Using Items You Already Own as Packing Materials: A Simple Guide

Moving is not cheap. The cost of hiring a moving company, making security deposits, and setting up utilities at a new home can really add up. There is one way, however, to save money on your move without putting in too much effort. Instead of spending a small fortune on boxes, totes, tape, and bubble wrap, why not use the items you already have around your home as packing materials? With the tips below, you should be able to get most things packed up without spending a dime. 

Wrap fragile items in towels and sheets.

Items like ceramic mugs and glass picture frames need to be protected in some way so they don't break if the box they're in gets jostled or dropped. A good way to protect them is to wrap them in blankets, linens, and washcloths. You can probably roll a few mugs or dishes up in each towel. Stuff small washcloths or dishcloths into glasses for extra protection.

Tie boxes closed with strings.

If you already have tape around your home, then by all means, use it. But if you would have to buy tape, you can easily go without as long as you have some string. Fold the tops of boxes over-under style so they pretty much stay closed on their own. Then, tie two pieces of string around the box – in a direction perpendicular to one another – for a little extra support.

Pack things in empty drawers and appliances.

You may not have quite enough boxes in your home to pack up everything you own, but you can come by plenty of them for free by visiting local grocery and drugstores.  You'll need a lot fewer boxes if you first take advantage of space in dressers, nightstands, and even refrigerators. Make sure everything you own is packed full of items before it goes into the moving truck. Make a list of what you've put where so that you can easily find things when the time comes to unpack.

Fill boxes with ziplock bags.

It's not a good idea to leave empty space in boxes, since this will allow items to shift around and become damaged. Instead of using bubble wrap or packing peanuts to fill in these gaps, fill some ziplock bags with air and shove them into the empty spaces in boxes. They'll provide plenty of low-cost padding.

Follow the suggestions above and click here to read more about packing and moving services.