Okay, so I'm going to be moving house and relocating in the next month or two. We've just been having half a dozen movers come round our house to give us quotes, and I’ve just started to realise- hiding a toy collection from others in the house is one thing, but having to transport that collection via a company of strangers is something else.
And I was wondering what peoples experiences or ideas/tips were?
Obviously I'd be packing this stuff up myself, but in what, and how do I make this one special box seem nothing out of the ordinary- yet know what it is so it doesn't get unexpectedly opened? I mean, I've recently acquired a lockable briefcase/luggage bag- but having that marked as 'bedroom' just SCREAMS exactly what it is.
There's a possibility of bundling it all in a bag and putting it in the top large draw of a plastic chest of sliding draws- these would be taped shut anyway, to stop them opening during transit- but I'm not sure there is enough capacity with the growing size of my collection, post the BH weekend sale...
Please, any tips or suggestions would be greatly appreciated.
Brightly coloured box, which you pack and then wrap wrap wrap wrap wrap up with tape so there is no way the lid will come off or anyone can peek inside.
Either way, both are noticable to you, so you can see where they are at all times and know to grab them when they're unpacked.
Obviously - remove all batteries and lock all travel locks so nothing vibrates!
(Reply to first two posts- damn, you guys are fast at helping!)
Yeah, problem is that in this situation, I am the kid. Well, not really a kid, but I am the younger generation in the house. It's a relief to be finally getting my own place shortly- I moved back in with my parents after university, and just havent been able to get a place of my own yet.
But the closest thing I have to a safe is this lockable box, which would really look obvious if I marked it as 'bedroom'. It was originally gonna be as 'storage', but if I pack my stuff up in there, I might not see it again for a VERY long while as it gets dumped in the garage with all the other room-less boxes.
As for plain boxes- we do have some of those here already. My main concern about that is, though I'm not too worried about entering moving day having a pre-packaged box, I am worried that it it's not too recognisable from the others coming from my room- how do I know which I need to keep back to unpack myself. Or even accidentally have someone else unknowingly open it for me. I cant do this being paranoid and making sure that NOBODY unpacks any of my stuff, because apart from being exhausting, thats just riddiculous.
Brightly coloured box, which you pack and then wrap wrap wrap wrap wrap up with tape so there is no way the lid will come off or anyone can peek inside.
Either way, both are noticable to you, so you can see where they are at all times and know to grab them when they're unpacked.
Obviously - remove all batteries and lock all travel locks so nothing vibrates!
Wow, Alice, you have that all sorted- Damn, thats pretty good!! And yeah, I guess monumentus amounts of tape makes it less likely to be prised open. But yeah, I think thats a major point- it has to be noticable/recognisable to me.
Gunther- you know, I I actually had this little giggle moment several days ago, just thinking about those people who take their BDSM quite seriously, and have a purpose-filled room/a sizable collection filling their bedroom. I just had this sudden brilliant vision of removal men having to give a quote for moving an entire BDSM room/collection! I guess you are right- seen it all before, dont really care unless something small and unnoticable slips out you can keep for youself. Apparently when we moved in here 20 years ago, quite a few things went missing courtesy of the movers. I'm not too worried in that respect, but I'm a little hesitant as to general breakages. Mind you- it would be something else to put a claim against them for loss of a collection of dildos!
Kohaku- I dont actually drive yet- been meaning to learn in Scotland where the streets are calmer then the outskirts of London- however that is a VERY good idea. We do have two cars between us, one of which will be making its way up there ahead of time and left at the new house. The only problem is, justifying to my parents dragging this old suitcase I've supposedly apprehended for 'storage' in our car to travel with us. Its not a small thing little thing (its quite a bit bigger then I need at the moment- hopefully- I thought have something which would allow my collection to grow!) But it is a good idea- I'll think on some variations. Maybe we have a smaller variety which would be less noticable?
Crikey- sorry, you'll have to excuse me. Thinking aloud here.... Thanks for your help guys- youve been great!
toolbox with padlock is what i would have suggested (not a travel lock as theyre pretty flimsy but a proper padlock)
alice beat me to it though!
Hmmm, nice suggestion. And yeah, I'd discarded travel locks as being too flimsy when I first started looking into keeping my collection safe. And then I realised, for the most part that discression was the key. I dont actually have any toolboxes myself, so going out and getting one would just look unusual, but I think the general idea there is a good one.
As a rough guide, I've got roughly around 15 toys/bottles, give or take. Shit, lol, it brings it home when you count them all!!! I can't quite call it a 'newbie collection' any more!
I have about the same amount in toys. am moving flats this week and have packed them all into an overnight bag. My thinking is that it can go in the back of the car, and it looks inconspicuous enough to just have the clothes/shoes i need for the next day. Stuff a pair of pjs/ Jeans on top and nobody will be any wiser. you can lock it if you wish and say its because the bag has a dodgy zip :P
I've got a small wooden chest with a heavy duty padlock on it, it survived life at sea and only one or two shipmates knew the contents, probably because it was being used on them, anyway I digress.
A very plain and ordinary box, like a tool box, horse tack box, and a good padlock should do the trick to keep your toys out of sight.
Can't you just put them in a day bag/rucksack thats full of 'necessities'? Keep it with you at all times and lock it if needed. Would anyone look in your suitcase/bag?
As A-A said. Layer them between your clothes in your suitcase then lock it up. But saying that, looking around our bedroom, any box marked 'bedroom' could contain a multitude of things, bed side lights, alarm clocks, hair dryer, books, toiletries, freeview box, electric fan etc. Don't worry about it. After all, the removal men are paid to move boxes, not to guess what's in them. Good luck with your move x
Presumably you'll have to wrap up all the rest of the things in your bedroom, meaning there will be multiple boxes of things to go into your new room? If it's not possible any other way, could you not put your toys between a layer of other bedroom items in one of these boxes, and then mark all of them with Bedroom, but have one with a mark underneith that looks like the marker slipped in your hand. That way you know which is which?
Putting them in an overnight bag along with other prescious things and taking it with you in the car is probably the best bet though. Everyone has personal things they don't want to get lost, like Ipods, electronics, chargers, documents and fragile items. If you have any jewellery, shove that in too.
Or, you could even seal your toys in a smaller box and pack that with other things in a larger one. That way even if the larger box is opened there is still a barrier between them and the toys.
I've relocated all of my toys into the new hard lockable case for current storage, and put all of the original packaging on them (I normally remove the outer sleeves but leave them within the plastic 'beds')- this means that I've actually gotten rid of two LH boxes of packaging that I no longer need to pack (I always keep it in case anything needs to go back)! Also, great news, even with the additional full packaging, the toys currently fill the entire lower section of the case, so there is definatly enough room in there. I'll put some of the LH logo tissue paper around to stop things moving around too much.
Could I also really say to EVERYONE thanks for all your advise and suggestions- it has REALLY helped to calm my nerves, and given me a lot of ideas. I think I'm happy enough, if I decide to just put it in a plain packing box to do that and know what to do. Probably lable it 'Bathroom' with an itenary of 'Tampons/pads, Makeup, ALL Hair Products/Tools' (Because we all know what men are like with feminine hygene products, and the last one which would explain the weight!)
But I may decide to keep it in the hard case. In which case, it'll need to preferably be kept flat, so I'll say it's got all my additional computer supplies and my backup laptop- which of course, one would not want sliding around, and would explain all the locks.
Thanks again guys, and I'll let you know how things are going closer to the time of the move (in about a month). PS- great idea with the last one, Pixieking.
Glad you have sorted your storage, good luck with the move. That was quite a cunning place to hide them. Im currently in the process of moving from one flat to another. Being students we are only moving a couple of streets away and have been hitching lifts with any willing friends to get stuff transported.
I took my toys with me in my first load, stuffed them in my biggest handbag and put a smaller bag inside with my purse and keys. i am ashamed to say that i sat in the front of my friends car holdng a bag that was filled with not much more than sex toys. When we arrived i shoved the bag in my wardrobe, took the small one out and helped unload the rest of my stuff. What got me more is that nobody noticed that i switched handbags mid move...
Alas i am toyless for tonight :( they are in the new place and i'm still here for one more night