Packing is the foundation of a successful move. Pack well, and your belongings arrive safely. Pack poorly, and you are dealing with broken dishes, scratched furniture, and crushed boxes. This guide covers professional packing techniques used by our own crews, adapted for DIY packers. Follow these methods room by room and your items will be protected as well as if our team packed them.
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Before you start packing any room, internalize these core principles. Heavy items go in small boxes, light items go in large boxes. This prevents boxes from becoming too heavy to lift and reduces the risk of bottom blowouts. Every box should be filled completely — use packing paper, bubble wrap, or clothing to fill gaps so items cannot shift. Never leave dead space inside a box. Label every box on the top and at least one side with the room destination and a brief contents list. Pack items you will need last first, and pack daily essentials last. Keep all hardware (screws, bolts, brackets) in labeled bags taped to the furniture they belong to.
The kitchen is the hardest room to pack because it contains the most fragile items. Start by packing items you rarely use — specialty appliances, seasonal dishes, the good china. Wrap each plate individually in packing paper, then stack plates vertically (on edge, like records) in a dish pack box with cell dividers. Wrap glasses individually and place them upside down in the box with dividers. Nest pots and pans with paper between each one. Wrap knives in multiple layers of paper and mark the package clearly. Small appliances should be wrapped individually — remove detachable parts and pack them together. Line the bottom and top of every kitchen box with crushed packing paper for extra cushioning.
Bedrooms are actually one of the easier rooms to pack. Use wardrobe boxes for hanging clothes — they transfer directly from the closet rod to the box rod. Fold remaining clothes into medium boxes or leave them in dresser drawers (our movers wrap the dressers with everything inside). Place shoes in their original boxes or wrap each pair in paper and pack in medium boxes. Bedding and pillows go in large boxes or mattress bags. Jewelry, watches, and small valuables should be packed separately in a personal bag you keep with you — do not put these on the truck. Books go in small boxes only — a large box of books is dangerously heavy.
The living room typically contains electronics, artwork, and decorative items. Wrap TVs in moving blankets (our crews do this for free). If you are packing your own TV, use the original box if you have it. If not, get a TV-specific box or wrap it in bubble wrap and moving blankets and mark it clearly. Pack books spine-down in small boxes. Wrap picture frames and artwork individually in bubble wrap or packing paper. Lamps should be disassembled — wrap the shade separately in packing paper (never bubble wrap, which can leave impressions on fabric shades) and wrap the base in bubble wrap. Candles should be wrapped in paper and packed upright to prevent warping.
These are the mistakes we see most often when customers pack themselves. Using oversized boxes for heavy items — a large box full of books is nearly impossible to carry and the bottom will give out. Not filling boxes completely, leaving dead space that allows items to shift and break. Using newspaper as wrapping — the ink transfers to dishes, fabrics, and surfaces. Packing hazardous materials — do not pack flammable liquids, aerosol cans, cleaning chemicals, or propane tanks. These cannot go on the moving truck. Forgetting to label — unlabeled boxes mean chaos at the destination. Not protecting furniture — even if you are not packing boxes, wrap your furniture in moving blankets or buy shrink wrap to protect surfaces from scratches.
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