You’ve probably seen the typical “I’m moving. Need boxes!” plea on Facebook. Sometimes people come through with boxes left over from their own recent move, but more often adequate packing supplies are scarce and those friends have to resort to hauling their clothes in black garbage bags.8 essential packing supplies you need for your move.

If you’ve decided to do your packing alone, make it easy on yourself and get what you need. Maybe then you can be that friend who comes through for someone else with spare packing supplies. These are the eight packing essentials you can’t move without:

  1. Corrugated cardboard boxes in various sizes. When you pack boxes, avoid making them too heavy for the average person to carry. Large boxes are perfect for lightweight items like bedding, towels, and lampshades. Appliances and toys will fit fine in medium boxes. Finally, he smallest boxes are good for dense, heavy items like books and tools.
  2. A dish barrel. This tall, narrow cardboard carton is especially good for containing plates and glassware. Some come with cardboard dividers for your glasses, mugs, and stemware.
  3. A wardrobe box. Say goodbye to black garbage bags – this is, hands down, the easiest way to transport your clothes from one closet to another. You don’t even have to take your garments off their hangers; simply hang them on the bar across the top of the box.
  4. Flat boxes. There are large, shallow boxes specifically designed to transport flat screen TVs, decorative mirrors, and art. Use them to protect some of your most valuable items.
  5. Packing paper. This is one of the most versatile and useful packing tools that people often forget about. Unlike newspaper, packing paper won’t rub ink all over your belongings. It’s perfect for cushioning plates and glasses, and you can rip and crumple it to fit into any sized space or corner to prevent movement and provide extra cushioning.
  6. Bubble wrap. It’s lightweight, it provides superior cushioning, and it’s fun to pop when you're finished moving. Use bubble wrap on your most fragile and precious items, and wrap it around things like wooden furniture legs to prevent chips and scratches.
  7. You’re going to be taping like a fiend, so don't wrestle with a bargain bin packing tape dispenser with a dull blade – get yourself a tape gun and save the time and frustration normally expended on trying to find and peel back the end of the tape after losing track of it for the fifth time.
  8. Finally, you’ll need to mark your boxes. You can use a classic black felt tip marker, or you can strive for maximum efficiency by color-coding your labels. Make sure you write your labels on the sides of the boxes so you can still read them after stacking them.
Want more advice about what packing materials to use for your move, or where to get them? Just ask us and we’ll be happy to help you.