You’d certainly have some concerns about your major appliances when you decide to move them into a storage. These appliances are undoubtedly the most valued household items. You may choose to hire the services of professional movers to pack and move these appliances.
Of course, there are costs involved in this. If you’re thinking about doing all the packing yourself, you’ll need to ensure maximum protection for all these items. Here are a few things you can do in this regard:
1. Know more about your appliances
If you have the manuals of your appliances, you can find some useful instructions related to moving. You can go through them to know more about your appliances. They’ll also help you know how to handle these items while moving them into a storage unit.
If you’re not able to find the manuals of your appliances, go to the manufacturers’ websites. Most of them would have copies of the manuals that you can download online.
2. Consider servicing them before packing
You can hire the services of qualified and experienced technicians to service the appliances before packing them. This ensures that they’re in an excellent condition before moving them into the storage. Some of these items may have high-voltage connections. It’s also possible that a few of them have gas connections. So, it’s always better to hire a good technician for the job for your safety.
3. Unplug the freezer and refrigerator well in advance
A freezer and refrigerator must be unplugged at least 24 hours before you move it into the storage. You can do it 48 hours prior to the move for greater effectiveness. This is because the freezers need longer time to be defrosted. Make sure you take out all the perishable items and use a bleach cleaner to clean the surfaces.
By doing this, you can prevent the growth of bacteria or mildew. Keep the freezer and refrigerator as dry as you possibly can. You must also remove all the bins and racks.
4. Prepare the dishwasher
Empty your dishwasher first. After having emptied it, run a cleaning cycle. Once you have cleaned it thoroughly, allow the appliance to dry with its door open. After drying the dishwasher, remove the utensil holder or any other holder that it might have.
Pack the holder separately to avoid it from bouncing inside the dishwasher during the moving process. Finally, shut the door and tape it using a strapping tape. This would prevent the door from opening during the move.
5. Prepare your oven, stove, or microwave
Clean the inside and outside of your oven, stove, or microwave with a wet drag having some soap. This will help you get rid of any marks or leftover stains. If the appliance has a self-cleaning feature, run it before the move. Allow the appliance to cool before wiping it down for one last time.
Make sure that you remove the racks and clean them before packing these items separately. This is to protect the inside of your oven or stove. When it comes to microwave, clean its inside and outside. Remove the carousel tray and clean it before packing it separately in bubble wrap.
6. Tape all doors, shut the lids, and secure the cords
Finally, check if there are any open doors or lids. You must also check whether there are any cords dangling out. They can be crushed or damaged during the move. Tape all the doors and lids after shutting them. Make sure you save the fasteners to use them later. You can put the screws, nuts, and bolts into plastic bags and label them according to their respective appliances.