When you move to a new home, packing your household goods can feel overwhelming. It’s tempting to use your linens and clothing to pack your possessions, saving time and costs. However, for a smooth transition and to ensure your belongings arrive safely, it is essential to use proper packing materials. I’ll share a few reasons to avoid using your linens and clothing to pack your items and describe the packing materials the Out of Chaos team commonly uses.

Challenges with Inappropriate Packing Materials

Potential for Damage: Linens and clothing are not designed to protect your items. They can stretch and tear, subjecting your possessions to scratches and dents – ruining your furniture and clothes. Additionally, some fabrics can scratch delicate surfaces or stick to the items and leave fuzz or threads.

Hygiene Concerns: Clothing and linens may contain dirt, dust, body oils, or bacteria, which could transfer to your belongings. Would you drink from wine glasses knowing someone wrapped them in their socks? Eww! What if one of those wine glasses broke? You would have to throw the socks in the garbage because removing the shards of glass from them might be impossible.

Unpacking Challenges: Using linens and clothing to pack your household goods means you have sheets and towels mixed in with your kitchen and dining room items. It leads to frustration and potentially lost or misplaced items. It also might mean you have to unpack all your dishes before you can make the bed.

The Out of Chaos team uses proper packing materials, such as sturdy moving boxes, packing paper, bubble wrap, and foam packaging. These supplies are specifically designed to protect your belongings during a move.

Packing Paper

Packing paper is one of the least expensive packing materials. It provides layers of cushioning without adding excessive weight. We use it to wrap fragile items like glassware, ceramics, and dishes. We also use paper to fill empty spaces in boxes to prevent items from shifting. Packing paper is reusable and recyclable. It is also clean and ink-free, unlike old newspapers, which can stain your hands, clothes, and possessions.

Bubble Wrap

Bubble wrap is ideal for wrapping fragile items such as figurines, electronics, and artwork. We also use it to line the insides of boxes for additional protection because it offers excellent cushioning and shock absorption. However, because it is more expensive than packing paper, we tend to reserve its use for delicate items.

Check out our video to see how we use tissue paper, packing paper, and bubble wrap to protect fragile items for a move.

Foam Sheets and Inserts

Foam is one of the best packing materials for shock absorption. You can custom-fit stiff foam inserts (like Styrofoam) into boxes to add rigidity and prevent them from being crushed. Custom-crating companies often use Styrofoam as spacers to cushion items from the edges of the crates.

Soft foam is ideal for wrapping delicate items and filling gaps in boxes. You can easily cut and customize foam inserts to cushion electronics, artwork, and glassware. Pick-and-pack foam is a great option for creating a custom “cradle” for your items.

However, foam is much more expensive than paper and is not recyclable. Save this packing material for delicate household goods (e.g., Tiffany lamp) or sensitive equipment (e.g., microscope).

Packing Peanuts

Foam packing peanuts are a great low-cost option for filling empty spaces in moving boxes. They cushion items and prevent them from shifting during transit. Today, you can even get biodegradable peanuts, which reduce the environmental impact. However, if you are placing items into storage, choose the foam (non-recyclable) kind, as the biodegradable options may attract pests.

Moving Blankets

Moving blankets (also called furniture pads) protect large items like furniture and appliances from scratches and damage during the move. Movers also use them to wrap oddly shaped items that don’t fit into moving boxes (e.g., stepladders, surfboards, etc.). They are thick and durable and can withstand multiple moves.

Unfortunately, moving blankets retain heat and moisture, which can be detrimental to furniture during storage. Moving blankets might not be a great choice if you move overseas because returning them to the moving company is not cost-effective.

Paper Pads

Paper pads are made by sandwiching layers of packing paper between sheets of kraft paper. They are quite large and act like disposable moving blankets—except they don’t retain heat and moisture. This makes them ideal for long-term storage and overseas moves. At Out of Chaos, we use these packing materials to protect and cushion larger items such as picture frames, mirrors, furniture, and appliances.

Corner Guards

These protect the corners of picture frames and mirrors from dents and chips. You can fold pre-cut cardboard corner guards into various thicknesses to accommodate the size of the frames. Foam corner protectors are an excellent investment for protecting furniture and electronics during household moves.

Choosing suitable packing materials is essential to ensure that your possessions are well-protected from one home to the next. They safeguard your items and provide peace of mind.

If thinking about your household move feels overwhelming, don’t worry! The Out of Chaos team is available to assist you every step of the way. From providing top-notch packing materials to expertly packing your belongings, we ensure a seamless and stress-free moving experience.

Contact us today to schedule a consultation and discover how we can make your move easier and more efficient. Let us handle the logistics so you can focus on enjoying your new home.