Antique China and Glass

If you are packing fragile pieces for shipment, remember the post office rule: "If you can shake it, we can break it." The following procedure takes time but creates an almost foolproof layer of protection around your valuable items:

-- Wrap the piece in small-bubble wrap. (If it is painted, wrap it in a layer of kraft paper first to protect the finish.)

-- Follow with a layer of large-bubble wrap. You can combine like items, such as bowls, at this stage.

-- Wrap the resulting parcel several times in stretch film, going in at least two different directions.

-- Choose a sturdy box with at least two inches of room on each side of your wrapped parcel. Tape the box bottom with two layers of tape.

-- Fill the bottom with a layer of packing peanuts. Put your wrapped parcel on top, then fill with peanuts from the top. Use only enough peanuts to fill the space -- if you have to push down to get the box shut, remove some peanuts rather than put internal pressure on the box.

-- Seal it with two layers of tape. Label it "Fragile" on more than one side.

First Day in the New Place

Many parents prefer to get kids' rooms set up as soon as possible, to help kids get started with the work of settling in. Where possible, give your kids some control -- "do you want your bed in the middle, or along this wall?" Along with their familiar furniture and toys, kids need familiar routines like dinnertime and bedtime.

Whether or not you have kids, you may find it useful to make time for a walk around your neighborhood. Check out the houses and yards on your street, perhaps saying hello to a neighbor or two, and make note of the locations of useful items like mailboxes, street signs, parks, convenience stores, and bus stops.

Basics of Shipping Labels

If you have an account with the U.S. Post Office, UPS, Fedex, or many other popular shipping companies, you can use the shipper's Web site to print bar-coded shipping labels on your own computer, saving you time and trouble at the shipping counter. You can buy special label stock for printing, or simply print the label on regular paper. Tape paper labels down well with clear tape, to prevent moisture from obscuring your information. For extra protection, include a copy of the label inside the package.

If you're hand-writing a label, use a large, dark marker, and write in large, clear letters.

Use caution in listing the specific contents of boxes. Most shipping company employees are honest, but if your package says "Joe, here's the digital camera I bought you" it may provide too much temptation.

Moving a Piano

Moving a piano -- particularly an instrument that you play regularly -- is not a job for amateurs. The sheer weight of most pianos, combined with their awkward shapes, makes this a job for a professional piano mover.

As you work with the mover, be absolutely sure that your piano will fit into its new home by the path you plan to use! Even a grand piano can be moved by two or three people with the right equipment and knowledge. Usually, the movers place the instrument on top of a "piano board," then cover it with blankets and secure it to the board with strapping.

Many piano movers prefer to use a crane and hoist to move a piano to or from an upper floor. Moving a piano up or down stairs is very hazardous because of the instrument's weight.

Piano moving is usually not harmful to a piano's tune, but it is very common to find that the temperature and humidity in its new location are different from the ones it's used to. Plan on having your piano tuned a week or two after you move, so that it's had time to settle in.

Managing Moving-Day Stress

On moving day, it's easy to get caught up in a frenzy of managing boxes and furniture. One way to keep yourself from getting too stressed out is to take a moment to mark your passage from one place to the next. Take a few "last day" photos to remember your old place, and spend a little time relaxing and remembering positive times you had here.

At the new place, give yourself permission not to get everything done at once. Unpack enough that you can "nest" a little and enjoy your new place, then go ahead and chill out while you get acclimated. Go for a walk and get to know your new neighborhood -- walking is a well-known stress reliever.

Shipping Arcade Games

First, take photographs of the game to document the condition in which you shipped it.

Next, be sure the inside of the game is fully secure. Particularly, make sure the monitor is firmly in place, protected against breakage and slippage. Secure loose parts and anything that could come loose in transit and damage the game.

Tuck and tape the power cord inside, and be sure the coin door cannot come open accidentally. Wrap the game thoroughly with shrink-wrap (not food wrap, but the more durable kind sold for shipping) and use cardboard in between layers of shrink-wrap for extra protection. Give corners an extra layer of cardboard, as they are the most likely places for damage. Use several layers of wrap to be sure nothing can get in and scratch the surface in transit. Pinball games can sometimes be encased in a modified refrigerator box, with the legs wrapped separately.

Label the game with a packing list including all parts, the location of the keys, the pickup and delivery addresses, and phone numbers for sender and receiver.