Moving is rarely an easy endeavor. And regardless of how much or how little you need to move, not having the right moving supplies will make things all the more difficult. No one wants to get halfway through their move and suddenly realize they don’t have the things they need to finish the job.
To help you prevent that, we’ve created a complete moving supplies list to help you get from A to B as easily as possible. We’ve separated our list into three main categories:
Packing Supplies
Furniture Supplies
Useful Extras
We recommend reading through our list carefully before buying your moving supplies so that you don’t have to make multiple trips. We also have some helpful packing tips that you might find useful.
Packing Supplies
Boxes: Everyone needs boxes when they move. We recommend getting a variety of sizes ranging from small to large. Small boxes are good for heavy items like books, medium boxes are great for dishes and kitchenware, and large boxes are great for pillows, blankets, and other light-yet-bulky items.
Protective Wrap: If you put everything in boxes with no protection, there’s a good chance your stuff won’t come out of the boxes looking the same way it went in. We recommend buying both foam wrap sheets for smaller items and bubble wrap for larger, oddly-shaped items.
Labeling Materials: Always label your boxes! We can’t stress enough how much easier your move will be if you take the time to label everything beforehand. If you want to get fancy, use purpose-made moving labels. If that’s not your style, write directly on your boxes with a sharpie or marker of some kind.
Packing Tape: Those boxes aren’t going to close themselves, right? While it may seem like a trivial detail, you tend to get what you pay for with packing tape. We recommend spending a few dollars more on quality tape because cheap tape is often too thin to use easily and doesn’t have great sticking power.
Furniture Moving Supplies
Furniture Pads: Unless you’re really into the weathered and rustic look, we recommend getting some furniture pads to protect your furniture from dents, dings, and scratches during your move. Most people typically rent furniture pads rather than buying them, and this is what we suggest as well unless you plan on moving frequently.
Furniture Covers: Furniture covers are less about protection and more about keeping important pieces clean during your move. For example, you may want to use furniture covers for your sofas and mattresses to protect them from dust and dirt. If you have a lot of white-colored furniture, you should definitely take the time to ensure it’s covered before moving.
Dollies & Hand Trucks: Unless you’ve got a bunch of NFL players helping you load furniture, you’re probably going to need these tools. Dollies and hand trucks can be rented inexpensively, and in some cases (like here at GoldKey Storage) you may be able to use them free of charge.
Stretch Wrap: Plastic stretch wrap is handy for protecting smaller pieces of furniture and wrapping things like dressers so the drawers don’t come out during your move.
Useful Extras
Tool Kit: There will inevitably be something that you need to unhook, unscrew, or otherwise dismantle (or assemble) during your move. Having a basic tool kit makes this chore a lot easier. Make sure your toolkit has a variety of wrenches, screwdrivers, sockets, and other common small tools.
Cargo Straps: Cargo straps (or just basic rope) are invaluable when trying to secure larger boxes and furniture to your the panels in your moving truck.
Garbage Bags: Keep plenty of garbage bags on hand for all the debris and other garbage that comes from moving. They’re also handy in a pinch as a makeshift furniture cover.
Buckets: If you’re a renter, you’re going to need to scrub your place out thoroughly if you want that security deposit back. Having a couple buckets makes the whole process a lot easier.
Gloves: Heavy boxes plus furniture plus moving all equals a high chance of injuring your hand. Do yourself a favor and get some quality work gloves to protect your fingers. Moving is hard enough as it is, moving with only one good hand is a whole lot harder.
Stay Organized
Even if you have everything we’ve listed on our moving supplies list, that’s only half the battle. The best way to make your move an easy and smooth process is to stay organized at all times. Take your time, be methodical, and create a system that works for you.
And again… Always label your boxes.