Packing supplies include anything required to package and protect your belongings while moving.

You should start to collect what ever you can as far ahead of moving day as possible.

Here we give you a few tips on what you will need, where you might find them, and how to save money by using Free Packing Supplies.

If you are too busy to search for free packing supplies or unable to locate all the packing supplies you need, call Urban Rush Movers. They have a full selection of boxes, bags, covers, clear newsprint, foam beads, tape, and even specialty containers for glassware, pictures, and clothing that can prevent you from having to iron your garments after unpacking.

Urban Rush Movers strongly encourages the recycling of packing supplies wherever possible. We encourage you to locate whatever boxes, foam beads, bubble wrap, or any other safety packing materials you can that would be otherwise thrown out from stores or manufacturers. We will even remove your packing supplies to recycle whatever we can after your move.

Free Packing Supplies

As well as being friendly to the environment, you can save a lot while moving getting your packing supplies from locations where they are regularly disposed of. As well as helping you save money, you are reducing cost of disposal. If you plan your move far enough ahead of time, with a little scavenging you may be able to get most of your moving supplies free.

Glassware Packing Supplies

Glassware requires special attention when packing for a move and can take a lot of paper to protect. Manufacturers of glassware use special cardboard inserts placed between rows and columns to pack glasses for shipping. You can usually obtain the same style of separators and even heavy boxes for protecting them at your local liquor store. Try to notify them ahead of time and arrange for a time of pick-up so they aren't crushed or otherwise disposed of before you get there. Try to get them mid-month as these boxes may be in high demand at month-end.

Foam Beads and Bubble Wrap

Ideally, these should always be saved when unpacking store bought items to prevent them from being disposed of in the land-fill. Manufacturers are a good source of foam beads as their raw materials are often packed in them. Depending on the manufacturer, they may also be a good source for bubble-wrap.

Packing Paper

Newsprint is probably the #1 used packing material. Newspapers can be saved ahead of time or retrieved from the recycling drop-off but must be used with care as the ink can sometimes come off on what you are packing. Clear newsprint is very inexpensive and available from your movers.

Assorted Packing Supplies

Because of the recent disposal by-laws in Vancouver and other large metropolitan areas, the city is now dropping off large blue bins in many areas for the purpose of recycling cardboard and other material. These are an excellent source of packing supplies especially if you visit them early in the month and they have not yet been picked up.

General Tips on Packing Supplies

• Use only strong, corrugated cartons with tops or flaps that fold shut.
• Make sure boxes are clean and free of any food, insects, liquids, or adhesives.
• Purchasing large industrial rolls of packing adhesive can save you money (moving companies are a great source for these).
• Specialty boxes for pictures and mattress covers provide added protection.

Other packing supplies you may need:

• Plastic bags and labels for parts storage and identification
• Tissue paper for glassware
• Corrugated paper rolls for figurines and fragile items
• Markers and labels for identifying contents of cartons
• A notebook and pencil for carton identification log and inventory lists
• Scissors and/or a sharp knife

Materials That Can Be Purchased From Urban Rush Movers

Boxes and Cartons

• 1.5 cube box (small)
  • Books, magazines, photo albums, canned goods, grain products, hand tools and other heavy items
• 3 cube box (medium)
  • Small lampshades, small kitchen appliances (toasters, coffee maker, can opener or iron), pots and pans, shoes, hats and small breakables
• 4.5 cube box (large)
  • Medium lampshades and small or medium kitchen appliances (upright mixer, wok, etc.)
• 6 cube box (extra large)
  • Large lampshades and other items too large to fit into 4.5-cube cartons
• Dish pack (china barrel)
  • Dinner place settings, stemware, crystal or glassware, figurines, table lamps, vases, small pictures, mirrors and glass shelves
• Mirror carton(2 or 4 section)
  • Pictures, artwork, glass tabletops (less than 7 square feet), dresser mirrors or other high-value items
• Upright Wardrobes
  • Garments or floor-to-ceiling drapes
• Mattress carton
  • Crib, twin, double and queen/king mattresses

Materials and Supplies

• Corrugated or Interleaved Sheets
  • For placement between dishes, saucers or other flat items and used to construct cylinders for delicate items
• Tissue Paper
  • Stuffing fragile cups and goblets, wrapping delicate figurines or artificial flower arrangements
• Non-tarnish Paper
  • Wrapping silverware, brass and pewter items
• Brown Kraft Paper
  • Wrapping large items such as pictures, mirrors or lamp bases
• Cushioned Paper
  • Used for easily scratched items
• Wax Paper
  • For oil paintings
• Bubble Pack or Foam Peanuts
  • For high-value porcelain figures, model ships or large crystal carvings

What Not To Pack

Never pack flammable liquids, propane tanks, paint, anything combustible, or anything with an odor for transportation on a moving vehicle. Doing so is against the law and may damage your property and the moving truck.

We hope you found our list of packing materials and where to get them useful and that our tips help you save money on your next move. If you have any other ideas on where to get free packing materials or are a company currently disposing of what can be recycled as packing materials let us know and we will be glad to post them here. Remember… Save the environment – recycle your packing materials