Do-it-yourself packing is a huge job, but it can be an advisable way to save money on your relocation costs. With the proper materials and a little help in the form of packing tips, you can attain to professional results and maximize the protection of your belongings.
Packing tips are very valuable when it comes time to box up your household. By packing things properly and in an ordered fashion, damage can be prevented. In addition, the better you pack, the easier it will be to unpack at your new residence.
Useful Tips
 Packing should be started with out-of-season items. Then pack things used rarely. Don’t pack until the last minute things you will need until moving day.
Empty drawers of breakables, non-transportable items and anything that would pierce or damage other items while moving.
Pack alike items together. Do not pack a delicate china figurine in the same carton with cast-iron frying pans, for instance.
Keep all parts or pairs of things together. For instance, curtain rod hangers, mirror bolts, and other small hardware items should be placed in plastic bags and taped or tied firmly to the article to which they belong.
Wind electrical cords, tying them together so they do not hang loosely.
Wrap items separately in clean paper. For wrapping you may use tissue paper, paper towels, or even facial tissue for fine china, crystal and delicate items. You may use colored wrapping paper for small things – it draws your attention to those articles and assures they won’t get lost in a moving carton. Use a double layer of newsprint for a good outer wrapping.
Use crushed paper for cushioning; just put a two- or three-inch layer of it in the bottom of cartons.
Make the layers with the heaviest things on the bottom, medium-weight next, and lightest on top.
When each layer is done, fill in empty rooms tightly with crushed paper and put in more crushed paper to make a level base for the next layer, or use sheets of cardboard cut from moving cartons as dividers.
Cushion well with crushed paper; towels and lightweight blankets may also be used for padding and cushioning. The more fragile the item, the more cushioning needed. Be sure no sharp points, edges or rims are left uncovered.
Pack small, fragile, individually-wrapped items individually or a few together in small boxes, cushioning with crushed or shredded paper. Put small boxes in a single large box, filling in rooms with crushed paper.
Try not to overload moving cartons, but strive for a firm pack that will avert items from shifting; the cover should close easily without force, but should not bend inward.
Seal moving cartons tightly with tape except for those containing items that must be left open for the van line operator's inspection.
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