How To Pack Heavy Items For Moving


How To Pack Heavy Items for Moving

Moving to a new home on its own can be a daunting task. The especially tricky part about it has got to be moving your heavy items.

We’re talking about your garage tools, your computer, or even your exercise equipment. They’re essentials that you can’t just throw away. At the same time, they’re extremely tiring to pack.

Lucky for you, this post is going to cover everything you need to know about how to pack heavy items for moving. It’s all about preparation, correct packing, and proper routing.

Without further ado, let’s hop right in!

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Table of Contents

Should Heavy Items Be Packed in Boxes?

Glass Vase In a Moving Box

As long as you’re using durable, high-quality boxesOpens in a new tab. and you’re going about the packing process the right way, there shouldn’t be any problem with packing heavy items in boxes.

Obviously, the heavier the items, the sturdier the box needs to be. If the heavy item you’re trying to pack can be broken down into several parts that you can put together later, you should break it down and divide its parts over several boxes.

If the item you’re trying to pack cannot be broken down into multiple pieces, you’ll need to select an appropriate box for it in terms of size and build material.

Should Some Heavy Items Be Left By Themselves to Be Carried?

If it can fit inside a box, then it’s probably a good idea to put it in one. This is especially the case if you’re hiring a moving company.

Most, if not all, moving companies require their customers to pack all of their items in boxes. Not only that, but all the boxes need to be labeled.

Just make sure to pick the right box size and material for each item. And make sure not to cram too many items in one box.

How to Pack Heavy Items for Moving

Packing heavy items correctly is extremely important. If not packed correctly, your heavy items can be a safety concern when on the road to your new home. Not to mention that heavy items are typically expensive, so you surely want to keep them undamaged.

Make Sure You Have the Right Packing Equipment

Bubble Wrap
Bubble wrap should be your absolute best friend when it comes to packing fragile items.

Before you even think about packing, you need to gather some tools to make the process a lot smoother. They’re extremely affordable, so they won’t put a dent in your budget. They are also easy to find. Simply head to the nearest hardware store, and you’re all set.

  • Cushioning: The ultimate cushioning materials for heavy items would be styrofoam sheets or air pillowsOpens in a new tab.. You can also use foam blocks or sheets. These materials will act as shock absorbers whenever the boxes carrying these heavy items are moved around or shaken. They will ensure that the items in the boxes remain safe and undamaged.
  • Wrapping: You can use shrink rolls or bubble rolls as wrapping materials. Wrapping materials will make sure that the cushioning materials remain in place. They also provide an extra layer of security to your heavy items. You can even use them to wrap the boxes after the items are packed safely inside.

If you’re on a budget, you can substitute bubble wrap with old sheets or blankets. They won’t exactly keep your items 100% safe, but they will do the job adequately enough.

  • Tape: We recommend thicker, high-quality tape for packing heavy items. Thinner tapes won’t keep the items in place or seal the boxes properly. Thick, heavy-duty tapes, on the other hand, will make sure the boxes are completely secured. You can also use them to further secure the cushioning and wrapping in place around the items.

Choose the Right Boxes

When you’re on the move, you need to make sure that you have the correct boxes to facilitate the entire fiesta.

By correct boxes, we mean that you must preplan the correct size of the boxes and also the correct type of material that the boxes are made from.

If you’re running on a low budget, you can head to the nearest convenience store, for example, and get their used boxes for free.

  • Estimate the size of the items that you’re going to pack. Smaller items can be crammed together as long as the box is still liftable with ease. Bigger items are tricky because they will be heavy but still give you the impression that the box is somewhat empty. Try not to fall for that!
  • Depending on the type of items you are packing, pick the appropriate type of box. For example, if you’re packing metallic garage or gardening tools, you should opt for wooden boxes (that you can always thrift and re-thrift later).

If you’re packing books or china, you can use normal carton boxes as long as you wrap and cushion them correctly.

  • Make sure the box itself is in good shape before loading it up with the heavy items you’re trying to move. Carton boxes will most likely need to be tapped down thoroughly before sealing them to ensure that their sides don’t collapse while putting your objects in them.

Arrange the Items That You Are Going to Pack

You will need to make sure that the items you’re due to move are arranged properly. You’ll need to dismantle as many parts of an object as possible.

It’ll be easier to put the separated parts back together than to try and pack the entire object as a single unit altogether. This will also make your boxes easier to lift and relocate.

If you’re packing delicate objects, like glass, make sure that you adequately cover each item as tightly as possible.

It’s also preferable if you were to add cushioning materials on the base of the box, on the sides of the box, and on the top of the items after they are placed.

This sandwiching technique will undoubtedly lessen any damage. It won’t add much weight to the box itself.

If you’re packing more sturdy items, like your PC, the cushioning layer that you will need can be less deliberate than the one you can use for glass.

Though PCs and similar objects are sturdy, they can still get scratched or broken during the move. So, on the one hand, don’t ignore the cushioning and wrapping completely. And on the other hand, you don’t need to be so in-depth about it.

Once you’ve placed your items in the boxes, we recommend that the boxes are filled enough so that the items inside do not have much space to move around.

If you’re unable to do so, make sure you add more cushioning materials so that they fill up the space further. This will decrease any chances of unnecessary damage to the heavy items in the boxes.

Label The Boxes “Heavy”

Man with Hurt Back from Lifting Heavy Box

We mentioned labeling your heavy boxes earlier, but it’s a point that’s worth repeating.

Once your entire home is in a hundred different boxes, the only way to tell everything apart is by labeling each box. It’s important to note where each box should go in your new home (Kitchen, Bathroom, etc), whether the contents of the box are fragile and finally whether or not the box is heavy.

This gives whoever is about to pick up that box a heads up that they really want to make sure to brace their core and lift with their legs so you don’t end up with an injury on moving day.

The Bottom Line

Packing heavy objects is far from an easy task. You need to be up for the challenge, and you’ll need to preplan your packing strategies.

We compiled the steps above to show you exactly how to pack heavy items for moving. It’s a simple three-step process that will ease your entire packing journey.

You will need to gather up the right packing equipment, from cushioning materials to wrapping materials and the correct tape.

Then, you will need to pick out the correct type of boxes. The choice of boxes will depend on the size and material of the items you are going to pack.

Lastly, you will need to disperse the parts of the objects as much as you can and prepare your items for packing.

Good luck!

Ryan

I've been a college coach for going on 20 years now and that career has led Jen and I on quite the journey. We've lived in 7 different states and have moved a dozen different times. We've learned A LOT over the course of all those moves and we want to pass on our knowledge to help others going through the moving process.

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