How to Safely Transport Technology During a Move
Technology can be finicky to move. Electronics are often fragile, and
delicate pieces of machinery can suffer damage during a move. Using a
moving company means access to equipment like dollies that climb stairs
and insurance for your items. Choosing to move on your own carries more
risk, however it doesn’t have to mean the death of your computer or TV.
These tips are similar to packing anything fragile, such as glass,
delicate serve ware, or antiques.
Small Electronics
Small electronics like a tablet, e-reader, smart home assistant, or personal speaker are relatively simple to pack. If you are concerned, use a heavy-duty box and packing material to secure the items in the box. Wrap each piece in bubble wrap. Don’t overfill the box, and don’t pack anything heavy or sharp in that box. A lightweight aluminum hand truck will be all you need to transport the box in a stack of other boxes. Do not stack any heavy containers on top of your small electronics box, like a carton of books, or you risk crushing your electronics. Mark boxes as fragile so that you remember not to be too rough with them.
Video Game Systems
Much like other smaller electronics, video game systems are not complicated to transport. Wrap yours in bubble wrap and put it at the bottom of a heavy-duty container. It might be best to keep all of your video games and accessories to a single container, if possible, or sort by system. Pack controllers and power cords in the same container as their respective systems, and don’t pack the components too tight. Video game boxes can function as space fillers. Be careful not to under fill or jostling to the container could damage the disks.
TVs
Televisions are now big and flat, which makes them less complicated to transport than the monstrous boxes of old. The first step with flat screens is to protect the screen with a thin foam sheet. Next, cover the corners with foam protectors. Remove any stands and accessories, like streaming devices, and roll up cords. If you don’t have the package the TV came in, use a box meant for a large mirror. These are often the right size to fit TVs. Wrap the TV in bubble wrap until it fits snugly in the box. Mark which side the screen is on and face this side up. Don’t put anything heavy on top of it. A convertible hand truck can also help here, converting between upright for typical boxes and horizontal for a TV.
Computers
First, back up your data. If you have a laptop, it’s likely you already have a bag to transport it in. Use that bag and keep it close to. Otherwise, treat it much like a video game system. For a desktop computer, take out heavy components like the GPU. These rattling around during the move can crack connections. Individually pack peripherals and components in anti-static bags. Treat the monitor as a small flat screen TV. Pack the computer tower with packing material in a thick-walled box of the tower’s approximate size. Use towels, packing peanuts, washcloths, or anything that will surround and cushion the computer.
About Magline
Magliner products have earned the trust of the material handling industry. They are valued to the point that “Magliner” is an industry-standard term employed throughout material handling. There is, however, only one Magliner when it comes to quality. For more than 70 years, Magline has designed and manufactured the most reliable, durable, and trustworthy material handling tools available. In addition to their traditional hand trucks, Magline produces more specialized equipment like appliance hand trucks, U-boats, and an electric hand cart selection.
To learn more about Magliner hand trucks and other material handling products, visit Magliner.com
Small Electronics
Small electronics like a tablet, e-reader, smart home assistant, or personal speaker are relatively simple to pack. If you are concerned, use a heavy-duty box and packing material to secure the items in the box. Wrap each piece in bubble wrap. Don’t overfill the box, and don’t pack anything heavy or sharp in that box. A lightweight aluminum hand truck will be all you need to transport the box in a stack of other boxes. Do not stack any heavy containers on top of your small electronics box, like a carton of books, or you risk crushing your electronics. Mark boxes as fragile so that you remember not to be too rough with them.
Video Game Systems
Much like other smaller electronics, video game systems are not complicated to transport. Wrap yours in bubble wrap and put it at the bottom of a heavy-duty container. It might be best to keep all of your video games and accessories to a single container, if possible, or sort by system. Pack controllers and power cords in the same container as their respective systems, and don’t pack the components too tight. Video game boxes can function as space fillers. Be careful not to under fill or jostling to the container could damage the disks.
TVs
Televisions are now big and flat, which makes them less complicated to transport than the monstrous boxes of old. The first step with flat screens is to protect the screen with a thin foam sheet. Next, cover the corners with foam protectors. Remove any stands and accessories, like streaming devices, and roll up cords. If you don’t have the package the TV came in, use a box meant for a large mirror. These are often the right size to fit TVs. Wrap the TV in bubble wrap until it fits snugly in the box. Mark which side the screen is on and face this side up. Don’t put anything heavy on top of it. A convertible hand truck can also help here, converting between upright for typical boxes and horizontal for a TV.
Computers
First, back up your data. If you have a laptop, it’s likely you already have a bag to transport it in. Use that bag and keep it close to. Otherwise, treat it much like a video game system. For a desktop computer, take out heavy components like the GPU. These rattling around during the move can crack connections. Individually pack peripherals and components in anti-static bags. Treat the monitor as a small flat screen TV. Pack the computer tower with packing material in a thick-walled box of the tower’s approximate size. Use towels, packing peanuts, washcloths, or anything that will surround and cushion the computer.
About Magline
Magliner products have earned the trust of the material handling industry. They are valued to the point that “Magliner” is an industry-standard term employed throughout material handling. There is, however, only one Magliner when it comes to quality. For more than 70 years, Magline has designed and manufactured the most reliable, durable, and trustworthy material handling tools available. In addition to their traditional hand trucks, Magline produces more specialized equipment like appliance hand trucks, U-boats, and an electric hand cart selection.
To learn more about Magliner hand trucks and other material handling products, visit Magliner.com
