A move of any distance takes careful planning and lots of supplies. To someone without much moving experience, figuring out the logistics can quickly become an overwhelming task.

Knowing that not everyone is a professional mover, we’ve assembled this helpful guide. It covers all the moving supplies you’ll need for your next relocation. To make the guide easier to navigate, we’ve separated this guide into two major sections:

  • Moving supplies for packing
  • Moving supplies for transporting items

Each section details the items you’ll need for that stage of the moving process, along with information about why you’ll need them. With this guide in hand, you’ll be ready to tackle any move, no matter how big or small!

Moving Supplies for Packing

Making the right choices when it comes to packing materials is one of the most important parts of any move. Purchasing the wrong packing materials can slow down your move and make the process more frustrating than necessary. Worse yet, it can even result in damages and broken items.

To help you avoid these problems, here are some of the most important packing supplies and tips for your next move.

Various Sizes of Cardboard Boxes

Boxes may seem like an obvious item to pick up for your next move, but it’s important to get multiple sizes of boxes. If you get only big boxes, you may find yourself lugging around a 70 lb. box of books. But if you get only small boxes, you could have one item per box, or have a bunch of boxes that nothing fits in. We suggest getting a good variety of small, medium and large boxes so that all your household items have a place to go.

Various Types of Tape

Tape is another item that, like boxes, seems obvious to anyone getting ready to move. However, what kind of tape is best for packing? There are many types of tape that can help you get ready to move into a new home.

To get started we suggest purchasing multiple rolls of packing tape, a few rolls of duct tape, masking tape to create labels, and painter’s tape for any projects that may pop up during the move. It’s also a good idea to grab a tape dispenser or two to make the task of taping multiple boxes a bit less tedious.

Box Cutters & Scissors

Scissors and box cutters will be invaluable as you pack, unpack, disassemble and reassemble boxes. Having at least two box cutters and two pairs of scissors will help speed up the packing and unpacking process, especially if you’re doing it with a helper.

Permanent Markers

While you likely have a permanent marker lying around, it’s always good to have a few on hand during a move. Use markers to label boxes with their contents. Then you won’t have to play the guessing game each time you move a box into your new home.

Protective Packing Materials

An often-overlooked part of residential moves, protective packing materials are a necessary element of any properly packed box. Make sure you have enough packing paper, packing peanuts or air pockets on hand before you start packing. Use them liberally to ensure that your precious items will arrive at your new home without a scratch.

Moving Supplies for Transporting Items

The job of a move isn’t finished once you pack up your goods, though. They still need to be transported to your new residence. This section covers the basics that you would need for any typical house-to-house move.

Hand Truck & Furniture Dolly

If you’re moving into an unfurnished house or apartment, chances are that you have a few pieces of furniture you’ll be taking with you. To help move these heavy items more easily, we suggest getting a furniture dolly and a hand cart. It’s best to get more than one of each if you’ll have help while moving to both speed up the process and handle long or oversized pieces of furniture, like couches.

Blankets & Furniture Covers

Furniture covers and blankets help prevent your furniture from getting scuffed by other items or by tie-downs that will be used in the moving truck. A thick blanket or comforter is especially helpful for wrapping up televisions and other fragile electronics.

Felt Pads

Should your new residence have hardwood floors, felt pads are a must. Not only do they make it easier to move around heavy furniture like couches and entertainment consoles, but they also prevent costly damage to your new floor.

Tie-Downs, Ropes & Bungee Cords

As most moves require a moving truck, you’ll need tie- downs and cords to ensure your furniture stays in place while on the road. Bungee cords are a great multi-use solution, though their flexibility means they may allow the items to shake a little. If you have a piece of furniture that needs to remain perfectly still, tie-down ratchet straps are a great way to hold larger items in place.

Once You’ve Purchased Your Moving Supplies

Now that you’ve got your moving supplies in hand, you’re ready to tackle anything that your next relocation could throw at you. If you’re relocating soon, we can help. Get a free quote now to see how we can make your upcoming move easy and stress free!