It should be no surprise that the vast majority of consumer electronics are fragile. Most of these devices contain circuit boards made out of delicate fiberglass. These boards house all sorts of coils, transistors, and capacitors held on by tiny solder joints. All of these components are critical to operating the device in question, and a simple bump, pressure point or improper orientation can damage components, effectively ruining your device. Here are our tips to help pack and move your electronics safely and efficiently.

General Packing Tips

One of the best forms of packaging for moving electronic devices is included with every device you purchase; the original box! It’s common for most people to throw out the box their device came in after opening and setting up. In the future, you may want to consider keeping your boxes; they not only help increase the resale value if you decide to sell your device, they also provide excellent packaging for a move!

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Common Electronics & How To Pack Them

Below are some common electronic devices you might have in your house. Most of these items are designed to be stationary. But, fear not! They can be moved safely, here’s how:

Desktop Computers

Computers are fragile, from interior components to screens, you’ll want to do your best to keep them protected during your move. Also, remember to keep cables and external components organized for easy setup after your move. Here are some tips on how you should transport your computer while keeping everything organized to avoid future headaches:

Orientation: if your computer has a side panel window, lay the computer on its side with the window facing upward during transportation. This reduces strain on the motherboard connectors, holding various heavy components in place. If your computer does not have a side panel window. If you are unsure of which side the components are connected to the motherboard, transport the computer in its regular vertical orientation.
Make use of the original box and foam packaging: if you no longer have the original box or packaging, wrap all six sides of the machine so that it is completely protected.
Velcro cord wraps are your friend: use them! They can help keep all of your cables organized.
Wrap your cables with the colored Velcro while the cables are still plugged into the computer and take a photo of where they are plugged in. Now you’ll be able to figure out what plugs into each input when setting up your computer again.
Store peripherals separately from the computer: these components are also fragile. Make use of packing paper in between your computer, the monitor and peripherals, to ensure nothing can shift around during transportation.

Television

Packing and moving your television is very similar to how you would move your computer. Using the original box is ideal, but specialty moving boxes can be purchased depending on the size of your TV.

Ensure that there is enough space inside whatever moving package you decide to use for packing material; it is important that the TV does not shift inside of the box during transportation.
Keep the TV upright at all times and refrain from putting other boxes on top of it. The glass on the screen of most televisions is very fragile and even a slight amount of pressure can crack the display.
Label and organize the cables that were plugged into your television. Just as with the computer, you may find an advantage in using colored Velcro ties to help organize which cable goes where. Taking a photo of the wiring scheme before unplugging everything might also be helpful.

Small Devices

Many devices continue to get smaller and smaller each year, including tablets, storage drives, and more, which means they are becoming easier to lose! Here are a few tips to help you keep track of those small but important items during transit.

Consider carrying them with you. If you don’t have a ton of small digital devices, pack them in a bag or small tote box, label them and carry them in your car. This is specifically important since many of these smaller items are heat sensitive, and this will help ensure they aren’t damaged en route, especially if you are planning a cross-country relocation.
For digital storage devices like thumb drives, external hard drives, and more, consider packing them WITH your computers or laptops, that way you aren’t searching for a random box or bag later and you know exactly where they are.
For items like tablets and e-book readers, remember these are great devices to entertain the little ones, so it’s a great idea to keep them out and make sure you don’t pack the charging cords!

Ready to start planning your move? Contact us today for your free quote!