What Moving Supplies Will You Need?

Moving to a new home is a complex undertaking that will require you to accomplish a variety of different tasks both small and large. One of the first and most important steps of moving is gathering all the supplies you'll need to stay organized and simplify the packing and shipping processes.

Packing is often one of the most overwhelming aspects of moving. No matter how many belongings you own, it's difficult to get everything from one home to another in an organized and stress-free fashion. The good news? The more prepared you are with the right supplies for the job, the easier packing and moving will be overall. With that in mind, read on for a breakdown of the moving supplies you should stock up on. 

A moving calculator can help you determine how many boxes to buy based on the size of your home.

Moving Supplies Checklist

As soon as you can after deciding to move, begin stocking up on these essential moving supplies:

Packing Basics
Whether you're moving out of a studio apartment or a four-bedroom home, there are some items everyone will need during a move. These include:

• Boxes
• Packing tape
• A tape dispenser
• A utility knife
• Packing paper
• Plastic or shrink wrap
• Markers
• Plastic baggies - quart- and gallon-sized bags for holding small items and accessories

Cushioning Materials
Packing paper is one of the best cushioning materials because it's inexpensive, effective and won't stain your dishes or valuables. However, there are other cushioning materials you may want to use to safeguard your belongings, including: 

• Bubble wrap
• Packing peanuts
• Inflatable bags
• Newspaper

Labeling Materials

During your move, it's vital to stay as organized as possible. You'll want to develop a packing and labeling system that ensures you know where all of your belongings are at all times. This is important in case you need to find something that's already been packed, but it's also useful for easing the unpacking process. Here are some labeling supplies you may want to pick up depending on your organizational scheme:

• Permanent markers in different colors
• Duct tape in different colors
• Labels
• A small notebook
• Pens

Furniture-Moving Necessities
If you're planning on shipping furniture, whether to a storage unit or to the new home, you'll need certain materials to keep your pieces safe. These include:

• Mattress and box-spring bags
• Furniture pads and blankets
• Upholstery covers
• Rope or bungee cords
• A dolly

Tools
You'll need a variety of tools throughout your entire move from beginning to end. These will help you disassemble and reassemble furniture, take down decorations and fixtures, and perform many other necessary tasks. Keep a tool set handy at all times, with at least these basic items:

• A hammer 
• A power drill with drill bits
• An Allen key
• A tape measure
• Nails and screws

Choosing Different Types of Boxes

If there's one thing you know you need when moving, it's boxes. However, they come in a variety of shapes, sizes and functions, so you'll want to set yourself up with the right boxes for your needs. The following is a guide to the different types of moving boxes you may want to consider purchasing.

Standard Small, Medium, Large and X-Large Boxes
The majority of the boxes you'll need for your move will be standard versions in different sizes. These can help you pack up the belongings in almost every room and storage closet of your home, from your bathroom necessities to your cookware. In general, it's best to pack your heaviest belongings in smaller boxes, while placing lighter belongings like pillows in the larger ones. This will ensure each box is a manageable size and weight to carry from house to truck.

Reinforced Boxes

Select a few reinforced or heavyweight boxes to pack breakable items, including your dishes and glassware. Reinforced boxes are also a good idea for valuables, expensive artwork and anything else you want to keep as safe as possible in the back of the truck.

Wardrobe Boxes
Many people prefer to pack their closets into wardrobe boxes because it's such a simple way to move hanging clothing and hangers. Buy one or two wardrobe boxes for your own closet, and add more if you have children, roommates, a spouse or a coat closet with a lot of hanging items. 

Flat Boxes
Flat boxes are most often used to protect mirrors, wall hangings and large picture frames during the move. Walk through your home room by room and tally how many of these items you'll need flat boxes for.

Specialty Boxes
You may need a specialty box or two for large flat-screen televisions or other oddly shaped items. 

How to Calculate How Many Boxes and Other Supplies You Need

One of the more difficult parts of purchasing moving supplies is determining exactly how many boxes, rolls of packing tape and other pieces of equipment you'll need. Remember, you can always buy more if you notice yourself running out, so try not to overstress about this. However, there are a few simple ways you can gain a better understanding.

One way is to use a free online moving calculator. With these, you can simply input how many rooms are in your home, how many people live there and a few other details, and the calculator will estimate the number of boxes you'll need to buy. This information will give you a big-picture feel for how many supplies you should purchase. 

You can also ask the moving company you hired for advice. Moving professionals offer a variety of optional services, one of which is packing and unpacking. The people who work at the company you've chosen should be able to make an educated guess given the size of your home and the number of your belongings. If someone from the company has already visited your home to give you an estimate, he or she may even have an inventory list you can use as a guideline.

Finally, some stores also sell moving kits, which include an assortment of different types of boxes and supplies. You can start by purchasing one of these kits, then fill in with more specific types and sizes of boxes as you continue to pack more of your belongings.

Determining What Your Moving Company Will Provide

If you've hired a moving company to help you with your transition, it's possible your movers will provide some of these necessary supplies as part of your quoted estimate. For example, many movers keep dollies, furniture covers and blankets, carpet and floor protectors, and lifts that can help them carry large or awkwardly shaped items into the truck. 

Even if your movers only provide some of these supplies, they'll often offer others for rental. For example, for a small extra charge, you may be able to use a rental dolly or extra furniture blankets for the day. Call your moving company to determine exactly what supplies are included in your move.

How to Find Free Moving Supplies

Boxes and other moving supplies are a large chunk of your moving budget - if you're trying to pack a four-bedroom or larger house, you could end up paying upward of $500 for supplies alone. However, there are some more budget-friendly ways to stock up on the items you need. Read on for a couple of simple ways to save money on moving supplies.

Check With Local Stores
When stores receive shipments, they have tons of empty cardboard boxes that they're sometimes willing to give away for free to those who need them. Call some of the stores in your neighborhood a couple of weeks before you need boxes. Typically, they'll either take down your name and hold an array of boxes for you, or they'll let you know what days and times they're going to be receiving shipments so you can stop by before the boxes are recycled. The following stores are often happy to give away sturdy empty boxes:

• Grocery stores
• Liquor stores
• Book stores
• Fast food restaurants

Ask Your Neighbors
If you're moving in or out of an apartment building, others have likely recently moved in as well. Talk to your building manager, doorman or neighbors who you know have recently moved to see if there are any available boxes they can save for you.