Packing Consoles to Move

[ElkinFencer10]

So I'm fixing to move to the other end of town sometime this summer once my roommate and I finalize a lease, and I'm looking for suggestions on how to pack up consoles for the move. Including handhelds, I've got about 40, some that I couldn't break if I tried (PS TV, Gamestick, etc) and some that I'm afraid looking at it the wrong way might damage it (3DO, Saturn, Sega CD, etc). I'm not counting the MVS since that's a whole different can of worms, but for the actual consoles, what do yall suggest I do to pack them up? Separate, small boxes for each? Wrap them up and put a few in each box? I'm open to suggestions.

[fastbilly1]

I have moved large amounts of consoles several times and what works best for me is first find a standard sized tub or box you can comfortably carry full - for me its a 50q steralite. Then work storage around based on that. Consoles on bottom floor, covered with a towel or old tshirt if then pack in everything around them. This way you have them kinda organized, protected, and you know which ones you need to be the most gentle with. After a dozen moves like this, the only casualty so far is a model1 segacd, but that was bound to happen anyway.

[MrPopo]

Yeah, basically that. You want a box where things fit snugly in with whatever form of packing you include (shirts, packing paper, etc).

[Key-Glyph]

I have moved large amounts of consoles several times and what works best for me is first find a standard sized tub or box you can comfortably carry full - for me its a 50q steralite.

Exactly this, except that my Steralites are 64 qt.

You'll find that you can fit those consoles and such in there like puzzle pieces. I did the same as fastbilly and employed towels, and also bubblewrap and small pillows. For handhelds, I put those in smaller cardboard boxes and packed them within those Steralites. This was good for 1) keeping the handhelds and small parts grouped together, 2) protecting them from getting bashed around, and 3) adding more solid structures to hold the bigger consoles in place to keep them from sliding around.

The tubs I have also have very good locking mechanisms on the handles, so you don't have to worry about things popping open or having too much give.

Good luck with the move!

[Exhuminator]

I am moving later this year.

Each console will be sealed in a zip bag with desiccant packs. Then individually packed in their own cardboard box, surrounded by at least six inches of foam peanuts on all sides. I'll seal each box with strong packing tape. I don't screw around when it comes to my vidja.

[bacteria]

If you have pristine quality consoles then makes sense to bubble wrap them to keep them good and put into a strong cardboard box to carry them. If however your consoles are scratched or worse, just stack them in a box so they don't move about too much and have done with it. Same with controllers.

If I were a serious console collector, i'd have two of each system - a pristine one that was for display and the other that was scratched and beaten up a bit for actual use. The scratches etc give a system authenticity anyway.

As it is though, i'm not a collector, i'm a modder so the condition is far less imperative! lol

[ejamer]

Did you keep the original boxes? I like to do that for exactly this reason - but it's obviously not practical in all scenarios.

I agree with Ex about zip bags and dessicant if possible, assuming you don't have boxes, then wrapping with towel or t-shirts and securing with packing materials to ensure they don't move around.

If you are just going across town, are you able to move them yourself instead of trusting a moving company? That would definitely be preferable in my mind. Not that the moving company will be that rough, but some retro consoles in particular I'd just get worried about.

[ElkinFencer10]

I'm gonna have movers take the furniture and some of my stuff, but my consoles will go in my car. I'll let them take the games (since I have a couple thousand of them and a small Fiesta), but at least the fragile consoles are going with me.