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Packing Tips for Moving

Get Moving! Tips to Get Your Home or Office Packed and Moved

If the idea of packing up all your belongings is overwhelming, this section is designed to help you get organized. For your convenience, we have developed some brief guidelines to assist those who choose to pack and ship their own possessions.

Plan ahead

Packing takes time, so give yourself at least 6 weeks before your moving date in order to ensure you’ll have enough time so as not to be overly stressed. Ideally, 8-12 weeks is best. Moving is stressful, so don't burn yourself out trying to do it all in one day!

Collect must have supplies

To avoid unnecessary stress at the last minute, decide what supplies you feel will save you time and stress ahead of time. We recommend a tape dispenser to save your poor teeth, as well as scissors, markers, a box cutter, labels and strong tape. Visit our moving and packing supplies section to see all we have to offer.

Pack non-essentials first

Start by packing items that you can do without right now. For example, if you're moving in the summer, pack all your winter clothes, sports equipment and heavy blankets.

Practice safe labeling

While you're packing boxes, make sure to label the top and sides of boxes with contents, location of contents in your house and if there are any special instructions, such as "fragile" or "open first". Also, we recommend you place an additional address label inside the box and write clearly on address labels.

Think inside the box

Firstly, don’t use a box that is so big that you can’t lift it, the maximum weight should be 50 lbs. Proper moving boxes are recommended but are not required. It’s OK to re-use old ones but for expensive, fragile or sentimental items that you don't want damaged, it's always best to err on the side of caution and purchase new moving boxes. Pak Mail offers several specialized boxes to choose from such as wardrobe or electronic boxes.  

Packing Do's & Dont's

  • Don't ship hazardous materials such as ammunition or explosives.
  • Do use appropriate shipping crates, packing and cushioning materials.
  • Don't use materials like newspaper or real popcorn to package items.
  • Do get a receipt with delivery and tracking information.
  • Don't ship flammable liquids such as gasoline, diesel or oil.
  • Do make the most of the boxes space. Treat it like a physical and less interesting game of Tetris.

Pak Mail understands all the intricate ins and outs of packing and shipping anything anywhere. We use the safest, most reliable methods to pack and move everything from boxes and crates to equipment, machinery, and freight domestically and overseas.

Let Pak Mail handle all of your shipping needs, from the everyday items and locations to those that are truly one-of-a-kind. For more packing tips, contact your local store.