Some of your belongings are precious, valuable and irreplaceable. Although your moving company might take great care in handling all of your goods with meticulous attention and have a sterling reputation for integrity and service excellence, accidents (or worse, crime!) can and do occasionally happen in South Africa. You can take steps to safeguard your irreplaceable items from the remote possibility of something happening. Specifically, for your precious items, it's prudent that you personally take responsibility for moving them safely by transporting them yourself. What is considered a valuable item will be different from person to person. Here are a few possible examples for you to consider.
Documents
Passports, certificates, title deeds, wills
Valuables
Cash, Jewellery, collectors items, watches and accessories
Electronics
Laptops, ipads, smart phones, harddrives
Sentimental items
Portraits, artwork, ornaments
Irreplaceable items
Photo albums, souvenirs, heirlooms, special items of clothing
Specific to an office move
Computer servers are best transported by your internal IT department.
Leased photocopy machines will often be transported free of charge by the leasing company.
Set aside a few small or medium boxes specifically for valuable items.These boxes should be able to fit in your car for transportation. As you pack up your house, place your valuables into these boxes. Don’t overpack the boxes. If the contents are too heavy for the box, the bottom might fall out while you’re carrying it and your goods will be damaged as a result. Another reason not to overfill the box is so that it's light enough for one person to carry. If you need to rely on another person to assist you in carrying the box, they might not be as careful as you are in the handling. In addition, boxes are more likely to be dropped, bumped or damaged when two people are required to carry it and the communication between them isn’t clear. Avoid labeling these boxes with terms such as ‘valuable’, ‘jewellery’, or ‘electronics’. Opt for a description that you understand but doesn’t give any indication as to the contents of the box. Numbers can work well for this purpose. Be sure to seal the box properly with packing tape.
You’ll need to decide the best time to transport your precious items based on your move plan: before the movers arrive, while the move is in progress, or later on after the movers have left.
Having moved more than a million items for clients over the last 8 years, the number of these unlikely incidents at Two Men and a Truck can be counted on one hand. As unlikely as it is for something to happen to your precious goods, by taking some reasonable precautions against the possibility of damage or crime as outlined in this article, you can ensure the protection of your irreplaceable goods. By ensuring their safety, you’ll be free to enjoy the experience of a smooth and successful move.