Packing is where most moves either come together or fall apart. The right supplies and everything arrive intact. Whatever happens to be lying around, grocery store boxes, old newspaper, and never quite enough tape, and move day turns into a damage report.
An affordable moving company that has spent decades doing this will tell you the same thing: the supplies matter more than people expect, and getting them right costs a fraction of what it takes to replace what breaks because you cut corners. Here is what you actually need, how much of it, and where to find it without overpaying.
Start With the Right Boxes, Not Just Any Box
Free boxes from grocery stores are tempting and structurally unreliable. A box designed to hold cereal won’t hold up with 60 pounds of books inside. For anything you actually care about, use new corrugated moving boxes in standard sizes.
Small boxes handle books, canned goods, and other heavy items. You will burn through more of these than you expect. Medium boxes are the workhorse and handle the bulk of what comes out of a kitchen, a home office, or a garage. Large boxes are for bulky but lightweight items only: bedding, pillows, lampshades. Load a large box with heavy items, and you will find out the hard way why that is a bad idea. Wardrobe boxes save time for anything hanging since folding suits and dress clothes to repack later is a project nobody wants on move day.
Packing Paper Versus Bubble Wrap: Which Do You Actually Need?
Both, but for different jobs. Packing paper is printed newsprint used for wrapping dishes, filling empty space in boxes, and protecting surfaces that do not need serious cushioning. It is cheap and goes fast.
Bubble wrap is for items with hard, fragile surfaces, such as glassware, ceramics, framed photos, and small electronics. Packing paper is not a substitute here. The cushioning is not the same, and something will crack to prove it. One thing worth skipping entirely: newspaper from the recycling bin. The ink transfers and stains surfaces. Use unprinted paper for anything you want to keep clean.
Stretch Wrap for Furniture and Appliances
Stretch wrap does not get enough credit in a self-pack move. It protects furniture surfaces from scratches during loading, keeps drawers and doors from flying open in the truck, and holds moving blankets in place on upholstered pieces without leaving tape residue behind.
Wrap table legs, dresser surfaces, and appliance exteriors before loading them onto the truck. A standard roll goes a long way and peels off cleanly at the destination.
What Else to Have on Hand Before the Crew Arrives
Heavy-duty packing tape with a dispenser is non-negotiable. Every seam on every box, including the bottom, needs to be taped, and a tape gun makes it fast rather than frustrating. Permanent markers in two colors work well: one for room labels and one for fragile markings. Label the sides of boxes, not the tops, since you will be stacking them and the top label will face the wall.
Keep a box cutter in your personal bag for unpacking at the destination. Mattress bags are inexpensive and keep mattresses clean throughout the process. Furniture sliders are worth having if you are moving heavy pieces across carpet without help.
How Much Packing Material Do You Actually Need?
Most people underestimate by about 30 percent. For a one-bedroom apartment, plan on 20 to 30 small and medium boxes, 1 or 2 large boxes, 1 ream of packing paper, and 1 roll of bubble wrap. A two-bedroom home needs roughly 40 to 60 boxes, 2 reams of packing paper, and 2 to 3 rolls of bubble wrap. A three-bedroom home with a full kitchen and garage can run 60 to 80 boxes, three reams of packing paper, and up to four rolls of bubble wrap.
Buy more than you think you need. Leftover boxes break down flat for recycling or can be passed along through local community groups.
Where to Buy Packing Supplies in and Around Tustin
Home Depot and Lowe’s carry standard moving boxes and tape year-round at reasonable prices. U-Haul locations sell supplies without a truck rental and stock specialty boxes, such as wardrobe, dish pack, and picture frame boxes, that home improvement stores may not always carry. Shipping supply companies are worth checking for volume orders, as their pricing is usually better per unit for larger quantities.
For free boxes, Buy Nothing groups and Craigslist free listings are worth checking before you spend anything. Liquor store boxes are structurally sound for non-fragile items since they are built to hold weight. Check them for moisture and pests before using. Packing supplies are also available directly from Maison Moving. Ask when you call for a quote, and it removes one errand from your pre-move list.
When to Let Us Handle the Packing Instead
If a close of escrow or a lease end is driving your timeline, packing yourself can become the bottleneck that slows everything else. The crew can pack the full home or office before loading starts, using the right materials for each item type. Partial packing is also an option for anyone who wants to handle most of it but has a room full of fragile pieces they would rather not risk.
Maison Moving has been handling local moves in Orange County for over 40 years. When packing is done right from the start, move day is faster, and the unpacking at the other end is considerably less chaotic.
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