6 Moving Mistakes Couples Make

According to the SpareFoot survey, the number one thing people are most concerned about during a move is their belongings getting damaged. While it's somewhat out of your control if you hire movers, Walsh's packing techniques can help prevent a broken-heirloom induced meltdown.

1. Don't overload the boxes. Buying the largest-size box may save you on the number you (or the movers) need to lift, but it's actually putting your items in danger of breaking because the boxes end up becoming very heavy to lift. Instead, buy the medium-size boxes and pack them so you can pick them up. And, yes, this rule applies even if you're hiring much-stronger movers—to avoid any potential disasters after they leave.

2. Use liquor boxes. Go to your local bottle shop and see if they'll give you a few boxes or allow you to purchase them (they'll most-likely be cheaper than the moving boxes at your local hardware store). Since they're designed to carry a dozen bottles at a time, they're great quality to securely hold heavier items.

3. Don't use bubble wrap. Invest in butcher's paper instead. Not only does it take up less room in boxes, but you also need to use less of it to protect breakables.

4. Use blue painter's tape. Black marker can easily be overlooked in the hustle of moving day. Make fragile boxes stand out by putting a strip of tape on one side with an arrow to show which way is up, then another strip of tape on the same side and across the top to mark that it's fragile—just be sure to tell movers that double strips of tape is code for "handle with care."

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