Packing

Whether it's fragile dishes or a full household, good packing makes for a good move. Browse our room-by-room guides, protective tips, and expert techniques to keep everything safe on the way to your new home.

Recent Articles

An artist carefully packing brushes, paints, canvases, and art tools into protective boxes for a move

How to Pack Art Supplies for Moving

Packing

Packing an art studio can feel more complicated than packing the rest of the house. Instead of neatly shaped household items, you may be dealing with paints, delicate brushes, unfinished work, fragile ceramics, and... Read More

Mover packing a cardboard box during a move

How Long Does Professional Packing Take?

Packing

Professional packing can take anywhere from 2 hours for a small apartment to a full day or more for a larger home. The actual timeline depends on how much you own and how prepared you are when the crew arrives. In... Read More

Stack of cardboard moving boxes with bubble wrap and packing tape

Do Packers Bring Their Own Boxes and Supplies?

Packing

Packers do not always bring their own boxes, including when you book labor-only packing help directly or through HireAHelper. What supplies they bring depends on the type of packing service you choose. With... Read More

Toiletries and props arranged on a bathroom washbasin

How To Pack Bathroom Items for Moving

Packing

The bathroom can be tricky to pack. It’s one of the last rooms you get to because you use it regularly, and it’s filled with items that can break or spill, but there are techniques to make this area easier to move.... Read More

Woman keeping boots in a cardboard box at home

How to Pack Shoes for Moving: A Step-by-Step Guide (2026)

Packing

You might think shoes are easier to pack than glassware or your TV, but if you just throw them into a large bag without following the proper steps, you might end up with scuffed leather, bent heels, or a moldy pair... Read More

Patio furniture cleaned and wrapped for moving

How To Pack Patio Furniture for Moving

Packing

Patio furniture tends to be heavy, collect dirt from outside, and have irregular shapes that don’t fit well in standard boxes. But packing them for a move isn’t impossible with the right process. If you clean each... Read More

Cupped hands holding a colorful mix of AA, AAA, and button cell batteries

How to Pack Batteries Safely for a Move

Packing

Batteries require extra care when moving because if they’re simply tossed in a box with other items, they could easily cause a fire. If they touch coins, keys, or other metal, they can trigger a short circuit. If... Read More

Couple with back and neck pain after lifting boxes during a move

How To Properly Take Care of Your Back While You Pack

Packing

It’s pretty inescapable that moving is physically demanding. It can involve hours of repetitive lifting and carrying, and can easily result in lower back pain if you don’t take the proper precautions. In fact,... Read More

Packing supplies such as moving blankets, tape, cardboard boxes, and more

How Much Packing Supplies Do I Need? The Ultimate Moving Supplies List

Packing

If you have ever tried to guess how many boxes it takes to pack up your entire home, you are not alone. Most people discover they need far more than they expected, usually somewhere in the range of 60 to 100 boxes,... Read More

Movers packing

The Most Damaged Items During a Long Distance Move & How to Pack Them

Packing

You made the decision to move, and now you're getting ready to get everything you love safely to your new home (once you’ve decluttered, that is).

You're most likely not worried about random knick-knacks or a $2... Read More

An arial shot of people packing clothing into various moving boxes

How to Pack Clothes for Moving: Expert Tips

Packing

You might think that clothing is the easiest thing to move. Thankfully, in many cases, you’d be right. Most clothing items are highly forgiving and are unlikely to be damaged, but some can be ruined by folding or... Read More

Two professional piano movers carefully wheeling an upright piano on a piano dolly down a hallway

How To Move a Piano: The Ultimate Guide

Packing

Figuring out how to move a piano is much more of a challenge than a loveseat or couch. They’re awkward, back-breaking, and definitely not something you want to muscle through without a plan. Even a small upright... Read More

A set of kitchen knives being carefully wrapped in protective sleeves before packing for a move

How Do I Pack Knives Safely?

Packing

Knives are small compared to your sofa or coffee table, but when it comes to packing for a move, they deserve extra attention. They're sharp, dangerous, and potentially fragile.

But avoiding the risk of injury or... Read More

an image of a torn black couch with someone's hand prodding at the damage

30 Tips to Prevent Furniture Damage While Moving (and Protect Everything Else, Too)

Packing

One of the biggest anxieties when it comes to moving is the worry that your precious furniture will be damaged in transit. And it’s a reasonable fear! Furniture is expensive, and if you have antiques or family... Read More

Detail of an antique wooden furniture piece

How to Move Antique Furniture Without Damaging It

Packing

Moving antique pieces yourself can be a great way to save money, but older items tend to be more fragile than modern furniture, so they require special handling. To move antique furniture, you’ll need to remove... Read More

A person disassembling a sofa with a furniture wrench before a move

How to Disassemble Furniture for a Move

Packing

Staring at a massive sectional or a solid bed frame can make anyone feel stuck before the move even starts. But taking apart bulky furniture makes transport easier, lowers the risk of damage, and helps it fit... Read More

A wooden swing set on a green lawn in a fenced backyard

How to Move a Swing Set

Packing

Swingsets don't seem as easy to move as other furniture, and you might assume that you'd have to disassemble them into a pile of hardware and parts. However, you can lift and carry small, lightweight sets or roll... Read More

a woman walking out of a greenhouse carrying a bunch of flowers

How To Move a Greenhouse to a New Home

Packing

Figuring out how to move a greenhouse is no small task — the delicate panels and bulky frame require careful handling. However, if you approach the process with a plan, prepare your site and foundation in advance,... Read More

Curtains being carefully folded and placed in a moving box with tissue paper to prevent wrinkles

How To Pack Curtains for Moving

Packing

When you're learning how to pack linens for moving, you might be surprised at how much space your curtains take up — and how delicate they can be. To prevent wrinkles and protect expensive fabrics, you can pack... Read More