Packing Paper for Moving and Where to Find It

When preparing for a relocation, it’s necessary to gather all the essential materials needed to protect your belongings. Packing paper for moving is one of the first things you’ll need to safely wrap up fragile objects. Check our detailed guide on everything you need to know about the material and the process in the guide below.

Easily accessible to many people, you can buy it at many retailers, online, or from a moving company. It comes in bundles, and most importantly, it’s not very expensive, depending on the quantities you need. Furthermore, if you want to save some money on supplies, it has many alternatives you can use.

Paper is One of the Most Commonly Used Materials for Packing Items

Paper is one of the most important moving essentials. Coming in large bundles, and it’s used to pack many different things. It’s used by everyone, from an average person to a professional cross country moving company. Most of the time, it’s the only material you’ll need to protect your belongings. It’s lightweight and takes up less space, allowing you to fill the boxes with more stuff. The best part about it is that it’s easily recyclable.

Get a Good Paper Product

Besides the regular packing paper, you can also get a newsprint, but remember that it can sometimes leave ink stains, and nobody wants to deal with that on their move-in day. It’s also known to crumple tighter, making it unusable when you want to secure your things when moving cross country. Besides the regular option, Brown Jumbo Kraft is also a good choice, and it comes as a roll or in sheet form.

Best Ways to Use Packing Paper

The material can be used in countless ways, but its two main purposes are wrapping items and filling empty spaces. Before you start boxing up all of your belongings, create a household inventory list. This enables you to save a lot of time and keep you from forgetting even the smallest things. If you can spend some extra time, you can even opt for a moving binder that will contain everything you need to know when moving long-distance. Now that you’re set, let’s dive deep into how you can use wrapping paper for moving.

Wrap All Your Dishes, Fragile Objects, and Silverware

Packing fragile items like plates, glasses, and figurines is done by carefully wrapping them up. Here are a few tips on how to do that:

• When using paper for packing dishes, place one or two sheets below the desired object, and then fold till the ends meet in the middle.
• Secure the item by using duct tape on the sheet.
• Empty spaces in objects like glasses should be filled with a crumpled sheet.
• Packing a glass – wrapping paper is rolled around its surface, and any excess is folded and secured.

Using Crumpled Sheets to Fill the Empty Space

Before you start loading a box with the wrapped items, lay down a few crumpled papers until the base is filled. After you load a box, repeat the process by filling in the space between objects, and once more as a layer on the top. This will make sure that all your belongings are safely transported when moving state to state. In case you need international shipping go online and look for long-distance movers near me. These provide storage and many other moving services you may need when relocating.

Here’s a video showing how to use the material to protect your dishes and other fragile belongings.

Where to Buy Packing Paper for Moving

One of the first things on your moving to-do list should be shopping for supplies you’ll need for packing. You might be wondering, Where can I buy packing paper? For example, you can get some at a Walmart in your area. It usually offers some sorts of newsprint and recycled paper for a reasonable price. Besides Walmart, you can also get some at Amazon. If you hire cross country movers to help you out with your packing, they will also provide you with high-quality packing supplies. When you want to avoid going to a store, shopping online is always a good choice, especially during the current pandemic.

How Much Paper Do I Need?

These paper bundles usually consist of a certain number of sheets per pound, but the number can vary depending on the manufacturer or paper type. Typically sold by weight, most packages contain around 20 sheets/pound. Unless you intend to hire a long-distance moving company, make sure to get extra materials.You are probably thinking, How many pounds do I need? Here are some estimates depending on the small item numbers and your home size:

• 10 Ibs contain about 200 sheets, great for a one-bedroom home or a studio apartment.
• 25 Ibs have approximately 500 sheets, which is great if you need to wrap a dish collection and for homes with multiple rooms.
• 50 Ibs can carry roughly 1000 sheets, ideal for large homes and protecting fragile objects.

What to Do With the Wrappings After You Unpack

After you finish unpacking, there are a few different ways to reuse the packing material. Are your windows dirty? If you use the leftovers instead of paper towels, they won’t leave behind lint. By placing a single sheet before the garden’s final soil layer, you can apply the materials as a barrier against weeds. By stuffing your footwear, purses, and hats with packing tissue paper, they will retain their original shape when stored in a closet. If you still have some leftovers you don’t need, the best thing to do is recycle.

Where Can I Get Free Packing Paper?

If you are inexperienced with moving across the country and still figuring out how to get a job before you move, you most likely have a tight moving budget. Luckily there are more than a few ways to get supplies for free. Before accepting any materials, make sure that they are safe, clean, undamaged, and sturdy. Whether through a close friend or a coworker, going to some local retailers, or looking online, here are some tips on where to get packing paper without spending a dime.

Asking Friends, Coworkers, and Neighbors for Help

Friends are there when we need them the most. Not only can they assist you a lot when moving with pets, for example, by acting as a sitter, but they often have some leftover materials you could use when looking to save some money. They most likely won’t need it any time soon, especially if they already had an interstate moving. Most of the time, a simple group message on one of the social networks is enough to find at least one friend that can assist you. Your coworkers and neighbors might also be able to help. When approaching these two groups, you might want to try out talking to them in person. If you’re genuine, these people will aid you when possible, or they might even refer you to somebody who has what you need.

Check Online if Somebody Is Giving Away Packing Materials

When you’re looking to save some money on these supplies, a couple of websites online can aid you in your quest. Freecycle’s main goal is to stop the wasting of usable resources by keeping them out of trash and dumpsters. With over 9 million users registered online, there’s a really good chance that this non-profit movement has what you need. Becoming a member is free, as well as all the items posted on the website, so you’ll be able to find many packing materials such as boxes, different papers, tapes, etc.

If you never used Craigslist, now is the time to do so. Everyone has heard about this online platform’s resources. You’ll be able to search for free packing paper near your location, so you won’t have to wait for long or spend lots of money on transportation to get your hands on these goods.

Go to Some Local Retailers and Shops

Most retailers are required to recycle their packaging materials, so they often store them. Sometimes materials are kept outside behind the shops. Most of the time, you’ll find cardboard boxes, but some clean packing paper and bubble wrap also appear frequently. It might be uncomfortable asking for free stuff, but at the worst, you’ll get a negative response. Considering you’ll be doing them a favor, most of the time, they will allow you to take what you need. You should mark the largest stores in your area and request to speak to the store managers. They are the ones that will enable you to take some materials. Since most retailers have shipments early in the morning, you will have to schedule your visit accordingly. Potential stores to visit in your area include grocery stores, supermarkets, furniture stores, shopping centers, bookstores, copy and recycling centers, etc.

What Supplies and Products Can I Use Instead of Packing Paper?

When the ultimate goal is to save money, if you’re uncomfortable with asking for free stuff, there are plenty of alternatives you can try in your home. Here are some moving hacks you can try out to save even more money:

• Trash bags are a great alternative to regular containers but offer less protection. If you’re wondering how to pack clothes for moving while on a budget, just put them directly into these without taking them off the hangers.
• Home blankets are great for protecting your delicate objects. Just make sure you place ones you won’t mind getting a bit dirty.
• Towels are great for securing breakable items. They are thick and act as a cushion, just like blankets, but are more accessible due to their size.
• Socks may be the last thing on your mind as a wrapping material, but they are great for both filling out and encasing glasses, giving them extra protection.
• Newspapers have already been mentioned a few times since they are a great alternative to standard materials and are available in large quantities. The biggest disadvantage is that newsprint can ink some surfaces and potentially destroy some of your favorite objects, so handle these carefully.

You’re All Packed up and Ready to Go

Now that you have all the information you might need to safely and effectively protect all of your belongings, you’re all set. In case you’re asking, how much do movers cost, it all depends on the inventory list, but you can get a free estimate. On that note, hiring reputable state to state movers will protect you from moving scams since all the prices will be transparent, and there will be no hidden costs. The only thing left to do is find reliable cross country movers to assist you with the relocation.