Packing is possibly the most important part of the moving process. If it’s not done correctly, your belongings could be damaged or destroyed. Between packing large items, fragile items, and oddly-shaped items, it can be challenging to get everything secure and avoid disaster.
That’s why we have taken our 15 years of professional packing experience and created this ultimate guide full of packing tips; including details on packing materials, how to pack specific items, and things to look for when hiring professionals movers to pack your belongings.
Everything to Know About Moving Boxes
Moving boxes seem like the most straightforward aspect of the move, but choosing the right boxes can get pretty complicated. You’ll have quite of a few options, these can include:
Standard Moving Boxes
- Small (16” x 12” x 12”)
- Medium (18” x 16” x 18”)
- Large (18” x 18” 24”)
- Extra Large (24” x 20” x 24”)
Specialty Moving Boxes
- Dish Pack
- Mirror Carton
- TV Boxes
- Wardrobe Carton
- Made-to-Order Crates and Boxes
An important thing to keep in mind is that the larger your box, the less weight should be in it. This is because of the support at the bottom. When choosing boxes, consider the size as well as the type of item it is. If there is a specialty box that works for that item, it will probably be the safer option.
How to Pack Glassware and China
Packing dishes and fine china is tedious, but if you know how to do it, it should come with no struggle at all. When packing these items, we recommend a dish pack. This will create sections for each item or set of items to stop them from hitting each other or moving too much.
First, you’ll want to start at the bottom of the box. This is where you’ll put larger, flat pieces that can serve as a base. You’ll want to put cushioning below these items and then wrap them individually.
Next, you can pack your standard items:
- Plates should be packed in a bundle of up to 4 wrapped individually and as a whole.
- Wrap bowls into bundles of 2-3, wrapped individually and as a whole.
- Glasses and mugs should be individually wrapped.
- For wine glasses, wrap the stem with a folded piece of paper before wrapping the whole thing.
With your fine china, you should wrap each piece individually with clean paper. Use a generous amount of paper for padding and then wrap that up with newspaper.
How to Pack Paintings
Paintings come in different forms, so packing them can vary a bit. In general, look towards using a mirror carton as your best bet for moving a painting. You’ll want to aim for one that is about 3-4 inches bigger than each side of the painting. This will allow enough room for the proper amount of padding.
One variation is if your painting has a glass cover. No matter how many steps you take there will always be a chance of damage to the glass. That’s why you need to put masking tape on the glass in the shape of an “X”. This will keep the glass in place in the case of damage.
To pack your painting if you don’t have a glass cover, you will want to first wrap the painting completely. This will prevent friction prints in case that the painting moves at all within the box.
Another variation is if you’re moving an oil painting. This type of paint will be damaged if it makes contact with paper, so look toward padding of a different material.
For paintings with frames that you don’t want damaged, you will want to purchase cardboard corner protectors. These corners should be placed over the wrap that you put around the painting.
Finally, once you are ready to put the painting in the box, use wadded newspaper at the bottom. Once it is in, pad it with bubble wrap. Be generous with this step, as more is better than less.
How to Pack Sculpture for Shipping
Statues and sculpture come in all shapes and sizes, and can be damaged easily. That makes them difficult to pack if you don’t know the steps to take. The key is to cover every bit possible. Here are the steps to take to pack a sculpture safely:
- Before anything else, look to see if it’s possible to disassemble the sculpture. If this is possible, all you have to do is wrap the individual pieces.
- If this isn’t possible, the first step you will take is rapping the entire piece in plastic wrap to protect the finish.
- Next, you will want to target the most vulnerable parts of the sculpture. This would be any parts that are thin or long that could easily snap. Simply cover these parts with a ton of bubble wrap.
- Finally, wrap the entire piece in bubble wrap, and be generous. This should create what is essentially a ball. This can go in an appropriately sized moving box with the proper amount of padding.
Your goal here is to simply provide as much padding as possible. The smallest damage to sculpture can ruin its value, so you will want to ensure that you don’t miss a spot.
What to Look for When Hiring Professional Packers
Packing is complex and, as you can see, takes a lot of steps to avoid damage. Sometimes, it’s a good idea to just trust the professionals. They are expertly trained and have all the right packing supplies on hand. Professional packing services can mean a lot less stress.
If you’re moving with a full-service moving company, they will offer to provide you with packing services. These should be tailorable to meet your unique needs. If you’re not partnering with movers for your move, you can still get professional help. All you have to do is find a moving company that offers labor-only services.
