Figuring out how to pack boxes for moving may seem pretty straightforward. You’ve got the box, your stuff and a variety of packing supplies to, hopefully, make your job easier. Fundamentally, it’s simple, but packing tips can always help make moving easier and ensure your packed boxes keep your stuff safer.
From gathering the right packing material to buying specialty boxes, from understanding how to wrap fragile items to stacking moving boxes just right, here’s what you need to know.
Collect the right packing paper and other supplies
The packing supplies you buy when moving really do matter. You’ll need to assemble all the basics — paper, packing tape, bubble wrap and packing peanuts. You’ll also need at least one thick permanent marker to label each box. If you wanted to get really organized, you could even get a whole set of different colored markers, assigning one color to each room for easier box sorting.
Be selective when it comes to paper and tape, though, even if it means spending a little more. For packing paper, you want what’s known as a newsprint, not an actual newspaper. Newsprint crumples easily but has nothing printed on it. It’s just clean and blank. Newspaper ink can rub off onto all kinds of personal items ruining some and forcing you to do some extra cleaning as you unpack.
When it comes to tape, it’s packing tape or nothing. Avoid scotch tape, painter’s tape or anything else that’s not strong enough to hold onto cardboard boxes.
The right number of boxes
There are a few things that impact how many boxes you’ll need for a move. One is how long you’ve lived in your current place. It correlates to how much stuff you’ve acquired. Another is what kind of lifestyle you lead. Are you a hoarder, minimalist or somewhere in between? The final piece is the size of your current home. Each factor into the total number of boxes you’ll need, so there’s no overarching right number.
However, it’s possible to make some estimates. For example, if your apartment is between 700 and 1,1250 square feet, you’ll most likely need between 45 and 65 boxes of varying sizes.
You can take this estimate and buy all your boxes in advance, or start with half the amount and see how it goes. Just remember, you’ll need small boxes, large boxes, medium-sized boxes and a few special ones, like wardrobe boxes, to really get the job done right.
Where to find boxes for moving
There are contrary feelings on how to collect boxes for a move. Professional movers will say you should buy them new from the moving company, but there are plenty of ways to get boxes for free. The caveat is they’re used.
Collecting free boxes from your local grocery or liquor store is a great way to save money, but you never really know how strong that box is. As a result, some packing tips suggest you avoid putting valuables or fragile items in used boxes. You wouldn’t want the bottom falling out of a box containing items like these.
That said, when you’re collecting used boxes, it’s easy to verify their condition. If they look stained or ripped or have odd creases from being smooshed, they’re probably not the best choice. You can easily find used boxes in excellent condition and then, splurge a little on your packing materials to make sure your items stay safe while inside.
Packing boxes for moving like a pro
When it’s time to start packing, and you’ve got all your moving boxes out and ready to go, the real work begins. Organizing your stuff is just the start. You should also have a strategy of how you’re going to pack, one that accounts for all the time you’ll need to individually wrap all your fragile items. Nobody would disagree that packing is a huge process, but with the right tips, you can get the job done.
1. Start early
The moment you finish packing your first box will most likely set off a chain reaction of productivity. You’ve just simply got to get the job done. Starting early allows you to keep working after that single box without feeling rushed or stressed.
Packing is not something you can do overnight, but you want to be fully packed on moving day. Retain your sanity, and start early. Creating a schedule that begins about four weeks out is ideal.
You can make a list of everything you have to pack, organize it by how likely you’ll be to need that stuff before you move, then pack the least needed items first. Start with books you’ve already read, off-season clothing and excess plates and dishes if you’re having trouble prioritizing.
2. Clean everything first
A huge way to save time when it comes to unpacking is to clean everything before it goes into a box. You don’t want to pack dirty or dusty items and nothing should go into a box wet. Water is cardboard’s worst enemy.
Just wiping everything down with paper towels will help ensure nothing else in the box gets dirty and everything can go right into its new space as you unpack it.
3. Separate your essentials
There’s one batch of stuff that does not belong in a moving box or on a moving truck. These are your essentials. It’s all the items you’ll need immediately after moving. Before you even begin packing, it’s best to make a list of these items so you can set them aside as you go.
Since there’s no way you’ll unpack all your boxes within the first 24 hours of moving, gather together a small number of clothes, your everyday toiletries, device chargers, important documents and anything precious to you. You can even toss in a roll of toilet paper. You’ll need it.
As you pack, separate out these items and put them into a suitcase you’ll carry with you on moving day.
4. Create an ‘open me first’ box
In addition to your essentials, you’ll also want to compile materials you’ll need to “open first.” These are the items that will help with the unpacking and settling in. They all belong together in their own box.
This box should include:
- Cleaning supplies
- A box cutter
- A few key kitchen items like a place setting and a pot or pan
- A set of towels
- Your bedding
Everything in here should relate to the initial setup of your new place. Since it’s the first box you want to open when you arrive, you need to label it appropriately. A huge “1″ on all sides will do it, but the real trick is to get it packed onto the moving truck last so it will come into your new home first.
Then, store it in a closet or even in the bathtub so you don’t lose it in the mass of boxes that will follow. You can then open it first, make your bed, cook a box of pasta for dinner and clean up after yourself, all without worry.
5. Pack one room at a time
One of the best strategies is to take things room-by-room. Start with the room you use the least and work your way to the room you use the most. This keeps stuff together by room and makes it easier to track.
While it’s OK, as an exception, to mix things from different rooms in a single box, don’t make it your normal practice. It makes it harder to know where the box belongs when you’re labeling it, and often requires you to run from room to room to drop stuff off.
6. Bag smaller items
Small knick-knacks can easily get lost in the folds of the packing paper within a box. Especially when you’re working with non-fragile items, it’s not always necessary to show care when packing. Even if you wrap them up like you would delicate items, they can still get misplaced as you unpack. Bagging them up, even in tiny snack-sized bags, is a great way to keep track of smaller items among all the crumpled paper.
7. Watch your weight
Heavy boxes equal heavy lifting, and the last thing you want to do is pull a muscle during a move. For that reason, your heaviest boxes should weigh no more than 40-50 pounds. This is true even if you’re using movers with all their hand trucks and specialty equipment. At some point, you’ll have to lift that box, too.
When dealing with heavy items, use the size of the box to keep things under control. Pack heavier items in smaller boxes, curbing the temptation to overstuff. Use your larger boxes to hold light items like linens and pillows.
8. Pack heavy to light
The order in which you pack each box also makes a difference, so you want to always put heavy items on the bottom of the box. Save the lighter items for the top.
The heavy-to-light strategy also works when you have to stack moving boxes. Heavier ones should always go on the bottom to make sure the lighter moving boxes don’t end up crushed.
9. Wrap fragile items by themselves
Bubble wrap and crumpled packing paper are your best friends when it comes to packing fragile items. You want to ensure there’s extra protection in these boxes, so among all the padding, you need to make certain items aren’t banging into each other. Wrap each item separately, sealing the bundle with a piece of masking tape and packing them in side-by-side.
10. Fill in the gaps
On a similar note, leaving gaps in boxes gives your stuff too much opportunity to shift inside the box, knocking into other stuff and, ultimately, breaking or getting damaged.
Crumpled packing paper and packing peanuts make short work of those empty spaces, but you can also pack clothes, towels or sheets around your items.
11. Use specialty boxes
Even though you may have to buy them new, and they’re a little more expensive, specialty boxes can also really protect your stuff. They’ll also make it easier to unpack.
For clothing, consider wardrobe boxes. Stuff all the suitcases you have with your folded items but for nicer attire, formal wear, clothing for work or anything delicate, a wardrobe box allows you to move your clothes still on the hanger.
For all those nice wine glasses and stemware, a cell box has built-in compartments to secure each individual glass in place. Some boxes even have sections of different sizes to accommodate even more of the fragile pieces in your kitchen.
For your huge flat screen, if you don’t have the original box, you can get a TV box that includes extra foam pieces to protect the corners and a flat base to keep the TV upright.
12. Liberally apply tape to all boxes
Packing tape is your friend when moving in more ways than one. Not only will it seal all your moving boxes up, but it also reinforces them. Beyond taping the line where the flaps come together on the top and bottom of each box, add extra strips to ensure everything stays closed. You can go parallel to the center sealing piece, or you can tape along the open edges of the flaps that close.
Bottom line, the more tape the better, just make sure you’re liberally applying it on both the top and bottom of the box.
13. Label each box on the sides
It may just make sense to label your box on the lid once you’ve taped it close, but nobody sees that once the box gets added to a stack. To make sure you can see the labels, and your movers can see when a box contains fragile items, write the room destination of each box on all sides. You can also buy fragile stickers to slap on boxes where appropriate.
Get a move on
The bulk of any move, packing up your stuff takes time, effort and a little finesse. With these tips to guide you on how to pack moving boxes, you’ll become expertly packed. Then, you’ll be completely ready come moving day to focus on what’s important — your new home.
Source: rent.com