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Packing Computers

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How to Pack a Computer for Shipping

When it’s time to move, you need to make sure all your delicates and valuables are packed safely and securely so they can start life in your new place in full working order. If you have a desktop computer to pack up, you’re going to need some tips otherwise you might be in for a nasty surprise at the other end.

Preparing a Computer for Packing

We’re not talking about laptops here, they can go in a car with you and are easy to wrap up in something soft to protect them from bumps and knocks. We’re talking monitors, towers, accessories and cables. There are always so many cables! Here are our top tips and packing supplies for what you need before you get packing:

  • A sturdy box that will fit your monitor and tower. You may need more than one box.
  • Packing peanuts / paper
  • Bubblewrap
  • Packing tape
  • Masking tape and a pen (you’ll thank us later)
  • A screwdriver for removing some cables
  • A plastic bag

Now you’re all prepped to pack, you need to make sure the computer itself is ready. Following these steps should help you avoid any damage when packing and shipping a large computer:

  • Backup your computer or save important files to an external harddrive or the cloud.
  • Eject any CDs from your computer’s disk drive before shutting it down.
  • Disconnect any accessories and cables from your computer. Here’s where the masking tape comes in. Wrapping a piece around a cable means you can write where it needs to be plugged back in or what it connects to. You can label cables in numerical order, or group them however works best for you.

Now you’re ready to get packing!

Packing a Computer for Shipping or Transport

  1. First things first, make sure that your box is securely taped up at the bottom as you don’t want all your hard work to go crashing to the floor as soon as you move it.
  2. Next, wrap your computer tower in bubble wrap or packing paper and put some around the inside of the box. If possible, put the computer tower upright into the box.
  3. Wrap the monitor and put it in next to the tower if there’s room. If not, put it in a separately lined box.
  4. Put all the cables in the plastic bag and fit them into the box.
  5. Wrap any other accessories such as a mouse, keyboard, speakers etc. and fit them in carefully in any free space, ensuring they’re not too close to the monitor’s screen. Larger items may need their own box.
  6. Fill any remaining space with packing peanuts or other material and seal the box with packing tape.
  7. Mark the box as “Fragile” on all sides and also write what it is so it can be easily identified at your destination.
Congratulations, you have successfully prepared and packed your desktop computer for shipping to your new home and you’ll be back up and running again in no time. For more information on shipping valuable or delicate items, contact Dixie Moving & Storage, the professionals in home and business moving for over 40 years.
a man wearing headphones and a vest standing in front of a computer

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