Packed Boxes Ready for Pallet

This is not about “motivating” a student. That’s a separate topic. This is about how to move a student from Colorado College or UCCS home for summer break, a new college for extended classes, or abroad for intensive studies. It’s about shipping the accumulated stuff after a year in a dorm room or small apartment – a small move.

Students have a full plate at the end of a semester, particularly at the end of the school year. Making the necessary shipping arrangements to move a student before final exams checks one thing off the list and clears the plate for studying, final projects, and, of course, socializing.

Start the process by organizing. Ask some questions.

• What can be recycled? Organizations like Discover Goodwill of Southern and Western Colorado thrive on donations of gently used clothing, household goods, furniture, and electronics. Old cell phones can be donated to Cell Phones for Soldiers.
• What can be sold? Books can be sold on Amazon or on campus. Savvy students sell electronics and other items online. Get a shipping estimate for larger items before posting them for sale.
• What can be discarded? Get rid of the items that have outlived their usefulness and cannot be donated or repurposed.
• What is absolutely needed for the final few weeks at school? This is anything that can be safely packed in a suitcase. Everything else can be shipped ahead. Pak Mail can also pick up, pack, and store all of the non-essential items, and ship them when the final boxes are ready.
• What items require special packing? It’s a definite no-no to pack electronics in the middle of clothing. Leave those items for the professionals.

There are several ways to ship a student… their stuff, that is. If there are three or four boxes, UPS or FedEx (DHL for international) is probably the best option. If there are more boxes and a myriad of sports equipment, shipping them all together on a pallet with an LTL truck carrier is more cost effective. US Air Force Academy foot lockers are best shipped on a pallet.

Get an estimate, arrange for pickup and shipping, and get on with studying.

China Cups Packed for Small Move Shipping

Fragile China Packed for Small Move Shipping

Packing fragile items for small move freight carriers, as well as for UPS, FedEx, and DHL, is different from packing for moving companies. Moving companies typically pick up household items at one location and drive them to the destination without any unloading or reloading along the way. The recommended packing for moving fragile items is well documented by various moving companies like United Van Lines and Two Men And A Truck. This method incorporates sturdy corrugated boxes, packing tape, and lots of packing paper. Items are individually wrapped in the paper and cushioned tightly in the box with additional wadded up paper.

Standards for packing fragile items for small move shipping are set by the carriers and by declared value insurance companies. The shipped boxes are loaded and unloaded multiple times and may be stacked at the carrier facilities.

The packaging standards include a minimum of two inches of cushioning – bubble wrap and packing peanuts or Styrofoam, not paper – around all of the fragile item’s dimensions. For example, a fragile glass bowl measuring 8”x 8”x8” would require, at a minimum, a 12”x12”x12” box. If the item is valued under $200 and is easily replaced, that box with appropriate cushioning is sufficient. If the item is valued over $200 or is one of a kind and/or sentimental and not replaceable, it would be double-boxed in a 12”x12”x12” inner box and a 16”x16”x16” outer box, each with two inches of appropriate cushioning.

In the unlikely event of a damage claim with a shipping carrier, the outer box is examined for visible damage. If there is no damage to the outside of the box, the carrier representatives will examine the inner packaging to ensure standards have been met.

Pak Mail packs all small move fragile items securely for safe delivery.

Small Move Boxes on Pallets

Small Move Estate Distribution

Packing for small move shipping requires a little more preparation than packing for UPS, FedEx, and DHL small package shipping. First, the items are inventoried and separated into categories – furniture, linens, clothing, jewelry, china, glassware, tools, non-fragile, fragile, size, value (especially higher value items). Then the appropriate packing methods are chosen based on how the small move is being shipped.

• Blanket wrap shipping requires the least amount of packaging. Furniture is wrapped in protective moving blankets and all fragile, high-value, and delicate items are packed according to carrier and insurance standards. High-value and extremely delicate pieces – artwork or grandfather clocks, for example – are often crated.
• Air freight, LTL truck, and ocean freight shipping require that all items be packed in boxes based on fragility and value. The boxes are then arranged on a pallet(s), shrink wrapped, and tied to the pallet(s) with metal banding. High-value and extremely delicate pieces are packed in Styrofoam-lined wooden crates.
• International shipments that are not crated are containerized with a corrugated tray on a pallet and a corrugated wrap and lid. The container is then banded to the pallet.
• All wood used in pallets and crates for international shipping must be heat treated and stamped with the International Standards for Phytosanitary Measures (ISPM 15) mark, also known as the “bug stamp” or “wheat stamp.”
• Insurance coverage is only provided for appropriately packaged shipments. Customer-packed boxes are not covered unless inspection prior to shipping indicates proper packaging.

Pak Mail makes custom boxes, pallets, containers, and crates for any size or shape small move shipment.

Business Office Small Move to Hawaii – Ocean Freight

A small move can be shipped in a variety of ways. The shipping method is based on the size of the shipment, distance to destination, delivery timing, value, and budget. All methods require the carrier to set an appointment with the recipient for delivery.

• Air freight is the fastest method and is used for domestic and international small moves when delivery timing is critical. High-value shipments are often sent by air freight.
• Ocean freight is the slowest international option and is most cost effective going from our store to the destination port (door-to-port). The recipient makes separate arrangements for delivery from the port to the final destination.
• Ocean freight is also an option for small move shipping to Hawaii. Small move shipments are transported by LTL truck to US west coast ports and then by ocean freight to the final destination. Since Hawaii is a domestic destination, the shipment can be delivered to a residence or business (door-to-door).
• LTL truck shipping for small moves within the continental US and some parts of Canada is based on 1- to 2-day guaranteed (fastest) and standard 3- to 7-day delivery.
• Small move shipments to Alaska are conveyed by LTL truck to Seattle, WA, and then by ocean freight or barge to the final destination. Since Alaska is a domestic destination, the shipment can be delivered to a residence or business (door-to-door).
• Blanket wrap shipping is ideal and economical for a larger small move (multiple pieces of furniture or extremely delicate furniture or artwork), that is under 2000 pounds. This is the slowest small move shipping method; delivery typically takes 30 to 60 days.

Pak Mail makes small move shipping easy and affordable.

Small Move of Furniture

Moving possessions from one place to another is a common life experience for many. It might be an executive’s promotion and the moving of an entire household cross country. Hiring a large moving company to move an entire 3- to 4-bedroom household may be the most cost-effective method; it would meet most moving company’s minimum weight requirements, usually 2000 pounds.

It could be a small move – a first job after college or a student deciding to take a year off from studies and move back home. Maybe it’s a career or life change involving all the trappings of a small apartment or business office, or the passing of a loved one necessitating an estate distribution. Perhaps the move entails selling all the furniture and moving only the sentimental collections. It could even be an out-of-state purchase of antique furniture from an auction house.

Whatever the situation, there’s a solution.

• Doing it yourself may seem like the most budget friendly option. During a self-move, you are responsible for not only the cost of the rental moving truck, but for gas, tolls, lodging, food and libations for friends, other expenses – and time.
• Shipping a small move (under 2000 pounds) is easy on the wallet, and can be tailored to the individual or family’s schedule.

At Pak Mail, small move shipping is one of our specialties. We conveniently pick up items from a business, home, or storage and safely transport them back to the store for secure packing and shipping.

Packing items for UPS, FedEx, DHL and freight carriers is different from packing for moving companies. Moving companies typically pick up household items at one location and drive them to the destination without any unloading or reloading along the way. The recommended packing for moving fragile items is well documented by various moving companies like United Van Lines and Two Men And A Truck. This method incorporates sturdy corrugated boxes, packing tape, and lots of packing paper. Items are individually wrapped in the paper and cushioned in the box with additional wadded up paper. 

Domestic standards for packing fragile items for shipping are set by the carriers – UPS and FedEx. The shipped boxes are loaded and unloaded multiple times and ride on conveyor belts at the carrier facilities. The packaging standards include a minimum of two inches of cushioning – bubble wrap and packing peanuts or Styrofoam, not paper – around all of the fragile item’s dimensions. For example, a fragile glass bowl measuring 8”x 8”x8” would require, at a minimum, a 12”x12”x12” box. If the item is valued under $200 and is easily replaced, that box with appropriate cushioning is sufficient. If the item carries a higher value or is one of a kind and not replaceable and/or sentimental, it would be double-boxed in a 12”x12”x12” inner box and a 16”x16”x16” outer box, each with two inches of appropriate cushioning.

In the event of a damage claim with a shipping carrier, the outer box is examined for visible damage. If there is no damage to the outside of the box, the carrier representatives will examine the inner package to ensure standards have been met. Any questions? Visit the professionals at your local packing and shipping store.

August was a busy month at Pak Mail 232, especially the last two weeks. We conducted five pickups and shipped three pallets in one day, and prepped another two for departure after Labor Day. We shipped documents to India and other parts of the world, collectibles from an estate, furniture used in staging a home for sale, household goods across the US and also to Canada and Europe, and care packages to college students.

It came as a shock when owners Randy and Nancy Bolen of the Peak Grill closed their doors after 15 years in the restaurant business. They’ve been good friends and business neighbors since I bought our store in 2008. In talking with them, they cited a significant downturn since the Waldo Canyon Fire and then the Black Forest Fire.

The Race family will miss the Bolens and their friendly service and business camaraderie… and the Peak Grill’s BLT with homemade potato chips! We wish them well in their next venture.

It’s that time of year… summer is waning and students are heading off to school. College freshman and upper classmen alike are wondering what they should take with them. The list includes bedding, books, computers, toys, and sports equipment, to name a few. If the college doesn’t provide a “to-do” list, there are plenty of resources online – College Packing List and Dorm Room Checklist are just two of them. A list like one of these can help simplify the process of gathering belongings needed for the school year        .

Once all the items are collected, the next question is how to pack and ship them. Some simple steps to follow are:

1. Make a complete list of all items including the value of each.
2. Separate the fragile items from the non-fragile ones.
   – Don’t pack glassware and computer equipment wrapped in clothing or bedding.
3. Pack similar non-fragile items together for easy unpacking in the dorm or apartment.
   – Don’t make the boxes too heavy; you might have to carry them up a few flights.
   – Pack books in smaller boxes no larger that 16”x16”x16”.
   – Pack bedding or clothing in boxes that are easy to carry 18”x18”x18” or 20”x20”x20”.
4. Pack fragile items allowing for at least 2″ of protective packaging materials around all dimensions.
5. Decide whether you’ll move the boxes with the family car or ship them.
6. Check with the college about receiving and storing a shipment until the student arrives.
7. Ship with a reliable carrier with tracking and declared value coverage.

If you decide to ship, choose a professional packing and shipping store. They can assist with the packing, especially the fragile items, and help determine the most cost-effective shipping method. If the load is small (two or three boxes), UPS or FedEx ground service will probably do. If the shipment is larger (all items needed for a dorm room or small apartment), LTL freight on a pallet will most likely be more economical.

College student shipping – their stuff, that is – can be simple and easy. Get that part of the “leaving home” process out of the way and enjoy some time together before the big day.