Packing Tips for Moving: Expert Advice from Movers and Helpers
What Is The Best Moving Box?
- Avoid used boxes from liquor stores, grocery stores, or odd-sized boxes if possible.
- Although this seems like a cost-effective choice, the odd spacing, possibility of contamination, and weakened structural integrity ends up making this a far more problematic option in the end.
- Use U-Haul boxes for better quality and lower prices. U-Haul boxes are specifically made to fit on U-Haul trucks.
- With the boxes fitting nicely together, this allows for tighter packing which ensures the safety of your belongings and maximizes space.
- U-Haul boxes are cheaper than most big box store competitors, and U-Haul will even buy back the supplies you don’t use.
What Is The Best Packing Tape?
-In our experience, the most useful and reliable choice is U-Haul’s brown paper box tape. Clear packing tape is not worth the hassle and it often doesn’t do as good of a job
Do I Need Newspaper?
-Wrapping paper is a must-have for packing many fragile items. U-Haul's wrapping paper is a great way to purchase a lot of paper at once. Newspapers can also be used, but the print ink can soil cloth and other surfaces.
Planning Picking Up Packing Supplies
- Large quantities of moving boxes take up space! Make sure you have enough room in your vehicle to transport all the supplies you intend to buy before arriving at the store!
- While individual circumstances vary, here are some general guidelines to follow when estimating the amount of supplies you will need:
Studio Apartment:
Small boxes: 5-7
Medium boxes: 3-5
Large boxes: 2-3
Packing tape rolls: 1-2
Packing paper/bubble wrap: 1 bundle/pack
Marker pens: 1
1 Bedroom Home:
Small boxes: 8-10
Medium boxes: 5-7
Large boxes: 3-4
Packing tape rolls: 2-4
Packing paper/bubble wrap: 1-2 bundles/packs
Marker pens: 1
2 Bedroom Home:
Small boxes: 10-15
Medium boxes: 8-10
Large boxes: 5-6
Packing tape rolls: 3-5
Packing paper/bubble wrap: 2 bundles/packs
Marker pens: 1-2
3 Bedroom Home:
Small boxes: 20-25
Medium boxes: 12-15
Large boxes: 8-10
Packing tape rolls: 4-6
Packing paper/bubble wrap: 2-3 bundles/packs
Marker pens: 2
4 Bedroom Home:
Small boxes: 25-30
Medium boxes: 18-22
Large boxes: 10-12
Packing tape rolls: 6-8
Packing paper/bubble wrap: 3-4 bundles/packs
Marker pens: 2-3
5 Bedroom Home:
Small boxes: 30-35
Medium boxes: 22-26
Large boxes: 12-15
Packing tape rolls: 8-10
Packing paper/bubble wrap: 4-5 bundles/packs
Marker pens: 2-3
- Choose the right size moving box for items you need to pack.
- Use tape to secure the bottom of box, folding the underside of your box is not sturdy enough for safe moving.
- Be sure to wrap your delicate or fragile items with wrapping paper before packing into a moving box.
- Fill boxes completely while packing to avoid collapse during loading but don’t overfill to where the box closes with items causing box to bow out
-Start by choosing the smallest box that will fit the glassware your are trying to pack. This is to avoid overcrowding the box, which can make the items on the bottom become stressed and potentially damaged.
-Use packing paper at the base of the box, packing paper only provides padding when its crumpled. Consider foam and bubble wrap for extremely fragile items, and valuable breakables.
-Begin wrapping your larger glassware items. Fill the remaining space with smaller items.
-Build layer by layer if possible and avoid any dead space.
-Fill dead space with extra crumpled wrapping paper, bubble wrap, or foam
-Make sure to put another layer of crumped wrapping paper, foam, or bubble wrap to pad the top of the box
-label the sides and top of the box fragile and indicate which side is the top of the box with an arrow
Lampshades should go in large boxes.
- Lamps travel safely with their shades and bulbs removed.
- You can stack multiple lampshades together and pack them into a single box for safe and efficient loading.
-Use small boxes, medium and large boxes can get very heavy very quickly.
- For hanging clothes, wardrobe boxes are a very expensive, yet reliable option.
- We recommend zip-tying hanging clothes together into bunches and using contractor bags to protect them during the move.
- Clothes folded and stored in dresser drawers are fine to be left in for the move.
How To Prepare Your Refrigerator
-Begin by thinning out unwanted or unnecessary items.
-Disconnect and drain any drain lines or water supply lines. Be sure to have a towel or bucket ready to collect any excess water.
-Transfer items from refrigerator to coolers or ice chests before arrival time on the day of your move.
How To Prepare Your Washer And Dryer
-Disconnect water supply lines, drain, and dryer vent.
-Have a towel or bucket ready to collect excess water in supply/drain lines.
How To Prepare Your Bed
-Remove mattress and box spring from bedframe.
- Plastic mattress covers/bags are one protective option, but you can also use two fitted sheets to encase and protect your mattress during moving.
-Remove any screws securing bed slats, collect hardware for reassembly.
-Unscrew any middle feet from bed slats.
-Remove bed side rails from headboard first, then from footboard. Collect any hardware for reassembly.
How To Store Hardware
- Put any hardware removed from disassembled furniture into Ziplock bags and label accordingly.
-Whenever possible, tape labeled bag of hardware to part of the disassembled furniture it came from. Use caution applying tape to some furniture finishing.
How To Prepare Your Dining Room Table
-Start by clearing a space to where you will be able to flip your
How Prepare Your Glass Coffee Table
How To Wrap Your Couch
-Start by gathering shrink wrap and clearing a space around the couch or moving it to the middle of the room. You will need enough space to walk around the couch.
-Next, wrap the couch while it is upright. Wrapping both the top section (Couch Back ) and bottom section (Couch Front). Do not wrap the seat at this time.
-Now flip the couch on to its back. Now you can wrap the seat and underneath feet side of the couch.
-For the third and final side, flip the couch to its face, it helps to have someone with you at this step, and wrap the top () and remaining bottom of the couch
-Your couch is now wrapped on all sides safe from moisture, and snagging on things
How To Prepare Your Dresser
-Taking knobs off if fragile
-loose items out clothes are fine
How To Prepare Glass Cabinets
How to keep your mattress clean.
