How to Use Packing Paper for Moving

May 8, 2022 / Posted in How-to
Maya Brown

Born in Atlanta, Maya has called many places home in her lifetime. She's a content writer and moving expert who loves to help people relocate smoothly.

When it comes to boxing up your belongings and protecting them for the move, one of the most important things to supply yourself with is packing paper for moving. In this article, we will go through some of the most common uses of wrapping paper for moving, so keep these pieces of advice in mind next time you are relocating.

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This article will inform you about some of the most important hacks for protecting your belongings when relocating

What Is Packing Paper for Moving And Why You Need to Use It?

When packing for cross-country moving, wrapping paper is one of the most necessary things you will need to have to safely wrap up your belongings to protect them for delivery. When getting organized to move, be sure you are supplied with this material, so everything arrives at your future home safe and intact.

The best thing about this material is that it is lightweight and does not take up too much space in the boxes. Plus, it’s eco-friendly since it can be easily recycled. It is also easily accessible and not too expensive. And in this article, we will share with you all the important information on this product that you are going to need next time you relocate.

In 2022, global production of packaging paper and paperboard hit an impressive 265 million metric tons, a significant increase from the 24 million metric tons produced in 1961.

This massive growth just shows the rising demand for packaging materials over the decades, making packing paper an essential tool for anyone preparing for a move today.

The US is the world's second-largest manufacturer of packing paper

There Are Plenty of Ways That You Can Apply Packing Tissue Paper

You have realized so far that this material is mostly used for protection purposes. However, it can be used in many different ways, and there are plenty of relocating hacks that include this product. If you are preparing for a move, ensure you have plenty of packaging materials for relocating, and remember these relocating tips when preparing your precious belongings for a safe and sound trip.

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Use It for Packing Delicate and Fragile Objects

When boxing up your belongings, you need to be sure that everything is safely packed and protected. Shipping can be turbulent, and you want to prevent any possible damage that your items could go through. The protecting part of the process must not be skipped, especially when you are boxing up fragile items and delicate goods such as.

You want to apply paper for packing dishes, plates, china, vases, and other similar items. You should apply it by placing one or two sheets of material underneath the fragile object and then folding the end, so they meet in the middle. Apply duct tape to secure it, and then place it in the container. When boxing up a glass, wrapping paper is your best choice.

You should roll the material around the surface of the glasses and fold the excess into the object. You can double the material if you are working with some more expensive objects.

Crumble the Paper Sheets to Fill up the Empty Space in Each Container

After you have wrapped up each object with the different packaging materials and safely taped them, you should begin the process of boxing them up. When placing each wrapped object into the container, you probably won’t be able to fill up the entire space. If there is some extra space left in the boxes, your object can tumble inside and possibly get damaged.

What can you do to prevent this? After loading each box, fill in the extra space between the objects with some crumbled-up sheets. This will lock them up in one spot, and they will not be able to move so much inside. The less tumbling there is, the less chance they will have to break.

Box filled with padding materials for cross country moving
Crumpled-up papers are great for padding up containers and giving extra protection.

Where to Buy Packing Paper for Moving?

One of the most important tasks on your relocation to-do list should be purchasing packaging material. You have already read about how important it is and how to apply it, but there is one question that might be popping up in your mind and that is “Where can I buy packing paper?” There are plenty of various places that sell these materials. Some of them are:

  • Supply shops,
  • Retail shops (Walmart or Target)
  • Online shops (such as Amazon),
  • Relocating companies.

In case you are hiring a long-distance moving company such as Flat Price Auto Transport and Moving, and booking packing services, they will provide you with high-quality supplies, and you won’t need to purchase any on your own. If you are boxing up on your own but do not feel like going shopping, or you don’t want to access stores, you can always order them online. Ensure you finish this task on time. Think about how long it will take to pack up your entire house and order the supplies according to that. The sooner, the better.

How to Know How Many Supplies You Are Going to Be Needing?

Another issue you might be confused about is how much material you should get to wrap up all your goods and protect each item you plan on boxing up. We advise you to start by writing down a move-out list. In this list, write down all of the things you plan on boxing up and bringing into your future home. You won’t need to pack up everything. Think about what stuff you should keep and which you shouldn’t.

Think about which items you don’t need and which unwanted stuff you can donate. Also, be careful not to pack stuff cross country movers won’t move. Depending on the list of things you are relocating to a new home, decide how many materials and supplies you should purchase. It’s always better to have more material and leave some for the next time than to run out of material in the middle of the process.

Woman writing a checklist for cross country moving
Before you start ordering supplies, be sure you know approximately how many items you are going to be relocating

Is It Possible to Get Some Packaging Products for Free?

Let’s say you have decided to move out of state on a budget, and you don’t feel like spending too much money on purchasing new supplies and materials for packaging. The prices of the material vary, but it can go anywhere between $10 and $40, which isn’t necessarily too expensive. But, for people relocating on a budget can be quite an expense. Plus, if you save money on materials, you can invest in things like an auto transport company and shipping your vehicle.

Luckily, there are more than a few ways that you can get these supplies for free. You can ask certain retailers if they have any second-hand materials to supply you with. Also, consider asking friends, family, or coworkers that have been relocating before and maybe still have some unused materials lying around their house. You can also search online if someone is giving away their packaging materials for free. Try using the Craigslist website for this.

It’s always the best option to get unused wrap materials for an efficient move, but in case you have to get the ones for free, pay attention to their quality. You should ensure that they are safe for usage, meaning they are undamaged, sturdy, and clean. If they don’t have these qualities, they won’t be able to fulfill their protective purpose.

Is There Any Alternative Product You Can Get as a Substitute?

Packaging papers are great material for protection, but sometimes you may feel like you would prefer to try out some different alternatives to it. Maybe you have to move in the rain, and you want to have something more waterproof, for instance. One of the best alternatives for papers is bubble wrap and bubble rolls, which are plastic materials and are waterproof.

Even though it is a great substitute, it has its cons. Some of them are its price and the fact that it is not very compact and usually uses up way too much space. Other alternatives you could try out for this purpose are foam papers, newspapers, peanuts for packaging, and stretch wrap. All of them can be found in the supply store and can help you pack efficiently. Of course, you can apply some of them or even all of them for maximum protection.

You Can Also Apply Household Items to Protecting Stuff When Moving

There are certain useful products you probably already have in your household. For example, towels can be a great protective barrier. Plus, they will help you save up a lot of space. You can also apply clothes and similar cotton materials to wrap up certain frail stuff. Socks might not seem like the best option, but they are super useful for filling in the extra space in the boxes. This can help you save on relocating costs.

pile of blankets
Use rags, blankets and sheets for some of the packing

What Can You Do With All the Wrapping After You Have Unboxed Everything?

Once you arrive at your future house and you finish unpacking after the move, you will realize you have tons of packaging material. You just don’t know what to do with it. Should you store it or toss it in the trash? Our advice is to keep it since there are plenty of ways you can reuse this paper. Here are some of the ideas on how to reuse this packaging material:

  • Reuse it to stuff your shoes, purses, or hats, so they retain their original shape.
  • Reuse these sheets when gardening as a barrier against weeds.
  • Recycle the leftovers you do not want to reuse anymore.

Hire Long Distance Movers if You Don’t Feel Like Doing All the Work on Your Own

Relocations are super tiring and complex, and not everyone has the energy for it. If you are last-minute relocating or maybe you have kids, you will most certainly not be able to do all the work on your own. In these situations, we advise you to book long-distance moving services. Long-distance movers will do all the work for you, and they can provide you with packaging materials, so you don’t have to worry about anything.

Just be careful when choosing who is going to assist you, and be sure that the company you are hiring is a reputable relocating company. A reputable firm should have all the needed licenses, as well as good reviews on different websites. They should also be able to provide you with storage services, relocating insurance, and any other information you may need, as well.

Now You Can Pack Up and Get Ready to Go

If you have read this article carefully, you probably already have an idea of how to apply packaging materials, where to get packing paper, and what to do after you have used it. Whether you decide to book a full relocating service or just a car shipping company, keep these tips in mind. You are most definitely going to find them very useful once you decide to relocate to another house, town, or even state. When you’re ready to make your move, contact Flat Price Auto Transport and Moving for a stress-free, professional relocation experience.

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