Finding the right packing materials for your move always seems to fall second to finding the right moving company.  While we agree your moving company will make or break your move using the right supplies can be just as important. You’ll need to evaluate your home, especially things like do I have lots of breakables, larger items, or odd-shaped items that might need unique boxes.  Today we will explore some of the vital items for your move and some options if you don’t want to do the work yourself.  

You have a couple of different options when you start planning your move.  You can do it yourself, trust a professional or a hybrid option.  You can contact us directly and we can give you an estimate of what you’ll need for the move.  

If you decide to do it yourself we urge you to overestimate your needs on boxes, tape, bubble wrap, etc. You don’t want to chance running out of any of your supplies. Also, packing for most people comes down to the wire (i.e. the night before), and you don’t want to have to make a “box run” to 100 different places at 11:00 pm and waste precious time for when you should be packing.

Large items may require large or extra-large boxes, but heavy and/or fragile items should be placed in smaller boxes that can be tightly packed. Conversely, light or bulky items — such as blankets, pillows, or stuffed animals — can be packed in large or extra-large boxes.

There are no two houses the same so for that reason every move is different. This means there is no exact formula to determining how many boxes you’ll need for your move. Later in the article, we will talk about the “typical” number of boxes needed based on the size of your home.

 

Here are some important things to consider when planning the number of boxes you will need:

Moving Box Sizes and your home

 

There are a few types of moving boxes. Here they are as well as what they are commonly used for:

Small boxes are great for your heavier items such as books and fragile items. These are perfect for packing offices, desks, and a lot of items in your kitchen.

Medium boxes will be your most used moving boxes. They can hold small appliances and other household items.

Large boxes are ideal for lightweight and medium-weight goods like lampshades, throw pillows, and clothing.

X-Large boxes are ideal for bulky yet lightweight soft goods like comforters, blankets, clothing, and pillows. 

 

Here is an idea from Pods Blog on the usual boxes needed based on home size:

 

Household Size	Small16 x 10 x 10	Medium18 x 14 x 12	Large20 x 20 x 15	Total #of boxes
Studio Apartment	6	12	2	2
1-Bedroom Apartment	8	20	4	32
2-Bedroom Apartment	14	30	6	50
3-Bedroom House(with garage)	26	54	12	92
4-Bedroom House(with garage)	40	70	16	126

 

 

For those priceless items like family heirlooms, breakables, and glass items it’s important to remember some packing materials for these fragile items.  Here are some necessities that you will need to have to pack with:

 

 

Here are some steps on how to safely and securely pack your breakable items:

Of course, these are great do-it-yourself tips.  We always recommend leaving everything to the professionals.  Included in our services is not only moving, but also we can do the packing for you.  Contact us today so we can get you an estimate on making your next move the easiest one ever.