How to pack a Fridge for your Move
Among all the heavy items in your home, a fridge needs more attention when moving. Its cost, bulkiness and brittle interiors mean you must be keen when preparing it for packaging, loading it into the track and offloading it. So, how do you ensure your refrigerator moves from your old to the new home unscathed? Here’s how to pack it for a move.
Empty and Clean It
Before cleaning the
refrigerator, remove all the foods and perishables. You can give out the
perishables to neighbors and pack the non-perishable items aside. Remove all
the fridge shelves and moving parts for separate packing.
Defrost the Fridge
If you’re not confident about
handling the fridge, contact a technician to do the job for you. Defrosting is
the removal of ice from the fridge to ensure it’s dry for packing. You must
turn it off and unplug it to cut off the power supply. You can then leave the
fridge to defrost. Ensure you start the process early or two days prior to
moving. You’ll then dry it and tape the codes well.
Cleaning
Clean the fridge well and
ensure you don’t wet the power cords. You might need to let the fridge dry by
leaving it open for over 24 hours. Later, put some baking powder in the fridge
for smell absorption. Remember to remove it when moving to avoid spillage.
Prepare the Fridge for Packaging
Tape all the drawers and compartments plus ensure no parts shift or wriggle during transit. Because of heavy appliances’ delicate nature and their high voltage connections, you’ll need the services of a technician to check if it’s ready for moving. If everything is ok, wrap the fridge in moving wraps and ensure it shuts well.
Loading Into the Track
It’s advisable to let professionals move the fridge from your house to the truck. If you’re moving on your own, rent a good dolly for moving the fridge. Enlist the help of a friend or family to load the fridge into the dolly. Your dolly should have strong wraps to keep the fridge stagnant during moving. Make sure you place protectors or blankets in the truck where you will put the fridge.
Arrival in the New Home
Upon arrival in your new home, observe keenness when offloading from the track and loading into the dolly. Don’t unplug the fridge for a while or refer the right timing from the manufacturer’s manual. Plug it after 24 hours and let the doors open before storing it in food.
