Tips, Tips, and More Tips from September 2006

Put together a “flea market transportation kit.” Start with a large shopping bag to carry small items, or a collapsible shopping cart if you think you’ll need it. Include packing material like newspapers, bubble wrap, boxes, or old blankets. Diapers and plastic-lined bedding pads are good for wrapping breakables. Carry a rope or bungee cords to hold items on top of the car or to secure an open trunk. Don’t forget a screwdriver, hammer, and rust-loosening oil in case you have to dismantle a bed or table to fit it in your car. Take a tape measure to check the size of a chair against the size of your car’s open door and storage space. We have seen people trying to force a chair into a trunk or backseat by twisting it in every direction.