Your Essential Packing Guide for Moving Day

When you're getting ready for a move, packing can easily feel like the most overwhelming part. It’s not just tossing things into boxes and hoping for the best. Whether you're hiring one of the many trusted Los Angeles moving companies or planning a DIY move, knowing how to pack properly is crucial for protecting your belongings and making the whole process less stressful. While packing might seem straightforward, there's a real art to doing it right, especially when it comes to handling furniture, electronics, and fragile valuables. In this guide, we'll walk through practical packing tips for every major category and why, sometimes, it's smarter (and safer) to trust the professionals.

Packing Regular Items and Boxes Like a Pro

Most moves involve dozens — sometimes even hundreds — of boxes, depending on how much you own. To pack them properly and protect your belongings along the way, it’s important to follow a few key rules that movers and experienced DIYers swear by.

Choose the right box size:
Not everything should be tossed into the biggest box you can find. Heavy items, like books, canned goods, or small appliances, should always go into small boxes to keep them manageable and prevent the box from breaking. Save your larger boxes for light, bulky things like bedding, pillows, or stuffed animals. A good rule of thumb: if you can barely lift the box after packing it, it’s probably too heavy.

Pack heavy items on the bottom:
Think of it like building a cake or a stack of blocks — heavy first, light later. Always place heavier items at the bottom of the box and lighter, more delicate items on top. This keeps the weight evenly distributed and protects fragile belongings from being crushed during loading and unloading.

Wrap everything individually:
Even if an item doesn’t seem delicate, it’s a good idea to wrap it. Scratches, dings, and dents can happen easily when things shift around inside a moving truck. Use packing paper, bubble wrap, towels, socks, or even old T-shirts to cushion and wrap each item separately. This is especially important for things like plates, electronics, small decor, and kitchen utensils.

Fill empty spaces:
Empty space inside boxes is your enemy. It allows your belongings to shift, tumble, and bump against each other in transit. Use crumpled paper, soft linens, or extra clothing to fill any gaps around your items. A snug box means a safer move, and fewer surprises when you start unpacking.

Label boxes clearly:
Once packed, make sure each box tells you exactly where it’s supposed to go. Write the room destination (like “Kitchen” or “Bedroom 2”) in large, easy-to-read letters on at least two sides of the box. If the contents are fragile, mark that clearly too. Some movers even recommend using color-coded tape or a numbering system to speed things up during unloading and unpacking.

Proper boxing isn’t just about fitting your belongings into cardboard cubes — it’s one of the most important steps to ensure your move is organized, efficient, and damage-free. Taking a little extra time to pack thoughtfully now will make unpacking later far less overwhelming, and help you settle into your new place without the stress of broken or missing items.

Securing Electronics and Fragile Valuables

Electronics and fragile items like TVs, computers, heirlooms, and delicate decor need a little extra love and attention when you’re getting ready to move. These items are not only expensive to replace, but they're also incredibly vulnerable to even small bumps and sudden movements during transit.

Original Boxes Are Best:
If you were wise enough to keep the original packaging for your TV, computer, stereo system, or gaming console, now’s the time to dig them out. Manufacturers design those boxes with custom-fitted foam and padding specifically to protect the item during shipping, which also makes them the safest option for your move.

If Not, Here’s How to Pack Electronics Safely:

• Wrap screens and delicate parts in anti-static bubble wrap. Regular bubble wrap can work too, but anti-static materials are better for anything with sensitive components.
  
  
• Pad the bottom of the box with a thick layer of packing paper, bubble wrap, or foam sheets to create a soft base.
  
  
• Place heavier electronics at the bottom and stack lighter accessories, like remotes, cables, and small devices, on top. Never cram everything in together tightly — create layers if necessary.
  
  
• Label boxes clearly with "Fragile" and "This Side Up" on multiple sides, so whoever handles them knows to be extra careful.
  
  

Handling Fragile Valuables:
When it comes to packing dishes, glassware, vases, and other breakables, being meticulous really pays off.

• Wrap each item individually with packing paper, foam sheets, or bubble wrap. Resist the urge to stack naked dishes together; the friction and bumps during the move can easily cause chips or cracks.
  
  
• Stack plates vertically in boxes, like you would stack vinyl records. This positioning minimizes pressure on each piece and reduces the risk of breakage.
  
  
• Fill any extra space in the box with soft packing material — think crumpled paper, towels, or foam peanuts. Items should be snug but not overly compressed.
  
  
• Artwork and framed photos should be wrapped first with packing paper to avoid direct contact with bubble wrap (which can leave marks), then cushioned with bubble wrap, and ideally placed inside specially designed picture boxes for extra protection.
  
  

Packing fragile valuables isn’t just about throwing a little bubble wrap around them and calling it a day. Small errors — like using the wrong padding, leaving gaps in the box, or stacking items incorrectly — can lead to heartbreak later. Even a minor knock during the ride can damage internal electronic components or shatter fragile keepsakes beyond repair.

This is exactly the kind of task where hiring professional movers with experience in packing delicate, high-value items can really pay off. If you're located in the Valley, working with experienced North Hollywood movers can make a huge difference — they know how to cushion, wrap, and secure everything so that it survives the trip without damage, saving you time, money, and stress.

Why Hiring Movers Can Make All the Difference

Sure, packing can be a DIY project, but here’s why trusting pros for packing and moving your valuables is often the smartest route:

1. Expertise: Movers know the safest techniques. They’ve seen what goes wrong firsthand and have packing down to a science.
2. Materials: Professional movers bring high-quality materials (thick moving blankets, specialized boxes, industrial-strength stretch wrap) that you probably won't have lying around.
3. Efficiency: A trained team can pack an entire house much faster than a DIY attempt — and with less risk of damage.
4. Insurance: When movers pack and move your items, they’re typically covered by valuation protection. If you pack yourself and something breaks, you're often responsible.
5. Physical Safety: Moving heavy furniture or large electronics is physically demanding. One wrong lift and you could be dealing with injuries. Movers use the right lifting techniques and equipment.
6. Stress Reduction: There's nothing quite like handing off the heavy lifting (literally and figuratively) to a pro crew, letting you focus on settling into your new place.

While it might seem like an extra expense, hiring experienced movers — especially for packing, heavy furniture, and delicate valuables — often ends up being cheaper than replacing damaged items or medical bills from a pulled muscle.

Final Tips for a Smooth Packing and Moving Experience

• Start Early: Packing always takes longer than expected. Start several weeks in advance.
• Create a Packing Kit: Have a central station with boxes, markers, tape, scissors, and bubble wrap.
• Keep Essentials Separate: Pack a "first night" box with essentials: clothes, toiletries, chargers, snacks, important documents.
• Stay Organized: Label everything clearly. Keep an inventory list if possible.
• Ask for Help: Whether you’re hiring movers or recruiting friends, don't try to do it all alone.

Moving is a lot of work, but it doesn’t have to be overwhelming. With the right preparation — and maybe a little professional help — you can get through packing without losing your mind.