Packing Tips
Packing tips? You’ve come to the right place.
Packing for a move can be overwhelming. Exactly, where do you begin? Right here!
If you pay close attention to our experts’ packing tips for moving, your job will be a whole lot easier—and more effective. Molloy can help even more, by packing as much (or as little) for you as you’d like.
Check out our Packing & Unpacking options for more details.
- As soon as you know you’re moving, get packing. Use clean, (unprinted) newsprint and professional packing tape (masking tape is not sturdy enough). Pack the items you use the least first. To make the move-in day go faster, list the contents and room on the outside of each box.
- Leave clothing on hangers and hang it in a wardrobe box. If you need to, you can order these and other packing supplies directly from Molloy.
- If possible, pack electronics in their original boxes. Or use sturdy boxes with protective materials like bubble wrap, newsprint, comforters, blankets, etc. Label the carton as “Fragile—Top Load.”
- Double-wrap china (up to three pieces) in clean newspaper and add some extra newspaper to the bottom and top of the box for cushioning. Smaller items should be packed last and placed on top. Mark the carton “Fragile—Top Load.”
- Lay books flat in the carton, alternating the spine and open side. Place a piece of paper between books so they don’t stick together.
- Wrap glasses separately with newspaper placed into the goblet and around the stem. Then, cushion each glass with additional paper and place it stem-side up in the box. Mark the carton “Fragile—Top Load.”
- For other delicate items—like statues and figurines—use bubble wrap, then wrap them again in clean paper. Don’t have bubble wrap? Use clean paper, but just be sure each item is adequately cushioned.
- Never pack flammable or other disallowed items including hazardous materials, perishables or items that are of personal or sentimental value. Refer to our Items Not to Pack list below for a complete breakdown.
- If you do have unopened, nonperishable food, consider making a donation to the local food pantry. We can help with that, too!
Items Not to Pack:
Hazardous Materials
- Aerosol cans
- Ammonia
- Ammunition
- Car batteries
- Charcoal/lighter fluid
- Chemistry sets
- Cleaning solvents
- Darkroom chemicals
- Fertilizer
- Fire extinguishers
- Fireworks
- Fuels/oils
- Household batteries
- Kerosene
- Liquid bleach
- Loaded guns
- Matches
- Nail polish
- Paint thinners
- Paints/varnishes
- Pesticides
- Poisons
- Pool chemicals
- Propane tanks
- Sterno fuel
- Weed killer
Perishables
- Food without adequate preservation
- Frozen food
- Open or half-used foods
- Plants
- Produce
- Refrigerated foods
Personal Importance/Sentimental Value
- Address books
- Airline tickets
- Birth Certificates
- Car titles
- Cash
- Cell phones
- Checkbooks
- Computer data files/backups
- Family photographs and albums
- Financial documents (e.g., stocks, bonds, CDs, IRAs, deeds, tax records, etc.)
- Home videos
- Insurance policies
- Jewelry and furs
- Keys (e.g., car, furniture, new home)
- Laptop computers or tablets
- Medical and dental records
- New home documents
- Passports
- Prescription medicines
- Professional files
- School records
