5 Recommended Packing Supplies for Moving Day

Don’t waste time on moving day because you don’t have the packing supplies you need to box and transport your personal belongings. Work on gathering the following list of recommended packing supplies, weeks before you have to move. The earlier you gather what you need, the more likely you are to find cheap or free supplies.

1 – Boxes and Containers

You’ll need boxes or containers for the move. Buy different small and medium sized boxes or plastic tubs. Large boxes are heavy to lift and make moving difficult. It may not hold the items well. The exception to this is if you’re moving a large appliance. Plastic containers can be used on the other end of your move for storage, and hold well during shipping.

2 – Bubble Wrap

You’re going to need bubble wrap for something. That’s why it’s always on the list of suggested packing supplies. You especially want to use it for fragile items and some kitchen items, such as:

-Mirrors
-Fine China
-Dishes
-Collectibles

Bubble wrap is available in many different sizes, such as 12 inches by 150 feet or 12 inches by 250 feet. It’s better to buy more than you think you’ll need. If you have extra, you can take it with you for your next move, or give it away.

3 – Packing Paper

Add paper to your packing supplies, because bubble wrap doesn’t work well for some things. For example, packing paper is excellent for books, but bubble wrap would be too bulky. If you want a tight fit in boxes, packing paper is a better option, even for those items you otherwise use bubble wrap for. For example, you can wrap packing paper around dishes for transportation, and they won’t break if you pack them right (on edge). There are different weights of packing paper to choose from, such as:

-3 pounds
-5 pounds
-7 pounds
-10 pounds
-25 pounds

Choose heavier weights for more fragile items or to provide extra cushion so that things in boxes don’t move around easily and break.

4 – Box Cutter

You’re not just going to need a box cutter after the move. It’s one of the best packing supplies to have around on moving day. You should avoid reopening boxes once you’ve packed them, but sometimes you make a mistake and you don’t have much of a choice. A box cutter is handy to have around to get those boxes opened. You may have stored items in storage, and need to open boxes with a box cutter to repack everything. It’s also a great cutting tool for other things, like cutting duct tape, or cardboard to use for other purposes.

5 – Packing Tape

Use packing tape to seal boxes shut, and the seams of packing paper or bubble wraps. It’s sturdy and made for the job. You don’t want boxes to fall open during shipment. Your things will get lost or damaged. There’s packing tape for boxes, and separate ones for mailing. There’s even packing tape for fragile items.  Buy a tape dispenser to make using the tape easier. Using ordinary tape will only frustrate you, because it doesn’t work well for packing things.

Check the “free” section on Craigslist.com and post an ad on Freecycle.org to get some of these packing supplies for free.