DIY Moving Tips: How to Protect Your Belongings with the Right Protective Packaging

Planning a DIY move? Protect your valuable belongings with the right packing materials and cushioning solutions designed to prevent damage during moving and storage. From fragile glassware to electronics and furniture, proper protective packaging can help ensure your items arrive safely at their next destination.

Whether you're moving across town or across the country, one challenge remains the same: your belongings will likely experience bumps, vibration, shifting loads and multiple handling touchpoints along the way. If you're in the planning stages of a move, the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration's Protect Your Move resources provide helpful guidance on preparing for a move and protecting household goods.

Read on for professional packing tips and protective packaging solutions that can help make your move smoother and less stressful.

Take Stock of Your Belongings

Before packing, take time to inventory what needs to be moved. Walking room by room through your home can help you identify which items require additional protection and determine what packing supplies you'll need. Assessing your belongings based on size, weight and fragility let's you pack more efficiently and reduce the risk of damage.

Pro Tip: Moving is a great opportunity to donate, recycle or discard items you no longer need. Fewer items mean fewer boxes, less packing material and an easier move.

As you develop your moving checklist, don't forget administrative tasks such as updating your address. The USPS makes it easy to submit a change of address before your move.

Choose the Right Protective Packaging

One of the most common moving mistakes is underestimating the importance of proper cushioning and protection. During transit, boxes may be stacked, shifted and exposed to vibration from the road. Even a carefully packed box can experience movement that puts its contents at risk. That's why choosing the right protective packaging is just as important as choosing the right moving box.

Bubble Cushioning: Absorb Shocks and Impacts

Bubble cushioning creates a protective barrier that helps absorb impacts and reduce the risk of breakage. Bubble cushioning is ideal for dishes and glassware, collectibles, picture frames and small electronics. Smaller bubbles conform tightly around delicate items, while larger bubbles provide additional cushioning for heavier household goods.

Learn more about our bubble cushioning solutions for protecting fragile items during moving and storage.

Foam Sheets and Pouches: Protect Surfaces

Many household items don't just need cushioning. They also need protection from scratches, scuffs and abrasion. Foam sheets and pouches provide a soft, non-abrasive layer of protection for furniture finishes, decorative items, mirrors, artwork and electronics. Foam is also a smart choice for long-term storage because it maintains its cushioning properties over time.

Explore our foam sheets and pouches designed to prevent scratches, scuffs and surface damage.

Corner Protectors: Shield Vulnerable Edges

Corners and edges are often the first areas damaged during a move. Corner protectors help cushion and stabilize items like furniture, mirrors, framed artwork, glass tabletops and televisions. They can also help block and brace items within larger cartons to reduce movement during handling and transit.

For furniture, artwork and electronics, explore Corner Keepers® Foam Protectors to help protect vulnerable edges.

Void Fill: Minimize Movement Inside Boxes

Even the strongest box cannot fully protect its contents if items are free to move around inside. Void fill materials help fill empty spaces and keep belongings secure throughout the moving process.

Benefits include:

• Reduced shifting during transit
• Improved cushioning performance
• Better protection against vibration
• Lower risk of product-to-product contact

A simple rule of thumb: if contents move when you gently shake the box, additional void fill may be needed.

Looking for a simple way to stabilize contents and reduce movement during transit?

Explore Pregis Void Fill Paper Packaging Solutions to help cushion, secure and protect items during moving and storage.

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Don't Rely on "Fragile" Stickers Alone

Many people assume a "Fragile" sticker guarantees careful handling. While labels can help identify sensitive items, they don't prevent the realities of transportation. Whether you're moving your belongings yourself or working with professional movers, you rarely know exactly how boxes will be handled throughout the journey. That's why protective packaging should be considered your first line of defense. Combining bubble cushioning, foam protection, corner protectors and void fill creates multiple layers of protection that can help reduce the likelihood of damage.

Pro Tip: Pack every box as though it may be stacked, shifted or turned on its side during transit.

Move with Confidence

A successful DIY move starts with the right protective packaging. Bubble cushioning, foam sheets and pouches, corner protectors and void fill materials all work together to help protect belongings from damage during moving and storage.

While you can't predict every bump in the road, you can take steps to prepare for it. With the right packaging solutions, you can move with confidence knowing your belongings are protected for the journey ahead.

DIY Moving Tips Video

Moving soon? Debating which materials are best to protect your valuables? Watch this video to learn if bubble or foam is the best for your items.

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