Moving & packing can be overwhelming and let’s just say, “a little stressful”! It doesn’t matter if you’re in the military and this is the third time in five years or if it's your first time out of your college apartment. Moving just isn’t fun!
In order to move, what do you need?
Boxes of course! But not just any boxes. Shoe boxes may help organize things, but certainly it would take endless attempts of walking to move your stuff in them. And yes, size matters! Number of rooms matter... number of books… So, how many you need truly depends upon you and your lifestyle. But wait there is more…
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Packing Tape is a must. Do not sell yourself short. Get packing tape, not office tape and get the dispenser. Once mastered, this speeds the packing process tremendously!
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Bubble Wrap: Great to protect dishes or fragile items.
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Wrapping Paper: No, not for Christmas gifts, but the brown paper that is used to wrap fragile items or something not as fragile as glass, but you want it protected.
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Sharpies: Yes, a black or blue Sharpie is great! Label your box, tell them what room it belongs in.
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Stretch Wrap is for the bigger items that you want to protect from getting scuff marks or tears.
Box Types:
Packing for a move is not a one-size-fits-all. Different types of boxes are used for different purposes and could ensure your delicate items are protected.
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Small packing boxes/book boxes have dimensions of 16″ x 12″ x 12″, making them the smallest size typically used for moving. They are ideal for small items such as books or kitchen utensils. They also make sure the box doesn’t become too heavy!
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Medium packing boxes have dimensions of 18″ x 16″ x 18″ and are perfect for items such as towels and decorative items such as sculptures or art.
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Large packing boxes have dimensions of 18″ x 18″ x 24″ and can store small appliances, bedding, and smaller pillows.
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Extra-large packing boxes have dimensions of 24″ x 20″ x 24″ and can hold large, light items like comforters, sports gear, and pillows.
Specialty Boxes:
Household items come in all shapes and sizes, and conventional cardboard boxes won’t always get the job done. Thus, the oddly shaped boxes for oddly shaped items.
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Wardrobe boxes include a metal rod across the top of the box and are designed specifically for hanging clothes. You can store items such as belts or shoes at the bottom of a wardrobe box.
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Dish barrel boxes are about the same size as medium boxes (18″ x 18″ x 28 or 18″ x 18″ x 18″) and feature extra-thick walls. The double-wall feature protects fragile items like glass, plates, bowls, and cups that are particularly prone to breaking during moving. Like Grandma’s ancient and fine china!
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Mirror and picture boxes are flat and designed to fit items like artwork, mirrors, and framed photos. You can adjust these to the required size.
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TV boxes, as the name implies, can store flat-screen TVs. They can be adjusted to fit a screen up to 70 inches.
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Lamp boxes are ideal for tall, narrow items such as lamps or fans.
How many boxes?
This is a challenge. Here is a basic rule-of-thumb in making a selection of just how many boxes you need:
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Small Apartment or Condo – Choose this option if your room sizes are typical of an apartment or condo, meaning they are a bit smaller than that of a single-family home. Overall, your home will typically be less than 1200 square feet and have 1-2 bedrooms.
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Normal Size Home – Choose this option if your home is a typical single-family home with standard room sizes. Overall, your home will typically be between 1200 – 2200 square feet and have 2-4 bedrooms.
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Large Size Home – Choose this option if your home is a larger home than most, with oversized rooms that hold more personal belongings that need to be packed up. Overall, your home will typically be over 2500 square feet and have 3-5 bedrooms.
Also, not everyone has the same amount of belongings in their house. There is quite a difference between someone who is a minimalist and someone who is a hoarder deluxe! You can adjust the number of moving boxes you will need to buy after analyzing what kind of home you have.
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Minimalist – Choose this option if your home has only the necessities and your moving box requirements will be reduced accordingly.
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Normal – Choose this option if your home has what most would consider to be a standard amount of personal belongings appropriate with living in a home.
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Borderline Hoarder – Choose this option if your home is jam packed with your “stuff”. On another note, we would recommend that you use this time to “declutter” and have a yard sale, use FB Marketplace or visit your local Goodwill.
Estimated Moving Box Chart for a Normal/Standard Amount
Type of Box |
1-2 Rooms |
2-3 Rooms |
4-5 Rooms |
6-7 Rooms |
8-9 Rooms |
|
Small |
8 |
10 |
18 |
30 |
40 |
|
Medium |
6 |
8 |
15 |
25 |
30 |
|
Large |
4 |
6 |
15 |
20 |
30 |
|
XL |
2 |
3 |
4 |
10 |
12 |
|
Wardrobe |
2 |
4 |
6 |
8 |
10 |
|
Dish Pack |
1 |
3 |
4 |
5 |
6 |
Where to get them?
This does depend on your timing. If you can, order them online and get the best prices, but make sure they are sturdy and of good quality.
This is a moving target and quality does change. We recommend the following:
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Home Depot or Lowes have good quality, but not the cheapest.
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Moving Box Delivery seems to have good boxes at a decent price.
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Box Engine
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U Boxes through Amazon.
Good luck on your move!!!
Posted by Due South Realty on
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