If you ask yourself why you should care about packing materials, it is because this is the key to a successful move that protects your items.
You can use many things to pack from professional materials to simple at home goods. We will discuss the best places to find these materials and where you can buy them.
Places you can get your hands on those packing materials
1. Office Depot Types of Stores
These types of stores historically use a lot of cardboard boxes and usually carry a range of packing materials such as boxes, bubble wrap, packing peanuts, tape, and labels. They will have everything you need to buy, but also might have some cartons in the back they will be happy to part ways with.
2. Post Office
Places like UPS, FedEx, and USPS always have packing materials available for you to buy if you get stuck
3. Online To Your Doorstep
Amazon, eBay and more online services offer a wide selection of packing materials that can be delivered to your doorstep so you won’t ever have to leave the house.
4. Home Goods Stores
Stores like Home Depot or superstores of home gods often stock in bulk all the packing materials you could ever dream of like boxes, tape, and protective saran wraps.
Pro tip- ask in the back for any cartons they don’t mind parting ways with
5. Moving Companies
Moving companies usually sell packing materials as a part of their business. They might offer all the box sizes, special boxes for closets so you won’t have to rehang all your clothes, packing tape, bubble wrap, and other materials you might need.
6. Apartment Buildings
Some communities and buildings have a carton room where you can pick up used boxes and packing materials for free. Check with your building and the buildings surrounding your home to find free cartons instead of spending on this.
7. Facebook
Put out a request on Facebook or on other social media platforms to see if anyone there has any spare packing materials they’re willing to part with. Many people post their used goods trying to keep things more sustainable.
What to know about packing materials
Remember to consider the size, weight, and how fragile the items you have when you’re packing them up and selecting your materials. It’s always better to have a little extra padding than not enough! Less is not more in this case.
Here are some factors to consider to ensure your items are protected during transit:
1. Type of Material
You have many options to pack up and get on the road. From cardboard boxes, bubble wrap, packing peanuts, foam, packing paper, and more you need the right medium for the right items. Some items require more fragile care and others less.
2. Size and Strength
Choose packing materials that make sense for the size, weight, and fragility of the items you’re packing. Don’t skimp. Make sure the boxes you choose are sturdy enough to support the weight of the contents and consider double boxing fragile items for added protection.
When in doubt, use a strong box or break the items down into multiple boxes. Ensure to label.
3. Cushioning
Proper cushioning is key for real protection from damage during the road trip to your new home. Use bubble wrap, towels, sheets, pillows, blankets, packing peanuts, or foam to provide cushioning and padding inside the boxes for all your fragile goods.
Wrap dishes separately and with extra padding.
4. Sealing
Use strong packing tape to seal boxes securely and prevent them from opening during transit. Don’t skimp here as well, ensure to tape all sides. Reinforce the bottom and tops of the boxes with extra tape for heavier boxes.
5. LABEL
Clearly label each box with a list of the contents inside, which room it is from, and any special handling instructions to ensure proper handling during transit such as FRAGILE. This will make unpacking much easier and faster at your destination.
6. Sustainable Packing
Consider using eco-friendly packing materials like recycled cardboard boxes, second hand materials from a neighbor that just moved, biodegradable packing peanuts, or reusable packing materials like towels and blankets to minimize your environmental impact.
7. Cost
Factor in the cost of packing materials when planning your budget for moving or you will be in for an unpleasant surprise. While it’s important to invest in quality materials to protect your items, there are also ways to save money as mentioned above.
You will be shocked how many rolls of tape and scissors you really do need when multiple family members are packing up. Plan for excess. Buy these types of things in bulk to save where you can.
Packing materials can be cost prohibitive so try to start early on sourcing free cartons and taking from a friend that moves a few weeks before you so they will have ample time to unpack and give you their supplies.
Wrapping Up
All in all, packing up an entire home is a huge challenge that shouldn’t be taken lightly. The first step is always getting all those packing materials ready so that when the urge or need occurs you will have everything ready to get a jump on it!
There are many places you can try and get packing materials for free or at good rates. Try and check out some of our suggestions to find cartons and spend less money on this while helping support a healthy environment. Be sure to use the right materials for the right packing tasks to avoid breaking items or having to redo some of your packing tasks.
Best of luck from all of us at Pricing Van Lines. We are here for you every moving step of the way! Always.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is there a service that can pack for me?
Yes, Pricing Van Lines movers offer a full packing and unpacking VIP service option with many of our vendors. If you don’t have the time and patience to pack up your whole house and live among the boxes or bins, this could be a great option for you.
This service means a team of pro organizers and packers show up to your home and in a number of hours have everything ready to go in organized boxes. They also prepare the packing materials needed, saving you the headache.
How long does it take to pack up a bedroom?
From 3 hours to 2 days is an average. This answer is very personal and depends on multiple factors such as size, clutter, clothing preferences, and other items.
It’s more of a question for yourself if you plan to declutter and go Marie Condo or if you plan to throw everything in a box and call it a day. Plan accordingly so you will finish all your packing in a stress free manner.
How can I waste less plastic when moving to keep it sustainable?
Moving really does tend to require lots of tape, cartons, and bubble wrap, but this doesn’t have to be an environmental nightmare. Where you can, replace bubble wrap with towels and sheets.
Replace tape with ties (but not too much), and see how you can repurpose all these items later on. If you wrap things in your mom’s blankets, that’s one less blanket you will have to buy for your new apartment!
How can I successfully pack up my entire house before my move?
Slowly box by box, work your way through it. Plan ahead, build a personal timeline, ensure to have a proper checklist of your items and enough packing materials on hand.
Proper planning saves the stress of packing up at the last minute and having items get lost. Don’t think it’s possible to pack up an entire home in one day unless you are a professional moving service.
How much money should I have saved in my bank before moving out (age 20)?
You want to be reasonable and start small for a first time move out of your parent’s home. Typically, you want to have somewhere between $1000 and $2000 set aside in your emergency fund; more if possible.
The more prepared you are upon leaving your parents’ home, the less stressful it will be (and the less likely it is that you’ll end up back there because of financial issues in the future). Try and keep your emergency fund in a high yield savings account so it can be making money while you save it.
