You may be tempted to toss your patio furniture, barbecue grill and outdoor potted plants in the back of a pick-up truck if you are only moving around the block. How many people actually move that far? Not many. Chances are you are moving across town or maybe even across the country. Seriously, you want to take just as much care with how you move your outdoor stuff as you do packing and moving your fine indoor furniture.

On-The-Road Safety

One reason you want to safely secure outdoor furniture during transport is safety. Carrying a barbecue grill in an open cargo area of a truck can result in creating the effect of a James Bond smoke screen behind you. Sure, you may arrive at your destination safe and sound. Your surprise will be in learning that you just narrowly escaped a 15-car pile-up on the expressway you just exited. Move your outdoor furniture safely with enclosed transport.

Weather Happens

It takes considerable time to load up patio furniture that seats four, a barbecue grill, children’s outdoor play sets, potted plants, decorations, bird feeders, the garden hose, and the list can go on and on. By the time you are ready to roll many hours have ticked by. As those hours have ticked by, clouds could have been rolling in. No sooner do you get on the road than a thunderstorm breaks out overhead. You think, “No sweat. It’s just outdoor stuff.”

Then you arrive to find a horrible mess of mud and debris from soggy potted plants. Mud spatters are on everything. Your first thought at the sight of it is probably aggravation because you realize you will now have to spend the time and energy to clean everything. Wait until you begin to unload it. You will have to deal with the hazard of lifting heavy items that are slippery. In the end, you may be considerably banged-up and bruised not to mention a muddy mess. Avoid weather mishaps and move your outdoor items in an enclosed truck.

Pack Conscientiously

It may seem counter-intuitive to pack items conscientiously that are relegated to surviving the worst that the elements can throw at them. The reality is that outdoor furniture and accessories should receive just as much packing care as precious china.

  • Clean: Moving is messy. Why make the mess worse by bringing extra dirt along? Clean everything before packing. Hose it all down thoroughly and give it a good scrub with a drying towel.
  • Inspect: Are you planning to make roommates at your new home of the spiders and bugs from your old abode? Inspect everything. Don’t forget the undersides and nooks and crannies. Leave pests behind for the next tenants to worry about.
  • Pack: Don’t be tempted to forego packing materials. A broken terra cotta planter pot can be a disaster of a mess. If it happens to contain a prize palm, well, things just get worse. Use all the same packing materials for outdoor items as indoor. Bubble wrap, string, bungee cords, anything that helps cushion a blow or secure items from movement. For plants, drape lightweight plastic over them and secure with string or use boxes with ventilation holes.
  • Disassemble: If patio seating has cushions, remove them even if they are secured with Velcro straps or tie-strings. They may hold up well in windy weather but the could get torn in the tightly packed conditions of a cargo area. Break down any items to make moving easier and quicker. Keep hardware organized in marked baggies. Stow hardware baggies in a single container that moves with the outdoor furniture.
  • Think Big: There is nothing worse than packing everything up and discovering you need room for a few more items. I mean, really, who wants to make another trip just for one or two things? So then you are tempted to force them into the truck. More often than not something gets smashed in the process. You also risk a smashed toe when an overloaded cargo area explodes out an open door. Choose an enclosed moving truck with the capacity you need.

For more information on how to move right, please contact moving experts. They will help you determine which truck is right for all of your outdoor stuff and give you a free quote and detailed estimate for the job. Because, really, when you think about it, the best way to move your outdoor stuff is to let professionals do it for you. CLICK HERE for a Free No Hassle Estimate.

 

Photo credit: Landscape Design Advisor via Foter.com / CC BY-ND