How To Transport Household Goods In A Container

Household goods come in many shapes, sizes and weights, which could pose unique challenges for shipping. Here’s how to pack a shipping container with household goods.

1. Evaluate Item Options

Whether you’re relocating or looking for temporary storage solutions, this is the perfect opportunity to evaluate your household items and decide which ones you no longer need. Doing so can help you save on shipping costs and save time loading and unloading the container.

Once you’ve identified the items you want to pack, you’ll need to weigh them out and determine which type and size of container will work. Completing this step can make packing a shipping container much easier.

2. Prepare the Area

Place the shipping container in a convenient spot that is easily accessible for transport teams. A good spot would be in front of a garage. Ensure the container is not in the way of traffic and won’t inconvenience other users of the space.

Another of the best tips for packing a container for moving is to ensure it’s placed on firm, level ground. This helps balance out the container and prevents furniture from toppling over.

3. Pack and Prepare Items

Preparing the items for shipping container packing is vital to making the most of the space and preventing damage. Household products should be wrapped thoroughly with cushioning materials, such as Bubble Wrap or newspaper, to prevent bumps and damage. Once all the items are properly wrapped, place them into moving boxes.

Fill any empty spaces in the boxes with more cushioning materials to prevent items from moving around too much during transit. The main goal here is to get each item as tightly packed as possible because products that aren’t tightly packed risk being shattered or otherwise broken.

You can also use desiccants to protect the items. Desiccants like silica gel are typically used in smaller containers, whereas calcium chloride is commonly used for bigger containers. They absorb moisture in the air and help keep humidity levels lower to prevent condensation and corrosion.

4. Load the Shipping Container

Knowing the correct order to load shipping container furniture helps you protect your items and make the most efficient use of the space.

Consider where your larger pieces will sit and what items you can use to create a protective buffer. The golden rule is to load in tiers from back to front and floor to ceiling. Here’s the order you would typically pack household items:

1. Start with heavy or bulky items: Load your heavy items first, and start placing them on the floor to create a stable base. Try to set the items at the back of the container to build more stability, but save a few for the front for better distribution.
2. Distribute the weight evenly: As you load items, be attentive to the weight distribution to prevent the safety issues of imbalanced containers. For example, if you put a heavy table on one side, try to find an item with a somewhat matching weight to place on the other end of the container.
3. Work in sections: Create a solid wall of items that starts on the floor and makes its way up toward the ceiling. Working from section to section, bottom to top, makes the process much easier.
4. Use soft items to fill in the gaps: If you have cushions, pillows or blankets, use them to fill any spaces between boxes. They can prevent items from falling during transit and cushion them if they do.
5. Load fragile items: Lastly, load the most fragile items on top and secure them with straps to prevent them from falling.