When it comes to moving across the country, there are many things to think about, but the most important one is the safety of your belongings. Using packing paper for moving will not only protect your possessions, but it will also be good for your budget. Whether you are DIYing the whole thing or hiring a long-distance moving company to do it for you, papers will be an unavoidable supply.
Before you start boxing everything up, get to know all the benefits of this material. To help you speed up the process, we answered the questions like, Where can I get free packing paper?, What can I use instead of packing paper?, and Does Walmart sell packing paper?
Why Do You Need Packing Paper for Moving
No matter if you are moving cross country or just within the same zip code, your relocation will require some planning. To avoid moving stress, you should create a to-do list with all the tasks that need to be done during the relocation process.
One of the essential moving tips is to get a lot of materials that will protect your belongings during the trip. Start with packing or wrapping paper because it fits a variety of requirements. The material, also known as newsprint, is clean and unmarked, making it ideal for the protection of breakable objects like dishes, glasses, and plates. It is not only easy to squish, making it adaptable to a variety of different spaces, but it is also environmentally friendly because it is recyclable. Besides that, it is really budget-friendly and available in many stores.
How Much Wrapping Paper for Moving Do You Actually Need
When creating a moving expenses checklist, make sure you figure out the number of supplies you need before you write them down as one of the necessary costs. First things first, there are around 20 sheets of newsprint per pound, but just how many pounds will you need to wrap everything in your home? That will depend on the size and the number of small objects you have, for example:
- Buying 10 pounds means you will have around 200 sheets, and those will be great for a studio or one-bedroom flat.
- With 25 pounds, you will be able to box up a multiple room house or an extensive dish collection
- Getting 50 pounds of newsprint will allow you to take care of many fragile objects from your large home
- While 100 pounds are perfect for those people relocating six or more bedroom properties.
When you go through all of your belongings and see just how many fragile or small objects you own, all that’s left is to go online and order materials.
Where to Buy Packing Paper for Moving
We are living in a day and age where you can get anything online, and supplies are not the exception. If you are wondering “where can I buy packing paper” without actually going out, check out sites like Amazon or HomeDepot. Just pick the sizes and wait for the materials to be delivered to you.
Furthermore, if you still haven’t shipped your car to the new destination, you can drive to Walmart and get all kinds of sheets or rolls and any other supply you may need. Keep in mind that sometimes you won’t have the time to do these tasks, so ask your long-distance movers if they can provide you with all the products you need.
Are There Packing Sheets of Different Sizes
When getting materials, know that they come in different shapes, thickness, and sizes. Selecting the right one will make the whole boxing up process that much easier. Sheets come in various dimensions like 27″ x 17″ or 33″ x 21″, while rolls can be 17.75” x 100’ and even 17.75″ x 1200″. The sizes you choose will depend on the dimensions of your items. Furthermore, when it comes to thickness, keep in mind that thick materials are not always the best, since they are harder to squish and wrap around the objects. For example, packing tissue paper is thin, but you will probably need it if you are packing books. Also, if you are covering paintings and other art pieces, get packing wrapping paper because it’s acid-free, and it won’t damage your valuables.
Where to Get Packing Paper and Other Supplies for Free
When you are looking for the cheapest way to move out of state, consider getting materials on your own and, if possible, for free. Knowing the answer to the question where can I get free packing paper will lower your overall interstate moving costs and keep you from going over the budget. There are many ways you can get a variety of packing materials for moving without spending any cash:
- Craigslist – one of the best websites to get stuff. Go online and check listings in your vicinity until you get enough supplies. You will be able to collect all kinds of materials here, just make sure you check pictures and ensure those are the things you need.
- Facebook Marketplace – is another web place where folks post used stuff they don’t need. For the most part, this is where people want to get rid of their extra materials, and that’s why they are giving them away.
- OfferUp – is a mobile app similar to the website Craigslist. It is very easy to navigate, and it will help you find all the materials you need for the relocation. Additionally, this is where you can offer up some of your belongings that you no longer need effectively earning some money by selling extra stuff.
- Letgo – is also an app where many people post the things they don’t need especially stuff you might need for the relocation.
- Store – take some time to walk around the neighborhood and check furniture, department, liquor, or electronic store. They are some of the best places to obtain free moving boxes, but they also might have the newspaper and other materials.
- Friends and family – call up your loved ones and ask if they have some extra materials around the house. Furthermore, when they bring you the materials, you can organize a moving away party and properly say goodbye to your loved ones.
Utilize all of these, and it will be easy to find everything you need to box up your belongings without a fuss. If you run out of the materials, contact your cross country moving company and ask if their crew can help you.
How to Use Paper for Packing Dishes and Other Breakables
It is time to get to business. Plates and mugs might not be the most commonly forgotten items, but surely are the most commonly broken during the shipping. However, there is a way you can protect your favorite coffee mug from being chipped or cracked when you are changing homes.
Start by filling the mug with squished papers and then wrap some around the object. Carefully put it in the padded crate next to other packed things and put another layer of padding on top before sealing the top.
The next to come are plates. You can wrap them one by one or two by two. When you make a pile, put it carefully in the crate, and cushion the sides. You can do this with papers or other materials you obtained like peanuts or bubble wrap. If you want to box up bowls, the procedure is almost the same, but the bow in the middle of the sheet, fold the edges inside. When you are done, put bowls on top of the plates if there is any space left in boxes.
Good Glass Wrapping Paper Will Protect Your Fragile Items
Glasses, especially those with long and thin stems, are easily breakable. To avoid having to go shopping as soon as you unpack, wrap them in thin sheets. This way, your glasses will be safe from scratches, and when you put padding inside them, you will add a layer of protection. Combine materials, and you will ensure that your glasses arrive at the designated location intact, and you can use them to make friends in the new city while drinking wine.
What Products Can You Use Instead of Paper to Protect a Delicate Item
When you are protecting and moving furniture, you won’t be as worried as when handling breakables. Sometimes, even if you got papers and other materials, you might run out, don’t despair. There is a simple answer to the question what can I use instead of packing paper? More than a few items around your home that can do the trick and protect your fragile things:
- Sweaters – when you figure out where to donate clothes, you will be left with the things you want to bring with you. Take advantage of that and grab a few sweaters, and pad the box’s bottom before putting in fragile objects. Also, sweaters can be used to bundle smaller objects like mugs and plates.
- Pillows – are excellent for padding. They will keep your things in one place, just put them on top before closing boxes.
- Towels – are great for bundling things like plates. Towels will make sure your belongings don’t crack or chip during the shipping process.
- Scarves – can be bundled and put inside of glasses and around them, reinforcing and protecting them during the transport.
All of these substitutes are a quick fix if you are on a deadline to get everything in crates. However, if you have some sentimental or valuable things that you want to protect, consider hiring a long-distance moving company to handle them. They will prepare the objects for the shipping but also make sure they can stay in boxes for a while if you opt for putting them in the storage.
Additional Tip for Using Wrapping Paper for Moving
Are you hiring cross country movers, or are you tackling relocation on your own? If you opted for state-to-state movers, they would be able to provide you with long-distance moving services, but also with an insurance policy that will put your mind at ease. However, if you choose to tackle the interstate moving process on your own, try to apply as many useful packing tips as possible because they will make the relocation easier and smoother.
To avoid using up all the materials, declutter before you start putting everything in crates. Start with all the extra stuff you have, donate furniture and breakables you don’t need, or have a garage sale. The fewer objects you have, the fewer materials you will spend overall on the packaging. Decluttering is also an excellent way to lower costs when moving state to state with professionals’ help. While throwing away things, call the professionals and ask them what items movers won’t move so that you can get rid of those as well.
Also, one of the basic moving hacks that will keep your delicate safe is to use duct tape to secure bundled belongings. This way, the tape will keep everything together, preventing unwrapping and potential damage.
When protecting and wrapping artwork, avoid using newspapers because the print is rarely high quality and can smudge all over your precious belongings. Instead, get acid-free tissues to enwrap your paintings, mirrors, and photos.
No matter if you are moving across the country or hiring local movers to help you transport your stuff to a new home, the important thing is that your things are protected during the relocation process. This is where materials like papers, bubbles, and crates are indispensable.