How to Pack Your Computer

Мoving should be well planned but if some things need to be done in the last minute, while when packing your clothes for example it is not going to be dangerous if anything gets smashed, this does not go for other items like your computer. Nowadays computers are a very important part of our lives for many purposes – working, socializing, entertainment, studying, finding useful information and a lot more. And when packing it begins it is time to think about how to do it because they need to be safe during shipment. So, what to do and how? Usually moving companies can offer you a price to do the packing for you and yet another option is to do it yourself.

You can follow these steps to protect your computer when you move it:

1. Make a back up of all the important information that is on your computer. You can record everything on a DVD disk – they can usually hold up to 4.7 GB of information so this will most probably be enough. Alternatively, you can save them on a flash drive. It is easy to supply with them and they are very cheap.
2. Place these disks or the flash drive separately from the original disks that you have with the programs of your computer. Even if you make an insurance of your belongings the money you might receive for any possible damage may not be able to recover lost information which is important so make a back up.
3. Before packing your computer take out of it (if there are any) diskettes and disks.
4. Then turn your computer off and unplug it from the electricity system.
5. A good idea would be to take a photo of how your computer has been connected and if it was connected to other devices like printer or scanner to photograph that as well. This will make it easier for you to connect back everything again after your moving is over.
6. Begin disconnecting all the cables of your computer. Be very careful and do not apply any extra strength like pulling the cables or crushing them.

Packing and packing materials

1. Place the cables of your computer inside plastic bags and put them in a separate box to avoid damage.
2. The best way for to protect your computer is to to use the original box in which it came. Another possibility is of course to supply yourself additionally with boxes. When packing try to find boxes as similar in size as possible to the original boxes.
3. Get enough packing materials – packing paper and bubble wrap. You may also use towels.
4. Clean the dust off the computer first so when you take it out at your new home it will be clean.
5. When you have the boxes prepared place the monitor and the computer itself in separate boxes. These parts are heavy and at the same time fragile so if put together this will cause them to apply pressure on each other and that would break them.
6. Place the monitor in upright position. In this way you are preventing the parts of the computer hardware from loosening or damage.
7. Fill in the space in the box that is empty with paper to cushion the computer when carrying.

How to pack the parts?

1. Place the smaller parts of the computer and its accessories like mouse, mouse pad, camera, keyboard in their original boxes as well.
2. If you don’t have them any longer, wrap the keyboard with a towel and the mouse and camera – with bubble wrap.
3. An options is to use towels for packing instead of bubble wrap. You can ask your friends if they have boxes that are appropriate but they are not using any longer or some packing materials left. If you are moving small loads it is very much possible that you won’t need to buy packing supplies and if you friends have some left they can just give them to you.
4. The last thing to do when packing is to label the boxes. Write on each side of the box: “Fragile. Computer” to know to be careful when carrying them.

Getting advantage of the help of moving experts is always a good idea.

1. Check with them the price for your moving by filling in free our moving cost estimator and their booking fees.
2. When you get in touch with them ask them also for the moving insurances that they offer.
3. Having one is highly recommended especially if you are going to move more expensive devices and electronics.
4. In case of lost item or damage moving insurance reimburses only a part of the amount corresponding to the damage. This is one of the services that moving companies offer. Check with your mover for more details.
5. Before loading the truck with your computer let the movers know the content of the boxes in which you computer is wrapped so they are aware to be careful. Moving experts are professionals in what they do so you can count on a reputable moving company.
6. When your computer arrives at your new home and you start unpacking, wait for it to adapt to the inside temperature in the room before you use it. If it was on a low temperature, taking the computer inside may cause condensation so look around for that as well before you turn it on again.
7. Now you can turn on your computer and you can be sure that moving it was successful.

Now you should be able to disconnect, pack and unpack your computer safe. Check out our guide on how to pack electronics for moving and other great tips on packing to move here! If you have any questions let us know in the comments under the article!

Author: Pamela Smithon February 28, 2012
An expert contributor to My Moving Reviews.