After 20 years of professional movers handling every aspect of our military relocations, last year Greg and I tackled our very first “DITY” move (which in the military community means “do it yourself”). And while we had never (ever) packed our own boxes or loaded our own truck before, our ample observation time of the professionals ultimately helped us predict what supplies we truly needed in order to safely and securely move our belongings. Today, I’m breaking down the moving supplies we bought, loved, and highly recommend!

Hands closing a moving box

The Supplies You Need for Packing Boxes

Megan taping up a large moving box

When you think about moving, the image that most likely pops into your head first is: BOXES!

Indeed, most of your time (and money!) will be allocated to packing (and then unpacking) your belongings into boxes. But don’t start hoarding your Amazon boxes just yet. The type and size of boxes really matters when it come to keeping your items safe and secure. Below are my picks for the packing supplies you really need.

Large Sealable Plastic Bags

Anything that is small and/or loose should first be loaded into Ziplock-style bags before being placed into larger moving boxes. Not only does this prevent annoying messes while unpacking, but it ensures your smaller collections stay together and well protected. Items we always load into plastic bags include silverware, office supplies, junk drawer items, toys, toiletries, cords, hardware, bolts, bedding sets, etc. Stock up on Quart, 1 Gallon, 2 Gallon, and 5 Gallon bags to give you lots of options.

Large Packing Paper

You really can’t have too much packing paper, as you’ll use it for everything from wrapping dishes to filling in spaces inside boxes, shelves, drawers, etc. Skip the smaller sheets and go for (very) large packs of large sheets. (We found with enough packing paper, we could skip the bubble wrap!)

Heavy Duty Packing Tape

Professional packers always use brown packing tape, but I find it hard to cut/use. We like the clear packing tape instead, and had great results with this Max Strength version. Buy more than you think you’ll need, as it goes fast!

Tape Dispensers

One or two (or three) tape dispensers (with a blade) are an absolute must. They make your tape easier to cut (and find!), without having to reach for a scissors or knife every time. I highly recommend having several on hand because you will lose track of it frequently.

Black Permanent Markers

Even if you have moving box labels, stickers, or color-coded tape ready to go, you’ll still want thick, black markers on hand to quickly scribble the room and/or contents on each box.

Book Boxes

It may seem efficient to pack as much as you can into large boxes, but that is NOT the case for books. Because books are heavy, too many can easily tear and warp boxes and they become too hard to carry. Buy a set of book-specific boxes and use them only for books. Your books (and your back!) will thank you!

Dish Packs

Special dish pack boxes are essential for packing up any glasses, plates, dishes, and other fragile items. These boxes are made up of thicker, more sturdy cardboard and do a far-superior job in keeping breakable items protected. The ONLY times we’ve ever had dishes break over the years is when they were NOT loaded into proper dish packs.

Wardrobe Boxes

It may not seem like a big deal to un-hang and then re-hang all your clothes, jackets, dresses, etc, but it is. Not only do hanging boxes keep your clothes from becoming a tangled mess, but unloading these boxes is so quick and easy (and you often need quick wins during a move!) We also found these huge boxes were great for packing lightweight things like pillows, bedding, curtains, etc.

18x18x24″ Moving Boxes

Although I had lots of small boxes and medium boxes available to me, these are the ones I kept reaching for. They are large enough to get A LOT into, but not so large that they are unmanageable. They stack nicely and hold up well, and are likely the only size we’ll use in the future.

Large Frame Boxes

Before you start packing, go around your house and count up how many large frames, mirrors, and other sizable flat items you have in your home (as well as their sizes), and buy enough frame boxes accordingly. Although you may be tempted to wrap these items in blankets or place into big open boxes, I caution you against it. These flat boxes are designed to ensure your large, flat items move safely.

Flat TV Boxes

Televisions are getting bigger and bigger, making them tricky to pack and move safely. We like these boxes that you build “around” your TV, ensuring it’s safe and protected no matter the size. Again, you’ll want one box per TV.

The Supplies You Need for Protecting Furniture

Two couches wrapped in shrink wrap loaded inside a POD

While most of your belongings will be loaded into boxes, furniture obviously will not. But you still need to protect it from getting damaged during loading, transit, and unloading. Below are the products we loved while preparing our furniture to move.

Moving Blankets

If you’ve ever used a moving company, you know the packers arrive with TONS of large, thick moving blankets to protect your furniture. Unfortunately, these furniture pads tend to be expensive, especially for the single-time mover. We opted for smaller, thinner blankets and were pleasantly surprised how well we were able to pad everything (using several blankets on each item). Just keep in mind: if you go smaller, you’ll need more!

Stretch Wrap

We used stretch wrap almost more than tape during our move! Not only does it work extremely well to hold moving blankets in place, but it’s great for adding a layer of protection/cushion to anything (even if you run out of blankets). Like the tape dispenser, the handles are worth their weight in gold, as they make wrapping your items SO much easier.

Mattress Bags

These are great for (obviously) keeping your mattresses clean and protected throughout your move, but what I didn’t realize would be so helpful were the handles! The handles allowed us to maneuver our large mattresses out of the house, onto the PODS, and back into the new home with relative ease!

The Supplies You Need for Loading & Unloading

A hand truck in a front yard

You might think that once your boxes are packed and your furniture is all wrapped up, that the hard work is done. Ha – loading your items for transit is a whole task in and of itself. These were the items we used to load 100% of our items (including a washer, dryer AND piano) without any extra helpers!

Hand Truck

If your truck/container company includes a complimentary hand truck, take it! And if they don’t, rent one from your local hardware store. It will be worth every single penny, saving both your heavy items and yourself from damage. (Make sure it includes straps!)

Flat Dollies

We own a pair of these and they constantly come in handy. While they can’t be used up/down stairs, they can be really helpful in moving large and/or heavy furniture, appliances, and boxes across flat distances.

Ratchet Straps

This was one of the few items we didn’t purchase ahead of time and ended up scrambling for a set. They really come in handy in securing large/tall furniture to the sides of the moving truck/container so they don’t wobble around, which ultimately allows you to fit more into tight spaces. (Bungee cords can be helpful too!)

Tool Set

You’ll need a cordless screwdriver, a few manual screwdrivers, hammer, wrench, box cutter/utility knife, and ratchet to help disassemble (and then re-assemble) any furniture that won’t fit nicely in your truck. Having a dedicated little tool set like this one allows you to pack up your larger tool boxes/collections and keep essentials with you at all times.

I didn’t provide quantities in this moving supplies list, because that will obviously depend on how much stuff you own (there are lots of different sites that have a weight calculator to help you estimate).

But I do hope the packing materials listed out here help you navigate all the options and hone in on what you really, truly need when packing and moving your belongings. With just these supplies, we successfully moved our items with ZERO damage; and we saved most of it so we can use it all again (very soon!)

Megan with feet up on moving boxes
See You Soon!
Megan