- Books: Pack these
flat to protect their spines. Books get heavy in bunches.
Pack them in small cartons, holding weight to under
30 pounds for easy lifting. Line all book cartons
with plastic and fill empty spaces with packing paper.
- Chairs: Wrap packing
paper around legs. Stack light chairs seat to seat.
MINT sells plastic chair covers for overstuffed chairs.
- Dishes and Glasses: Take
your time here. Use extra strength dishpak cartons.
Pad bottom, sides, and top with plenty of crumpled
paper. Wrap each dish individually with plenty of
packing paper or bubble wrap. Stack dishes on edge.
Wrap cups and glasses individually, nest together
in groups of three or four, and place in the top of
the box. Mark these boxes “Fragile.”
- Electronics: Pack
in the original cartons or special electronics boxes.
Check owner’s manual for special moving instructions–
such as securing floppy or hard disk in computers,
securing the laser in a CD player or turntable screws
and tone arm in a stereo. Do not use polystyrene peanuts
with computers. The static electricity could damage
circuit boards. Code wires with tape for easy reinstallation.
For longer-term storage, consider moisture removal
bags (available at Mint and at most electronics stores)
or a climate controlled storage unit.
- Lamps: Remove bulbs
and shades. Pack shades in individual boxes with plenty
of non-inked packing paper. Wrap cord around the base
of lamp, and tape down.
- Mirrors and Paintings: Wrap
in non-inked paper, towels or blankets and place in
special mirror boxes, or package individually with
strong cardboard. Mark “Fragile.” Stand
on edge, preferably between mattresses or box springs.
Never store flat. Store fine oil paintings only in
climate-controlled spaces.
- Sofas and Hide-a-Beds:
To save space, stand sofas on end. Tie hide-a-beds
closed. When storing a curved-arm sofa, stand it on
end on top of something sturdy, like a trunk, so that
the arm overhangs the trunk and carries no weight.
Cover with a blanket. Put cushions on top and load
light boxes in the space where the cushions were.
- Tables: Remove legs,
if possible. Spray wood finish with a quality wood
polish. Tie extra leaves together. Tabletops can be
leaned sideways.
- Tools and Sports Equipment:
Wipe metal surfaces with machine oil to inhibit rust,
and then cover with plastic to prevent staining. Take
apart equipment assembled with screws or bolts, and
place the parts in plastic bags taped to the item.
Mark pieces for easy reassembly. Tape or tie long-handled
tools in bundles.
- Hoses and Machinery: Drain
hoses, tie them in coils, and connect ends. Remove
gas and oil from lawnmowers, snow blowers, weed eaters,
etc., and store with fuel caps open. Remove bicycle
wheels to conserve space. Avoid direct contact between
skis or snowboards and concrete floors to prevent
possible delamination.
- Skis and Snowboards: Avoid
direct contact between skis or snowboards and concrete
floors to prevent possible de-lamination.
- Valuables: Do not
store furs, jewelry or money. Place cameras and other
valuables in unmarked boxes.
Warning: DO NOT STORE COMBUSTIBLES
OR PERISHABLES!
Items
You Must Not Store
Combustibles, such as old paint, cleaning fluids, gasoline,
propane, oil, or acetylene tanks. Do not store anything
that could possibly cause fires, illegal items or hazardous
or toxic waste.
Perishables:
Do not store any food or spices, seeds, plants, animals,
dried fruit or dried flowers. These items will certainly
attract insects or rodents, which will destroy your other
valuable possessions.
Warning: DO NOT STORE COMBUSTIBLES
OR PERISHABLES!
Making
the Best Use of Your Storage Space
If you will need access to your items:
- Leave a walkway to the rear of the room.
- Place frequently needed items near the door.
It is best if they are placed on the truck last and
are the first to come off. Put them aside so that
they can go into your storage room last.
- Our heavy-duty shelving can help you maximize the
accessibility of your items and increase the room’s
capacity by taking greater advantage of the storage
room height.
- List contents of boxes and create a diagram of their
placement for easy retrieval. You may want to list
all of the items in storage.
If you will not need access to your items:
- You can rent the smallest amount of space you need
and pack the unit full. The higher you can pack your
storage unit, the more it will hold.
- Ventilation. It’s good to leave plenty of
ventilation room around your items. Leave a small
air space between every item and the walls, as well
as an inch of space between boxes.
- Put heavy items on the bottom and light or odd-shaped
items on top. Don’t place heavy or sharp objects
on top of upholstered furniture. Cover your fine furniture
with a blanket, sheet or other covering to minimize
exposure to dust.
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