Best Packing Tips for Moving

A year ago we needed to familiarize ourselves again for packing a moving truck. With help from our son, we used what we now call our 19 best packing tips for moving.

Our son, a professional mover, was kind enough to email me most of these packing tips when he heard we were moving his grandmother 2500 miles and doing it ourselves. With his packing tips for moving and mine combined together, the move was relatively easy, and went extremely well. Fortunately, I don't have any plans for another move, although I'm sure someone out there does.

As you read this article, you'll notice links to moving supplies. Here you can purchase just about everything you'll need for moving. If you prefer to shop at your local store for your moving supplies, I still recommend you follow the link "Moving Supplies" with a notebook and pen in hand and make a list before heading off to the store.

Good luck on your move and may it be a safe and enjoyable trip like ours.

Now for Packing a Moving Truck and 19 packing tips for Moving Yourself ...

1) Anything with fuel inside of it such as lawn mowers, generators, gas cans, dirt bikes ..., siphon out  their fuel before transporting. You don't want to transport gasoline in a moving truck. It gets very hot inside moving trucks; much hotter than the outside temperature!
2) Particle board furniture such as desk returns, desks, etc. should be broken down flat (the same way that they would be bought in a cardboard box in the store.) This minimizes the risk of breaking and also saves space. You can wrap the pieces together using stretch wrap. Keep the hardware with the pieces from which they came. When it comes time for reassembly, you'll have everything you need in one place.
3) The center of your chair legs can be filled with small lightweight boxes or small items to minimize space usage.
4) Cardboard should never be put directly on or next to a finished surface because it is abrasive and can rub off finishes. In fact, cardboard is so abrasive, that it has been known to sand paint off vehicles during transport. If putting cardboard on or next to anything, make sure the box itself is padded on the outside, or the item next to the box is padded.
5) Create a wall with your mattress by standing the mattress on its' side in the moving truck. This will keep your boxes behind the mattress from moving forward. Use either ratchet straps or rope to tightly secure the mattress in place.
6) Do not sit TVs on the floor of the truck. They'll be subject to harsher jolts from the truck. Keep in mind that rental trucks do not have air ride like professional moving trucks. If you hit a bump in the road, your belongings will feel the bump the same way you feel it.
7) If you dolly your TV's to the truck, watch the front lip at the bottom of the TV so that it doesn't catch on something and breaks. Many TVs are damaged this way. To help save your back with items that are heavy, but you don't want to use a dolly, lifting straps are available - and we were greatful we had them to use!
8) Make sure your load is tight from start to finish. This minimizes damages, because there is less room for your goods to bounce around.
9) Anything with spindly legs or fragile legs that are smaller sized: Take the legs off if possible, and load them upside down or on their sides. Securing the legs in stretch wrap with their hardware will help keep them from getting damaged and their parts from getting lost.
10) Keep in mind that anything such as a tall bookcase, couch standing on end , etc., must be loaded while keeping in mind the height needed to open the rolling door on the truck. It is a good idea to allow at least 2 or 3 inches between the tall item and the rolled door of the truck.
11) Pad glass mirrors first, then wrap your cardboard around it. Again, the abrasiveness of the cardboard can scratch and ruin your mirror. Also, cover your furniture and appliances with pads to keep them from getting torn or scratched.
12) Don't lay mirrors flat for transport. They are more likely to break lying flat than what they are if they are standing on their sides. This same rule applies for anything that is flat and made of glass. Special packing boxes are available for mirrors and pictures.
13) When packing dishes, place foam sheets between each dish to protect them against scratching. Foam sheets also provides added cushion. Use a heavier grade packing box when packing dishes, because dishes are quite heavy. Dish pack package boxes are available for this job.
14) When packing drinking glasses, cups, vases, etc. fill the glass with paper, and then wrap each individually with small-bubble Bubble Wrap. Pack them tightly inside your box for minimal movement. Kitchen glass pack kits are available.
15) When moving a dresser for example, take the drawers out, but leave them full of your belongings. Load the dresser frame into the moving truck, and then put the dresser drawers back into the dresser's frame in the truck. If the drawers are not stuffed, cram the drawers with paper to prevent any movement. This saves on boxes, which also saves space. Make sure that there are no breakables in the drawers.
16) Flower pots: Empty them of all their contents. When moving large breakable flower pots, start with a heavy-duty (like a dish box) large box. Place the largest pot inside the box on a thick layer of crumpled paper. The paper will act as a shock absorber. Line the pot with foam sheeting, and be sure to drape the sheeting over the lip of the pot. Next, lay your second pot inside the larger pot. Line your second pot with foam and place your third pot inside your second pot. Make sure that each pot is completely lined to prevent the pots from touching each other. Breakable pots are very heavy; be careful not to overload your box. When you are finished stacking your pots in the box, then stuff crumpled paper into all empty spaces, including the cavity inside the top pot. You don't want to leave room for any movement. Tape your box up tightly.
17) Seal all your boxes with packing tape. Don't just flap over the top of the boxes. The reason for this is that when filled box is picked up, it can twist and cause a lot of problems for the person carrying the box; or it can result in broken items within the box.
18) When packing the majority of your boxes, pack them TIGHTLY. Use towels, wash cloths, clothes, pillows and even table cloths as fillers and cushions. The more tightly your boxes are packed, the less likely things are to break. Besides, you'll need fewer boxes - which could save you money by needed a smaller truck.
19) The best space saving tip I can give is to use as many boxes as you can of the same size. This not only saves space in the moving truck, but makes packing the truck easier; and your belongings will be much more secure.

Some might ask how the 2500 mile move went for us. It went very well. One item didn't make it, but it was questionable when I packed it anyway. Not too bad for a fully loaded 22 foot truck.

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