You will need good sturdy boxes and they must be able to close or have lids. We like recycled packing boxes because we like our planet a whole bunch. We try to use recycled packing materials whenever we can. The boxes may not be as pretty as new ones but hey, they’re boxes. Movers don’t care what the boxes look like, movers just want the box to be sturdy for packing. There are a million different styles of boxes out there and even specialty ones for things like mattresses and clothing. Most of the time you can get away with 4 or 5 different styles like the ones listed below.
Types of packing boxes
- Smalls – usually about 12X12X16. These are the workhorse of moving boxes they work great for books, glassware, dishes, CD’s and all that stuff you can’t throw away out in the garage. Think…the heavier the item the smaller the box.
- Mediums – 18X18X16. Great for larger books, kitchen items, large dishware, small appliances, toys, towels and blankets.
- Large – 24X18X18. This is a big box so load it with all that bulky but lightweight stuff; blankets, lampshades, stuffed animals, clothing and stereo components that will not fit into a medium box.
- Dish Packs – Also called Dish barrels. These are not essential but very handy if you have a lot of glassware including china, figurines and antique curios. These boxes are double walled and very sturdy for maximum cushioning.
- Wardrobe Boxes- These are the big tall boxes with the metal bar across the top. You can pack your clothing straight out of the closet and into a wardrobe boxes. Each box holds approximately 2 linear feet of clothing. Just go into your closet and push the hangers tightly together. Now simply measure the length of clothing and divide by two. That’s how many wardrobes you will need.
- There are a million different styles of specialty boxes; computer, lamp, mattress, electronics, golf, gun, the list goes on and on. We find that for the majority of moves most of these items can be packed in the boxes mentioned above. Sometimes you may need to do little creative cutting or taping but it can be done.
We buy all of our moving supplies from Eco Box and think that you should too. In addition to being locally owned, they have a great staff with helpful advice. They stock everything you will need and even offer delivery.
Here’s a list a packing supplies that will come in handy:
- Plastic zip style bags and labels for identification.
- Styrofoam pellets or “popcorn”.
- Unprinted news paper and lots of it.
- Corrugated paper rolls for small delicate items.
- Clear carton tape.
- Markers and labels for identifying contents of boxes.
- A good Utility knife.
Before the packing begins consider this:
- Packing one room at a time will be easier on you and make labeling a no-brainer.
- If you pack just a couple of boxes a day for 30 days you will have packed 60 boxes in a month.
- Make sure to label every box by room.
- Keeping a log of total boxes per room and contents can be a life saver when you have to find something in a hurry after the move.
- Make sure you tape the bottom of all of your boxes to keep them from falling apart when moved.
- Don’t use plain old masking tape on the boxes. 2 inch wide clear packing tape is ideal.
- Pack boxes with the heavy stuff at the bottom and lighter as you go up. Try to keep all boxes at 50 lbs. or less.
- When packing always remember; the heavier the item the smaller the box.
Time to start packing:
If you do a quick web search for packing tips you will find thousands of different ideas about the best way to pack your items. Some that work really well be are time consuming or wasteful and others that are fast but not very protective. What it all comes down to is your comfort level and the amount of time you have. I’ll address some things that we feel are a must when packing yourself;
- Always line the bottom of each box with crumpled paper and/or bubble wrap.
- Wrap any glassware or fragile items with no less than 2 to 4 pieces of packing paper per item.
- Pack dishes and platters on their sides and not flat when packing.
- Fill in any gaps in your packed box with crumpled paper or dishtowels.
- Use a lot of packing paper; it’s cheap but what’s inside may be priceless.
- Pack boxes heavy on the bottom and lighter as you go up.
- Make sure no packing box is over 50 pounds. If it feels too heavy it probably is.
- Use your own good common sense. Take your time and do it right.
