100 Packing Tips for Moving: That’s a Wrap!

Packing for a move is definitely the most laborious and time-consuming task when moving out. As a rule of thumb, the dreaded packing project begins several weeks prior to the scheduled move-out date and often ends on Moving day itself.

Without a doubt, packing up an entire house for moving is as tough as it gets. Luckily, good packing advice can help you gain the upper hand in the unfair fight with the upcoming house move.

Do yourself a big favor and take advantage of the following 100 packing tips for moving that will speed up the entire packing process and make it much easier for you to manage the house packing job from start to finish.

100 packing tips. 1 packing checklist. 0 packing mistakes.

Can you even wrap your head around it?

If yes, then it’s time to get wrapped up in the best way to pack for moving.

How to pack clothes for moving

• 1. CLEAN out your closet and get rid of any clothes that have become too irrelevant, outdated, outgrown, worn out, or out of fashion.
• 2. PRE-PACK out of season clothes you won’t really need soon, put aside the clothing you will wear on Moving day, and pack into your essentials boxes the clothes items you will need immediately after the move.
• 3. LEAVE expensive formal clothes on their hangers and pack them inside special wardrobe boxes for ultimate protection, including wrinkle-free transportation.
• 4. SPEED UP the clothes packing process by poking a hole on the mid-point bottom of a clean trash bag, grouping several hanging clothes straight from the dresser or wardrobe, inserting the hangers hooks through the hole and sliding the garbage bag down to cover the clothes.
• 5. PACK your casual folded clothes into large cardboard boxes pre-lined with soft packing paper for extra safety.

How to pack shoes for moving

• 6. SORT OUT all your shoes and discard the pairs that are too worn out or damaged beyond repair. Packing and moving shoes that you won’t ever wear again is never worth it.
• 7. CLEAN your shoes from dirt and dust before packing them up as you don’t want to bring any grime into the new place. Make sure the pairs are completely dry before you pack them into boxes.
• 8. FILL UP your closed shoes with soft packing paper to prevent them from getting misshapen accidentally during the move.
• 9. WRAP your clean and dry shoes in wrapping paper, then transfer the pairs into their original shoeboxes (recommended) or strong boxes of similar size.

How to pack books for moving

• 10. OPTIMIZE your book collection while keeping in mind that books become very heavy when packed together in boxes. Gift or donate the books you can’t see yourself re-reading in the foreseeable future.
• 11. PACK books in small boxes that are strong, dry, and damage-free.For safety reasons, double-tape the bottoms of your book boxes and keep each book-filled box under 40 pounds.
• 12. ARRANGE the books inside the sturdy boxes using one of these three packing methods: FLAT, UPRIGHT, and SPINES DOWN. NEVER EVER pack your books with their spines upwards (facing you) for fear of damaging the book bindings for good.
• 13. PACK super-heavy books (encyclopedias, dictionaries, special hard back editions, etc.) into a rolling suitcase. Make sure the heavy volumes inside are not moving around, if they are, add packing paper to immobilize them.

How to pack dishes for moving

• 14. USE special double-walled cardboard boxes (called dish packs) to pack your very breakable kitchen plates. Create a soft padding layer of crumpled paper on the bottom of each box.
• 15. PLACE a kitchen plate on a stack of packing paper, grab two sheets from one corner and pull them over the fragile flatware piece completely, then repeat the same thing from the remaining 3 corners. Use tape to secure the paper bundle.
• 16. TRANSFER the wrapped up china plates into the dish pack and arrange them on their edges, NEVER place them flat into the boxes to prevent damage.

How to pack a TV for moving

• 17. TAKE a photo of the way your TV is wired up with any external components such as game consoles, sound systems, Blu-ray players, and so on. This will save you plenty of time when you’re hooking up your TV after the move.
• 18. CUT OUT a large piece of cardboard that’s slightly bigger than the size of the TV screen, place the protective cut-out over the TV screen, and attach it to the casing using painter’s tape. The hard shell will protect the super-fragile screen during the move.
• 19. WRAP your TV completely in thick furniture blankets, then secure those pads with tape.
• 20. USE the original TV box if you still keep it. If not, place one large cardboard sheet to the back of the set and another cardboard sheet to its front, then tape those two cut-out pieces together over the blankets to create a hard outer protection shell for your flat-screen TV.

How to pack a computer for moving

• 21. BACKUP your important information on the hard drive (SSD drive) before you pack up your computer for moving. Transfer the critical data to an external hard drive or upload the files to online cloud storage.
• 22. DISCONNECT all cables coming in or going out of the desktop computer but not without taking a quick photo of the way those cords are wired up in the back of the computer mid-tower. Label the cables, if necessary.
• 23. WRAP the mid-tower in packing paper, then do one final protective layer of bubble wrap. Transfer the PC bundle into a computer shipping box – a strong box that’s a bit larger than the PC itself.
• 24. WRAP all computer peripheral devices (keyboard, mouse, speakers, headphones, etc.) with soft packing paper and transfer them into a PC accessories box together with all the cords.

How to pack electronics for moving

•  25. ORGANIZE and label the cables of your electronic devices before unplugging them. When you’re in a hurry, take a quick photo of the way your electronics are wired up.
•  26. TAKE OUT all removable batteries from your electronic devices, remove toners and cartridges from printers, and most importantly – backup any critical data from hard drives or SSD drives for peace of mind.
•  27. WRAP your electronic devices in soft ink-free packing paper as the first layer of protection for your various electronic gadgets. Add a second protective layer of bubble wrap, preferably anti-static bubble wrap that will keep your sensitive electronic equipment from possible damage due to static electricity.

How to pack glasses for moving

• 28. REINFORCE the boxes you plan to use for packing your breakable glasses by double-taping their bottoms and creating protective layers of crumpled paper on their inside bottoms.
• 29. WRAP each glass in two sheets of soft, white, and acid-free packing paper until the fragile item is completely covered in the protective material. Use pieces of tape to secure each individual paper bundle.
• 30. BUBBLE-WRAP the delicate stem of a stemware piece (wine glass), then fill in the glass cup with packing paper before wrapping the whole kitchen item in wrapping paper like a regular drinking glass.
• 31. TRANSFER the protected glasses into pre-lined boxes and arrange them upright with their openings facing downwards. Fill in all gaps with paper to prevent any movement.

How to pack pictures and large mirrors

• 32. USE painter’s tape to create a large X across the glass surface of the framed picture or large mirror. This safety step will protect the picture, painting, and frame in case the glass breaks or cracks during transit.
• 33. CUT OUT a piece of thick cardboard that matches the size of the frame, then place it over the face of the picture or mirror, and tape it to the frame using painter’s tape.
• 34. WRAP the fragile item in bubble wrap, then transfer it into a specialized picture and mirror box that will provide the best protection for your valuable framed items.

How to pack jewelry for moving

• 35. KEEP your expensive and valuable jewelry with you at all time. Without a doubt, the best way to pack jewelry for moving is to arrange the pieces carefully inside a jewelry box.
• 36. PACK chained jewelry pieces (necklaces, bracelets, etc.) with the help of drinking straws (slip the chain through the straws and clasp the ends) or use empty and clean toilet paper rolls for larger necklaces and bracelets with thicker chains. Wrap well in packing paper.
• 37. PACK long hook earrings using credit card sized cardboard cut-outs – just poke a couple of holes through the cards, insert the hooks through them, and wrap the earrings in plastic wrap. Wrap each stud earring in packing paper, then place it safely inside a pill organizer or a Ziploc bag.
• 38. WRAP each ring in soft packing paper, then transfer it into an egg carton compartment, a hard sunglasses case, or a pill organizer case.

How to pack lamps for moving

• 39. REMOVE the lampshade first by unscrewing the finial, light bulb, and harp (the U-shaped metal piece). Wrap the finial and harp in soft wrapping paper, then set them aside for packing in the same lamp box.
• 40. BUNDLE the lamp cord together using a cable tie or a rubber band. Then, wrap the base of the lamp in wrapping paper, then add an outer layer of bubble wrap. Transfer the wrapped lamp base into a pre-padded box of the right size.
• 41. CLEAN the lampshade of any dust, then wrap it carefully in packing paper (never use newsprint). Box the lampshade in a separate moving container and add extra padding in the form of crumpled paper.

How to pack toys for moving

• 42. SORT OUT your children’s toys first and foremost – certainly, they will be some toys that are (partly) broken, outgrown, or rarely used. Donate any toys that are still in good condition so that they can make another kid happy.
• 43. CLEAN the soft toys of accumulated dust, remove any batteries from battery-operated ones, and pack them up in large plastic bags to keep them protected against moisture, dust, and insect infestation.
• 44. PACK board games, construction sets (including LEGO, of course), and jigsaw puzzles in their original boxes. It’s best to disassemble any ready construction sets, model sets, or puzzles before packing them up to minimize the chance of accidental damage to them.

How to pack a bed for moving

• 45. ANALYZE your situation carefully to see whether it makes any sense to move your bed at all. Beds are super big and super heavy furniture items, meaning that you’ll have to pay good money to transport your king-size or queen-size bed.
• 46. DISASSEMBLE your bed to its major components for easier packing and transportation. Remove the headboard first (it’s usually screwed to the main frame), then do the same with the box spring (if applicable).
• 47. TAKE OUT any storage drawers ifthe bed frame is equipped with such, empty those drawers, and pack their contents separately to make the bed lighter and easier to handle.
• 48. PLACE small fastening elements such as bolts, nuts, and screws into plastic bags to keep them from getting lost.
• 49. PACK the large bed components you have taken apart by wrapping them up completely in thick furniture blankets and securing them with tape.

How to pack a mattress for moving

• 50. INSPECT your mattress closely to determine whether moving it to the new home is the right thing to do in terms of time, effort, and more importantly – money. Experts advise that mattresses should get replaced every 7-10 years.
• 51. PURCHASE a special mattress bag that’s made of durable plastic. A good mattress protector will keep dust, dirt, and moisture away from your expensive bed accessory.
• 52. SLIP the mattress bag completely over the mattress, slide your hand over the plastic protector to let out any air trapped inside it, and seal the open end of the bag with quality tape.

How to pack bedding and linens for moving

• 53. PACK blankets, pillows, cushions, bed sheets, towels, and comforters last of all because they are fairly straightforward to pack and some of those soft goods can be used to protect fragile items inside boxes.
• 54. PACK your bedclothes in large cardboard boxes and press down on them as you’re arranging them in the containers to let out the air that’s trapped between the fabric layers.
• 55. CONSIDER using vacuum bags for the most voluminous bedding and linens (comforters, duvets, quilts, etc.) in order to reduce greatly their volume and save precious storage space. 

How to pack a couch for moving

• 56. REMOVE the legs of the couch, if possible, since they are the most protruding elements of the furniture item. This way, you’ll decrease greatly the chance ofdamage when taking the piece out of the home.Remove any other parts of the couch that can be detached safely.
• 57. BUBBLE WRAP any protruding parts of the sofa which you have not taken off for some reason, including other fragile elements such as ornaments. When moving a recliner sofa, secure the metal mechanism with a strap or a piece of rope to keep it from opening accidentally during transport.
• 58. WRAP the entire couch with furniture blankets to added protection, then use pieces of tape to secure the pads.

How to pack a dresser for moving

• 59. EMPTY the dresser drawers to reduce the overall weight of the furniture unit. Remove whatever is inside them – clothes, towels, bed sheets, and blankets – and pack those items separately into large moving boxes. Secure the drawers using bits of painter’s tape.
• 60. REMOVE any items from the dresser top and pack them into boxes. Also, remove the dresser mirror very carefully, wrap it in furniture blankets, and insert it into a special mirror box for best protection.
• 61. WRAP UP the dresser in 3-4 thick moving blanket and secure those pads in place using regular packing tape. Make sure the tape does not come into contact with the delicate surface of the bedroom furniture.

How to pack a china cabinet for moving

• 62. PACK each fragile item – a fine china plate, a cup or a bowl, crystal glassware, etc. – from inside the chine cabinet in several sheets of soft packing paper. Use packing tape to secure each paper bundle.
• 63. ADD an outer protection layer of bubble wrap over the china cabinet pieces that are extremely valuable or even priceless. Transfer the protected delicate pieces into a pre-lined cardboard box and fill in any empty gaps with enough crumpled paper to prevent any shifts during transit.
• 64. REMOVE the glass shelves and glass doors from the china cabinet and wrap them up in thick furniture blankets. Finally, wrap the entire furniture piece in several moving blankets to protect its delicate surface.

How to pack a desk for moving

• 65. MAKE your desk as small and lightweight as possible by emptying the desk drawers, disengaging all removable trays (if applicable), and removing the glass top (if any). If you have a large L-shaped desk, disassemble it into two separate parts.
• 66. FEEL FREE to leave any small and lightweight items inside the desk drawers as they won’t affect the weight too much. In such a case, use stretch wrap to cover the open parts of the drawers to contain whatever is inside them.
• 67. PROTECT the entire desk by wrapping it up in moving blankets. Don’t leave any desk areas exposed to prevent untimely damage.

How to pack table and chairs for moving

• 68. REMOVE the glass top or marble top from your table, then take off safely the table legs by unbolting or unscrewing them from the main structure.
• 69. WRAP the detached table legs in bubble wrap to keep them protected. Fold 4 pieces of cardboard and places them around the corners of the table, the secure them with painter’s tape. Finally, wrap the tabletop in thick moving blankets and secure the pads with packing tape.
• 70. REMOVE the chair legs and wrap them separately in bubble wrap. If they cannot be detached, then wrap the legs of each dining room chair in moving blankets, then cover the rest of the chair with the protective pads. Use tape to secure the bundle.

How to pack antique furniture for moving

• 71. CONSIDER leaving any pieces of antique furniture you own to be handled safely by experienced specialists who know exactly what it takes to protect very valuable and very fragile furniture items.
• 72. CREATE three layers of protection for your antique furniture: 1) an initial protection later consisting of extra soft packing paper, 2) a shock protection layer consisting of thick moving blankets, and 3) a hard outer protection layer consisting of custom crating for priceless antique furniture items.
• 73. PLACE pieces of thick cardboard over extremely delicate furniture parts such as ornaments, then secure those cardboard cut-outs using painter’s tape.

How to pack tools for moving

• 74. PACK all the hand tools you’ve got in the home – screwdrivers, hammers, pliers, wrenches, files, various types of hand saws, chisels, hand planers, spirit levels, and so on – inside a designated toolbox for best results.
• 75. PACK small and medium-sized power tools in their original boxes. If not, find strong cardboard boxes of similar size. Detach any removable parts (attachments), including the batteries, coil the electric cable around the body of the tool, and wrap the entire tool in packing paper before boxing it.
• 76. CLEAN your garden tools, then group them together according to their sizes, wrap them up in old blankets, and use strong packing tape to secure the bundle.

How to pack kitchen appliances for moving

• 77. CLEAN your small kitchen appliances such as coffee makers, stand mixers, toasters, blenders, air fryers, food processors, bread makers, rice cookers, sandwich makers, and microwave ovens before packing them up for a move. Make sure the appliances are 100% dry before you start packing them up.
• 78. REMOVE any detachable parts from the appliances, secure their electric cords, and wrap the devices in soft packing paper before transferring them into their original boxes or alternative pre-lined cardboard boxes of similar size.  
• 79. WRAP large kitchen appliances such as refrigerators, cooking stoves, and dishwashing machines in soft furniture blankets before loading them up on an appliance dolly. Use packing tape to secure the blankets onto the appliances. Ensure their electric cords are coiled in and taped onto their backs as opposed to dangling around and creating a tripping hazard.

How to pack area rugs for moving

• 80. VACUUM the small area rug of any dust, dirt, hairs, or debris, then turn the rug upside down (its rug pile should be facing the floor), identify the direction of the fibers (aka nap), and then roll the rug slowly against the grain.
• 81. TIE the rolled-up area rug at both ends using a piece of string, then wrap the rug completely using Kraft paper (the hard brown paper) and tape it up to secure the roll.
• 82. BE careful not to wrap your area rugs in plastic covers since plastic covers can prevent the rug fibers from breathing and may trap in moisture, potentially leading to the buildup of mold and mildew. 

How to pack bathroom items for moving

• 83. GET RID of any bathroom items that you don’t want, don’t need, or don’t like – go through your make-up and cosmetic products, toiletries and hair care products, medicine, towels and linens, and cleaning supplies.
• 84. GO through your medicine cabinet and properly dispose of any medications that have expired, have missing or illegible labels, have changed their properties, or are no longer necessary.
• 85. PACK carefully half-empty / half-full bottles with liquids still inside them. Open a half-full bottle, place a small piece of plastic wrap over its opening, then close the cap or lid securely. Place such bathroom items into zippered plastic bags.

How to pack a grandfather clock for moving

• 86. DISASSEMBLE your grandfather clock for the best chance of moving it to the new home unscathed. Protect the cables or chains of the pendulum clock, remove and label the weights, secure the hanging chains, remove the pendulum, secure the pendulum guide, protect the chime rods, and remove the glass shelves and wooden ornaments.
• 87. PACK the pendulum and weights in soft packing paper first, wrap them in furniture blankets, and secure the bundles with tape. Make sure you pack each weight individually to prevent damage.
• 88. PROTECT the frontal glass sections of your grandfather clock by placing cardboard cut-outs over those super-fragile areas and securing those cardboard sheets with painter’s tape.
• 89. WRAP the entire body of the valuable pendulum clock in furniture blankets and don’t leave any sections of the grandfather clock unprotected.

How to pack a pool table for moving

• 90. DISMANTLE your pool table properly in order to pack it up safely for transport. Unfasten the pockets, disengage the rails, remove the felt, take out the slates (be extremely careful because of the extraordinary weight), and remove the table frame and legs.
• 91. USE soft packing paper to wrap up the pockets, balls, triangle, and other pool table accessories, then pack them all into a medium-sized moving box.
• 92. USE furniture blankets to protect each slate, rail, leg, and frame element. Then, use plenty of packing tape to secure the padded bundles. Pack your pool cue into its designated case, if not – wrap it up in a moving blanket.

How to pack plants for moving

• 93. PREPARE strong cardboard boxes for transporting your potted plants. Reinforce their bottoms with packing tape, then poke several holes on the lids and sides of each box so that your plants can get enough air during the move.
• 94. WRAP clay pots in damp packing paper, then add another layer of dry packing paper, and tape them to the pots. Wrap plastic pots only in dry wrapping paper.
• 95. PACK tall potted plants by creating protective sheets from hard brown paper (Kraft paper) that matches the height of the flower. Then, place the protective paper sleeves over the plants and tape them to the pots. If necessary, tie up the foliage of some tall plants using twine or add support stakes for extra safety.
• 96. ARRANGE the pots close to one another inside boxes of appropriate sizes, the place pieces of crushed paper between the pots to eliminate any undesirable contact between them.

How to pack a car for moving

• 97. REFRAIN from using cardboard boxes when packing things in your car. Cardboard boxes are great for large storage spaces (the back of a truck) as they are stackable but they are not flexible enough to conform to the tight space in the truck or interior of a passenger car.
• 98. PACK soft non-breakable items in plastic bags that can fit almost anywhere in the vehicle – they can even be squeezed inside tight spots and will serve as cushions to protect other things as well.
• 99. MAXIMIZE the storage space inside your personal vehicle by using the storage areas under the front seats, the space around or inside the spare tire, and the foot well by the passenger seat (never the driver’s seat).
• 100. CONSIDER purchasing an overhead carrier for your car. High-quality overhead carriers are costly but you should view the extra expense as an investment that will serve you long after the move is over.

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