International removals – a guide to packaging materials

Choose the best packing materials

Impulsive attitude towards the packing process will inevitably lead to unscheduled interruptions. Without having gathered the needed packing supplies first, you can not only slow down the whole process but also temporarily suppress it. And trust us – you surely don’t want to lose too much time during the most time-consuming task of them all.

The list of packing materials that are essential to prepare your precious belongings for the move includes:

Cardboard boxes

Cardboard moving boxes are of the top priority when it comes to packing materials. They come in different sizes and shapes, they are practical, can be folded to save space, and what’s more – they are usually very affordable.

In fact, packing boxes are so widespread that you can even get them for free! Check in the nearest supermarket if they have any spare or unwanted cardboard boxes – suppliers often use them to deliver all range of products to the stores. Please bear in mind that it is OK to use second-hand boxes as long as they are in good condition, not squashed, crumpled in any way or damaged from dampness etc.

Also, we always recommend using double-walled boxes. The two layers of cardboard give the box a great deal of extra strength, which is very important. Also, try not to use very large boxes that may become too heavy or awkward to carry in the process of moving.

In addition to the standard cardboard boxes, you may also need a number of speciality boxes to stay in full control of your moving preparations. Such speciality moving containers include wardrobe boxes, dish boxes, as well as artwork, mirror boxes and bicycle boxes.

Generally, the size can be described by the width, depth and height or by the cubic volume. An average medium size box is about 3 cubic feet and is characterized by the following dimensions – 18″ x 18″ x 16″. Some of the available sizes include the following:

• 1.5 cubic foot carton or box:
  this is the smallest size of moving boxes and they are meant for packing small items like canned products, small heavy working tools, books, tapes, CDs and the likes. 1.5 cubic foot carton size – 16″ x 12″ x 12″ – small
• 3.0 cubic moving box:
  this is double of the 1.5 cubic box. It is a medium size box used for moving items like kitchen and dining items, pots, electronics, pans and small outdoor tools. 3.0 cubic feet box dimensions – 18″ x 18″ x 16″ – medium
• 4.5 cubic foot removal box:
  heavier and larger items like larger lamp bases, linens, non-hanging clothes, lampshades and the likes are packed in this size of clothes. 4.5 cubic foot removal box dimensions. 4.5 cubic ft box dimensions – 6″ x 12″ x 12″- large
  · 6.0 and 6.5 cubic foot carton: it is suitable for packing numerous light items such as children playing stuff. It is also suitable for packing bulky items like area rugs. It is the largest size of standard moving boxes. 6.0 and 6.5 cubic foot carton dimensions: 24″ x 24″ x 18″ – extra large

You may wonder how many boxes you will require for your household move. Approximately, you will need 5-7 large moving containers, 8-10 medium-sized ones and about 10-12 small boxes to pack up one room. It may give you a hint about the number of boxes you should purchase for your home removal.

Wrapping materials

Cardboard boxes are a must but you can’t just place random things inside them without having protected them first. To make sure your boxed stuff is not touching while in transit, you need to wrap them first in special protective wrapping and cushioning materials. The most useful wrapping materials that you need are packing paper, bubble wrap, plastic wrap and moving blankets.

• Packing paper, a white or brown one, serves as a perfect first layer of protection when packing up fragile and breakable items. It does not leave any marks on stains on the objects, which makes it a perfect material for securing household items with delicate surfaces. Moreover, if you run out of packing paper, you can replace it with a butcher’s paper or tissue paper quite successfully. Crumple some sheets of packing paper and use it as a padding material inside cups, glasses, glass bowls etc. Please do not use newspapers to wrap fragile items – not only does the ink get all over everything, but the paper itself is not as flexible as butcher’s paper or tissue paper. Generally, newspapers cannot be scrunched and moulded as easily, so it does not do as good a job.
• Bubble wrap is without a doubt, one of the most protective materials as far as packing up fragile items is concerned. Its foamy structure seems very trustworthy, so if you are genuinely worried about the survival of your most damage-prone items during the moving trip, using bubble wrap will definitely soothe your nerves. Nevertheless, bubble wrap is not absolutely necessary – in fact, professional removers tend to use tissue paper as a preference in most cases. Bubble wrap alone is usually too thin to provide adequate protection on its own unless it is wrapped many times around.
• Plastic wrap, also known as stretch wrap, is the highly stretchable plastic material often used during packing up the household items. It is perfect for keeping things in place without worrying about having to clean any residue marks after that. Bundling clothes, securing furniture drawers and (glass) doors just got away safer with that versatile stretch film. Hence, if you need additional dust, dirt and moisture protection, plastic wrap is a perfect solution. Moreover, plastic wrap is a perfect material to use on the top of the bubble wrap. We recommend using at least 2 layers of bubble wrap plus a layer of plastic outside, in order to provide more strength to the wrapping.
• Moving blanket or any other blanket is usually used to protect large items during the trip. Even if you can’t get hold of the type of moving blankets professional removers use, you probably possess some old blankets that you no longer use. Those will be perfect to protect furniture pieces, electronic appliances and the like.

Auxiliary packing accessories

Other packing accessories that you may need include packing tape and permanent marker.

• Packing tape may be quite obvious but many people underestimate the importance of good quality tape when packing up for a move. Don’t go for the cheapest rolls you can find but pay a bit more for better quality ones. Taping your boxes shut is one thing but it’s the measure of strengthening their bottoms with extra layers of tape that can make the difference between packing failure and packing success.
• Permanent marker is an item that does the essential job of labelling packed boxes. It is considered by some people to be a waste of time, but it should not be underestimated in the long term. Labelling boxes will save you a lot of time and stress while unpacking the boxes in your new home. Purchase permanent waterproof markers of different colours to save loads of post-move time.

If you want to better prepare for your removal we recommend checking our 7 tips before you move.