How to Pack Files for a Move

The experts providing professional packing services at All My Sons Moving & Storage offer 5 steps for packing your files for a move.

When preparing to move a home office or make a business relocation, you will need to pack up important documents. You may choose to put these records into storage, or just take them with you to your next home. Either way, your files will take some preparation to pack properly.

Some documents you will separate from your regular files and put into your essentials and emergencies bag. These are the documents that are either too valuable to pack into boxes or that you will need for your move at some point.

Documents you should probably carry on your person during the move include:

• Current Driver’s Licenses

• Social Security Cards

• Passports

• Green Cards

• Birth Certificates

• Rental Contracts

Put these documents in a special folder or other protective container as you carry them on your person.

Your upcoming move is a great time to downsize your paperwork collection. If you are running a small business or moving a large office, you may want to keep any paperwork related to ongoing projects. Items that do not need to be on record should be shredded.

Here are some common household paperwork items and about when you can shred them.

• Pay Stubs: Generally you should only hang onto past pay stubs for about one year, long enough to verify that your annual W2 is correct. 

• Bank Statements: Old bank statements can be shredded after one year.

• Paid Bills: Credit card, utility, and medical bills that have been paid can be shredded after one year or less. 

• Tax Records: You can shred any tax returns or supporting documents for taxes like W2s after seven years.

Check your local city’s recycling program to find out if there are special instructions for recycling shredded paper. 

You should always aim to backup your most important files. If you do not have a scanner in your home office, consider investing in one. Once you scan your important documents, give the file a good name and organize it on your hard drive or online cloud well. 

Items that are of significant importance should also have hard-copy backups kept in a different location.

Ideally, you would pack your files into letter or legal file boxes. If you do not have file boxes and have no more budget for additional boxes, then you can pack your files in small to medium standard moving boxes.

Alternatively, you can move files in their file cabinet, provided you have the drawers taped or locked and you have the equipment to move the cabinet. The full file cabinet will likely be extremely heavy, so choose this option only when you have sufficient tools and helpers to complete the job.

Seal your file boxes and label them. If your files contain sensitive information then shy away from providing too many details on your box’s label. You can label items as “Office Paperwork” or “Family Records” in lieu of a detailed report of what the boxes contain.

Once the boxes are sealed and labeled, they are ready to go to your next home.

The files are packed, your essential paperwork is ready for your new home office or business move. Now that you’ve packed up the files, why not check another task off your moving to-do list and book with your professional movers?

All My Sons Moving & Storage is a full-service moving company ready to handle the packing, wrapping, and heavy lifting. Whether you’re looking for storage solutions or just need labor for the loading, All My Sons Moving & Storage can step in and tailor our services to meet the unique needs of your move. We have extensive experience in office moves, and can make sure your files arrive at your destination safely. Call your local All My Sons location or get your quote online.