Here's an assortment of serious problems that can easily be avoided.
Watch out for your pets
Dogs and cats frequently run away from home as soon as they see the packing begin. (We once acquired an interesting cat this way.) It's best to keep pets inside or tied up as soon as you start to pack.
On the other end, give pets plenty of time to get used to the new home before letting them loose outside. (You don't want them to try one of those heroic journeys back to the old place.)
Check out some of the pet information sites for details. Go to our "Other Sites to Visit" and follow the information about pets. You can also find information by using a search engine and the words "moving pets ".
Don't pack Dangerous Materials
It's illegal to pack dangerous items for transport by Common Carrier (Your mover):
Don't move items such as:
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Aerosol spray cans |
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Paint |
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Insecticides |
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Ammunition |
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Compressed flammable gases like propane or acetylene |
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Corrosives like bleach or muriatic acid |
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Explosives like Fireworks or black powder |
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Gasoline |
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Small quantities of gasoline can be highly explosive in a packed moving truck |
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Drain and blow dry any small cans of fuel. |
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Drain and blow dry the fuel tanks on all power tools |
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Used motor oil |
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While new motor oil is scarcely flammable, used motor oil can have a lot of gasoline dissolved in it. It can be a bit flammable and emit flammable vapor. |
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Drain the crankcase of all power equipment. |
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Tag the equipment to remind yourself to refill the crankcase before use. |
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Pesticides |
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Solvents |
Packing the above items in a moving truck is not only illegal -- it is genuinely dangerous for the movers and for their truck.
Avoid packing items which are likely to cause messes
We have our own list of stuff we don't think ought to be moved long distances because of potential spillage problems. All the stuff below is entirely legal to move. But, we've seen enough problems with it to feel it's not worth the risk.
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Cans of water based paint |
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Large glass jars of: |
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Any food item |
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Cooking oil |
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Vinegar |
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Liquid cleaners |
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Open packages of: |
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Flour |
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Salt |
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Laundry detergent |
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Large containers of irritants like pepper or chili powder |
The mess these low value items can make if they happen to spill is absolutely amazing. They're really not worth moving.
Avoid moving other restricted items
A few other items are restricted on interstate moves. Moving these across state lines may violate either state or federal laws Check with your mover if you have questions.
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Unregistered guns |
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Many kinds of plants |
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Some fresh fruit |
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Some types of pornography |
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