How to pack liquids for relocation

When you’re moving to another place, you usually think of packing clothes, shoes, furniture and so on. However, sometimes you also need to pack liquids, which necessitates careful planning and preparation. For example, you have to figure out how to keep the liquids from spilling, and what you can transport safely. Luckily, this Master Moving Guide has the answers to these and other questions. Here’s everything you need to know in order to safely and effectively pack liquids for relocation. 

Professional movers sometimes won’t pack liquids for moving

While moving companies can help you out with the packing process, there are some items they can’t handle. For example, movers won’t take liquids like flammable gasses, poisons, and toxic compounds on their trucks. So if you’re moving nearby, you’ll need to transport these liquids on your own. However, if you’re moving to another state, it’s best to safely dispose of these substances before you start packing.

Even if you might believe you don’t have any dangerous liquids in your home, think again. This list includes even many commonplace products, like nail polish remover, bleach, cleaning solutions, lighter fluid, paint, fertilizer, and insecticides. Keeping that in mind, if you’re packing liquids for relocation, make sure your list doesn’t include these products. 

Organize all liquids before you start packing

Packing liquids is tricky because any liquid has the capacity to harm its surroundings. That includes water, which can weaken and destroy cheap moving boxes made of cardboard. To prevent accidents from happening, put the items which can damage others in a separate box. For example, avoid placing a bottle of shampoo in the same container as a costly perfume!

To calculate the number of boxes you’ll need, you should determine exactly what liquids you are working with. First, throw out any empty containers, liquids you don’t need anymore, or the ones that expired. Then, make sure to place all liquids you decide to keep alongside items belonging to a specific room. For instance, you can arrange all of your cleaning supplies in a pile within your garage.

Using plastic bins is a good idea when you need to pack liquids for relocation

Using plastic containers instead of cardboard boxes to pack liquids is one of the great packing hacks for moving! Unlike with cardboard, if you use plastic boxes you won’t need to worry about potential spills spreading to other items. Even if some accident does happen, you can quickly clean and repurpose plastic boxes. However, if you’re still bent on using cardboard boxes, make sure to line the box with a waste bag. It’s best to place properly wrapped and sealed liquid containers in the bag with the opening facing up. Then, put the bag in a box, and secure it at the top before you tape the cardboard box. 

Get the right packing supplies for packing liquids

To pack liquids properly, try to find some good cheap moving supplies well in advance of your relocation. Additionally, you should get some cushioning material for containers. For that, you can use commercially available packing paper and bubble wrap, but also your old T-shirts. Of course, what type of packing supplies you will need also depends on the type of liquid in question. For example, it’s best to put beauty items in travel-size containers.  Moreover, lab test tubes are great for micellar water, skin toners, and similar products.

Take extra steps to ensure the safety of your liquids

There are a lot of things you can do to reduce the risk of spillage. Tips from furniture movers near me can be of great help, however, it’s also important to take other precautionary measures. Therefore, remove the cap or cover from each liquid container, and put plastic wrap across the opening. After that, put the cover back in place and wrap the whole liquid container in saran plastic wrap. 

Once you’re done, put each kind of container upright inside a moving box. The liquids should be packed as snugly as possible to prevent them from moving about inside the box, but not too tightly that they could shatter. But what should you do if any liquid does manage to leak out? Don’t worry – a layer of napkins, newspapers or paper towels at the bottom of your box will absorb any excess. 

Make sure to label boxes containing liquids properly

Any boxes containing liquids should be handled with extreme caution. That’s why you should avoid tossing or rotating them! Once you put the lids back on, close the box and clearly mark it with “LIQUIDS -­ THIS END UP!”. You can also make a visual guide for your movers by drawing large arrows on the box, showing the direction.

This way, your movers will know which end of the box should be on the bottom of the moving truck. It’s recommendable that you also write any additional identifying information on the box, such as “Drinks” or “Cleaning Supplies”. It will make your mover’s job much easier, and tell them to be more careful in handling your items. 

Liquid packing is usually one of the more difficult aspects of moving, but it doesn’t have to be! Luckily, there are plenty of available tips and tricks to make this part of moving stress-free. With a little caution and foresight, you can easily avoid spills and damage to your moving boxes and their contents.  Hopefully, after reading this article, you will never think about how to pack liquids for relocation again!