Moving with children can be hard—and ensuring all their toys reach the new home safely plays a big role! Children’s toys come in all sizes and shapes, can be extremely sturdy or delicate, and carry an important emotional weight. Hiring Atlanta movers who offer packing services is key to ensuring its protection.
However, if you’re aiming for a budgeted move and want to experience the challenge of packing toys for yourself, doing so with proper knowledge is key to preventing unwanted accidents, like broken parts—or worse—misplaced, lost items. To help you prevent that, we’ve come up with these tips.
5 Tips for Packing Children’s Toys
1. Choosing the Right Packing Supplies
Picking the right moving supplies is key to packing and protecting your children’s toys during the move. Larger boxes are ideal for light, bulky items like plush toys, while smaller boxes are best for heavier or more delicate toys.
Make sure to get good-quality bubble wrap, too. Bubble wrap provides additional cushioning when packing fragile items, such as action figures with thin parts.
2. Importance of Cleaning Toys Before Packing
Before you start packing, give your kid’s toys a bath! From mud on the floor to saliva and other substances, toys accumulate a lot of dirt. Clean your child’s toys thoroughly to avoid bringing these germs and bacteria into your new home.
Wipe down hard toys with a damp cloth and mild detergent. To wash soft and plush toys, refer to their care labels. If the toy needs to be hand washed, use a mild detergent and the directions on the care label.
It’s important to do this step with time, though, as toys need to be completely dry before packing. Thick plushies can take several days to dry, so be careful!
3. Sort Out and Declutter
Before packing, it can be easier and less stressful to sort toys and toy collections and leave some behind if your child is willing. So, start by asking them what things they want to keep, give away, or throw away.
This is an excellent opportunity to tidy up and pack just the toys your children use, getting rid of any broken, outdated, or unnecessary playthings. Additionally, you can teach them the value of charitable giving by donating gently used toys to organizations such as the Salvation Army.
Under no circumstances dispose of a toy they did not want to let go of, though. Even if you believe they no longer have a use for it, throwing away a toy they love can be traumatic and make them start at their new home on the wrong foot.
4. Techniques for Packing Different Types of Toys
It is now time to pack up your kids’ toys after you have sorted them out. Different types of toys call out for different packing techniques:
- It is easy for small toys, such as action figures or building set pieces, to get lost in large boxes. To prevent this, consider putting them in tiny boxes or zip-lock bags.
- Large, robust boxes are necessary for larger toys, such as dollhouses, ride-on toys, and play kitchens. Any parts that come off should be disassembled before packing and either packed inside the larger toy or separately. Additionally, use bubble wrap or packing paper to protect larger toys from dents and scratches during the move.
- Try to keep collectible toys in their original packaging. If you no longer have them, wrap each toy in acid-free tissue paper and put them in sturdy boxes.
- Remove the batteries from electronic toys to prevent corrosion, and pack them in their original boxes if you can. Any accessories or cords should be packed separately.
5. Hire the Best Atlanta Movers
Toys are simple playthings: they keep your child entertained, happy, and occupied. However, for children, toys are often more than simple items they like to interact with—they can be their best friends, objects filled with happy experiences, hopes, and dreams for the future.
For that reason, losing or breaking a toy can be a traumatic experience for your child. To prevent that, hiring qualified movers like Pink Zebra Moving and following these packing tips is key. We’ll ensure all your children’s toys have a smooth and safe trip, so much so that they’ll be singing praises about the service once they reach their new home—so find a location near you and call us today!