Packing Materials for Moving House: All You Need to Know

By David Green

Updated: Oct 17, 2023

5 min read

Fact-checked by Martin Panayotov

Reviewer & editor

If you can afford to hire a full service removal company for your fast approaching residential move, then you have little to worry about. In reality, you will be paying experienced professionals to not only transport your household items to another home altogether but to also take care of other equally important tasks like packing – the King of all pre-move relocation jobs.

Professional packers will come with all the necessary types of packing materials, the needed moving equipment to get things done faster and safer, and of course – years of experience that will enable them to maintain enviable packing speed with property and personal safety in mind.

But what if you’re the one who’s going to have to pack up your entire household for the upcoming short distance or even cross country move? Do you feel physically and mentally ready for the challenge? And more importantly, do you have what it takes when it comes to packing supplies needed for moving?

Read on to learn everything you need to know about packing materials – what moving boxes and packing supplies you need to secure prior to the packing job, where to buy cheap packing materials for moving, how to lower the costs by using alternative supplies, and what to do with packing materials after the move is over and done with.

What are the best packing materials?

Hasty initiation of the packing marathon without having procured the needed packing supplies first will inevitably lead to unscheduled interruptions that will not only slow down the entire process but it could even halt it temporarily if you can’t keep up the pace of supplying whatever types of packing materials for shipping are needed. And trust us – you surely don’t want to lose too much time during the number one time consuming task of them all.

The list of packing materials you just have to have when wrapping up your prized possessions on your own goes like this:

Cardboard moving boxes

One thing is clear – you can’t complete the packing process without the unparalleled versatility of corrugated cardboard boxes.

They come in different sizes and shapes, they are practical, can be folded to save space, and what’s more – they are usually very affordable.

In fact, packing boxes are so widespread that you can even get them for free! /see below for more details/.

As a rule of thumb, you will need roughly 5-7 large moving containers, 8-10 medium-sized ones and about 10-12 small boxes to pack up one room. Of course, those numbers are only approximation which should give you a basic idea of how many packing boxes for moving house you are expected to get hold of.

Cardboard boxes can offer hours of playing fun for children and pets alike.

In addition to the standard cardboard boxes, you may also need a number of specialty boxes to stay in full control of your moving preparations. Such specialty moving containers include wardrobe boxes, dish boxes, as well as artwork and mirror boxes.

Wrapping materials

Moving boxes are a must but you can’t just place random things inside them without having protected them first. To make sure your boxed stuff is not touching while in transit, you’re going to have to wrap them first in special protective wrapping and cushioning materials. The packing materials list continues with:

Packing paper. Clean white or brown packing paper will be your first layer of protection when packing up breakable and fragile items that would not survive the relocation journey without adequate protection. Packing paper won’t leave any marks or stains on objects so it’s perfect for securing household items with delicate surface. Crumple some sheets of packing paper and you have an excellent padding material in no time.

Bubble wrap. Without a doubt, bubble wrap can be your best friend when you’re genuinely worried about the survival of your most damage-prone items during the moving trip. The ultimate protection of the bubbly protective material can save you plenty of headaches when you’re unpacking your boxes after the move.

Plastic wrap. Also known as stretch wrap, the highly stretchable plastic material is perfect for keeping things in place without worrying about having to clean any residue marks after that. Bundling clothes, securing furniture drawers and (glass) doors just got a way safer with that versatile stretch film. Need additional dust, dirt and moisture protection? Not a problem.

Moving blankets. Even if you can’t get hold of the type of moving blankets professional removers use, you’re more than welcome to use any old blanket in happen to find in your home to wrap up large items – furniture pieces, electronic appliances and the like.

Read on to find out creative ways to save on packing materials by using free alternative supplies you already have in your home.

Auxiliary packing accessories

To aid you further in your tough packing job, you will also need to have:

Packing tape. Yes, this is quite obvious but many people underestimate the importance of good quality tape when packing up for a move. Don’t go for the cheapest rolls you can find but pay a bit more for better quality ones. Taping your boxes shut is one thing but it’s the measure of strengthening their bottoms with extra layers of tape that can make the difference between packing failure and packing success.

Permanent marker Speaking of underestimating specific pre-move tasks, the essential job of labelling packed boxes is considered by some people to be a waste of time. However, those same people are always proven wrong when unpacking time comes up around the corner. Purchase permanent waterproof markers of different colours to save loads of post-move time.

MUST READ: Top 10 common packing mistakes to avoid when moving

Where to get packing materials for moving

Now that you’re aware of the different types of packing materials for shipping, the pressing question is where to purchase those high quality supplies cheaply, or ideally – how to obtain them free of charge.

Cheap packing supplies — It seems like you’re on the right track of gathering all the packing materials you will ever need.

Basically, you have four good options for procuring the required packing supplies for moving:

Local removal company. The best option for you is, of course, to buy all your supplies brand new, and if your preliminary moving budget seems healthy enough, you should probably go ahead and do just that. Contact your top rated local removal company and have them deliver everything you will ever need for your self-packing marathon.

Office supply shops. Where to buy packing materials for moving? Besides local removals, you can pay a visit to any office supply shop in your area and do a little shopping. This is the least recommended option as you’re not likely to get any good deals in the end.

Friends. Ask friends, coworkers and neighbours who have recently moved house if they can spare any free packing supplies, especially free moving boxes in decent condition. Remember that you need clean and sturdy cardboard containers that will be able to withstand the weight of various household items at least for one last time. Take advantage of your preferred social medial network to reach all of your friends at once.

Local businesses. It’s no secret that local supermarkets, electronics shops, bookshops and others are frequently required to flatten out a great amount of cardboard boxes for recycling. Which basically means that they should be happy to save some valuable time and efforts by offering those containers to somebody. Just visit a few select businesses, speak to their managers and that chances are that you will get home with a noteworthy amount of assorted cardboard boxes which you can easily use to pack up your home.

SEE ALSO: Where to get free packing boxes?

What types of packaging materials you already have

Now this is interesting – before you rush to the office supply store or a local removal company to look for suitable removal packing supplies, there’s something else you’re strongly advised to do – something that can save you plenty of money and time. It’s very simple, indeed – just take a look around your own home and see if there are unexpected items you can use during the packing marathon that’s coming soon. Yes, the chances are that there will be tons of them just lying around – not just inexpensive packing supplies but ones that you get absolutely for free.

Moving containers

Besides the occasional cardboard boxes you may already have here and there around your place, here’s what free packing supplies for storing things you will most likely find in your house or apartment:

Buckets. If you have any plastic or metal buckets which you’ve decided to take with you anyway, why not fill them up with anything that will fit inside them? Pails are especially good for liquid cleaning products and bathroom items that might leak.

Baskets. Laundry baskets are great for storing anything from pieces of clothes to shoes and children toys. If you’re moving any of them anyway, why not take advantage of their storage capacity?

Suitcases. Well, you’ll probably fill them up with clothes but you should seriously consider reserving the rolling suitcases for heavier items such as books. Click here to learn the best way to pack books when moving.

Suitcases with wheels on the bottom are the perfect recipients for heavy books.

Drawers. Some furniture drawers can be left with whatever they contain which make them excellent moving containers. Use stretch wrap around the drawer to keep everything in place

Bags. Thanks to their sizes and purpose, different bags can prove to be a great help to you in your quest to pack up your household and save money at the same time. It’s the variety of bags that make them so useful – clean trash bags can be used to packing clothes straight from their hangers, vacuum bags can be used to reduce the volume of bulky pieces of clothes such as coats, jackets, etc., sealable Ziploc bags are ideal for storing smaller items that can be easily lost.

Wrapping materials

Of course, nothing beats quality sheets of bubble wrap, soft packing paper and professional moving blankets, but they all come at a cost. If you’re looking to save on your upcoming move, as you should, do take a look at worthy alternatives of the best wrapping and cushioning materials for moving.

Plain blankets. Specialized moving blankets tend to be expensive but you can easily substitute them for old blankets which should still give your delicate items enough protection on the road. After all, nothing beats free packing supplies.

Bed sheets. Do you have any bed sheets that you’ve been planning to retire soon? If yes, your forthcoming residential move is the ideal time to use them one last chance – from protecting chinaware and glassware to using the sheets as cushions in the boxes that contain highly breakable items.

Hand towels. The thickness of hand towels is what makes them great as dish packing supplies or glass packing supplies – or in general, kitchen packing supplies. Wrap delicate items with such thick hand or face towels and you won’t have to worry about whether they will survive the house move or not – they will!

Socks. Yes, socks! Thicker socks can serve as excellent protectors for glasses, especially wine or champagne glasses with delicate stems (stemware).

Packing up a household is a period when any kind of help is more than welcome. Your new towel elephant can help you save on packing supplies.

Newspapers. Well, newspapers are not nearly as good as packing paper but they main advantage is that they are super inexpensive (practically free when a newspaper is read). Besides, they can come very handy during the process of immobilizing the contents of packing boxes – fill up any remaining space with crumpled newsprint to minimize any contact between the items in the containers. Also, newsprint is good as a second protective later over the initial protection of soft packing paper.

What to do with packing materials after the move

Your attempt at finding cheap packing boxes for moving, as well as all the rest of the packing materials you will need, should be rewarded in terms of saved money. However, once you find yourself in your new home and get down to the tedious task of unpacking, you will be faced with a real dilemma.

How are you supposed to dispose of those packing materials? Should you keep them or should you recycle them? To fully understand and take advantage of your options, we’re offering you this complete guide on what to do with packaging materials after the move.

Remain in full control of your move by always being one step ahead of whatever’s coming to spoil your relocation mood:

Packing Materials for Moving House: All You Need to Know