Packing in Caughlin Ranch and West Reno

Caughlin Ranch sits on the western edge of Reno, about 5,200 feet above sea level and about 9 miles from our Sparks yard. Census estimates for this ZIP show 3,883 households, more than three out of four homes owner-occupied, and a housing stock dominated by large single-family houses. That puts the neighborhood at the top of the packing scale in rooms per home.

A pack measured in days, not hours

With a median of 6.3 rooms and 78 percent of homes single-family, a typical Caughlin Ranch house has a formal dining room, a family room, a primary suite and a two or three car garage. Roughly 1,600 homes here have three bedrooms, about 1,250 have four, and nearly 300 have five or more. A full pack in a four-bedroom home is usually planned in stages, with kitchens and china first and the closets and garage after.

Kitchens, dining rooms and china

Larger homes mean larger collections: glassware, serving pieces, holiday dishes. Each item is wrapped by hand and stood on edge in a dish-pack carton so that nothing rests flat under weight. Stemware goes into cartons with cell dividers, and the cartons are labeled by room so the right cabinet gets the right box.

Art, rugs and larger furniture

The median home value in this ZIP is about $932,900, per the Census Bureau, and homes in that range often have framed art, large mirrors, area rugs and heavy furniture. Pictures and mirrors travel in picture cartons, rugs are rolled and wrapped, and upholstered pieces get pads and covers. Items too large for a carton can be built a custom crate.

Hills, driveways and timing

Caughlin Ranch is reached over SR 659 and I-580, and many streets climb. Our crew checks the driveway, the slope and the truck access during the in-home visit so packing and loading can be sequenced around them. In winter, snow and ice can slow a morning start, so the estimator talks through a backup plan.

Pack in stages to keep life running

• Week one: attic, garage and off-season items
• Day before the move: kitchen, living areas and pictures
• Move day: the last-minute bathroom and bedroom boxes
• Items for storage packed for vaults, kept apart