• Use only strong, corrugated cartons with tops or flaps that fold shut.
• Collecting boxes discarded by your local grocery store can save you money.
• Make sure boxes are clean of insects and other pests.
• Save old newspapers for packing material, but be careful — the ink may rub off and stain certain items. Moving Men recommends that you use blank newspaper that can be purchased from your Moving Men Agent.

• Plastic bags and labels for parts storage and identification
• Foam peanuts, Styrofoam pellets or "popcorn" for added protection
• Tissue and kraft paper
• Corrugated paper rolls for figurines and fragile items
• Heavy-duty packaging tape (1-1/2 to 2 inches wide) for sealing cartons — Moving Men does not recommend using duct tape or masking tape
• Markers and labels for identifying contents of cartons
• A notebook and pencil for carton identification log
• Scissors and/or a sharp knife

Before Packing
After you collect your materials, select a work area that is large enough to handle various sizes of cartons. Also, choose a strong table with a protective cover as your work surface. (We recommend that you do not use your good dining room table.) Keep your marking pens, tape and scissors nearby. Spread a neatly stacked, generous amount of packing paper flat on your table.

You're almost ready. Here are a few more suggestions before getting started.

• Pack one room at a time; it will help when the time comes to unpack.
• Pack a couple of cartons a day, starting well ahead of the move.
• Mark all boxes with room and box number.
• Keep a carton identification log that shows the number of boxes packed per room and the total number of cartons packed. (Your Moving Men Van Operator will provide an official inventory during the loading process).
• Leave space in your log for a "special comments" section to note carton conditions or the location of high-value goods. (Please notify your carrier to pack these items to ensure they are properly protected while in transit.)
• Be sure to have plenty of "filling" material available; when in doubt, use more.
• Take extra care to make sure the bottoms of all cartons are secured and will hold the weight of the contents.
• Always pack heavier items toward the bottom of the box and lighter items toward the top. Try not to exceed a weight of 50 pounds per box; it makes moving them a lot easier.
• Remember — the heavier the item, the smaller the carton.

Once you have prepared your work area and selected a room, you can begin packing. Here are some basic recommendations for packing various items. (More tips are provided under the "Specialized Packing Tips" section of this page.)

1. Select a medium-sized carton (or a mover-provided dishpack) and line the bottom of the carton with crumpled packing paper.
2. With packing paper stacked neatly in place on the work table, center one plate on the paper. Grasp a corner of several sheets and pull the paper over the plate until the plate is completely covered.
3. Stack a second plate on the first and, moving clockwise, grasp another corner of several sheets and pull them over the second plate.
4. Stack a third plate. Grasp the remaining two corners and fold using two sheets, one corner at a time over the plate.
5. Turn the wrapped stack of plates upside down onto your paper.
6. Re-wrap the entire bundle. Start with one corner of packing paper and pull two sheets over the bundle; cover the bundle with the next corner, then the third corner; and finally, the fourth. (Non-fragile plates may be packed five or six to a bundle.)
7. Seal the bundle with packing tape.
8. Place the bundle of dishware in a medium-sized box (or dishpack) so that the plates are standing on edge.

Use this technique on all saucers, bread and butter dishes and other dishware. When packing smaller dishes, you may choose to stack in greater quantities.

1. Position one cup 6 to 8 inches from one of the corners of your packing paper.
2. Pull the nearest corner of the paper up and over the cup.
3. Nest a second cup directly on top, with the handle to the left (the second cup should "nest" itself in packing paper folded over the bottom cup).
4. Pull the two side corners up and over one at a time and tuck the corners inside the top cup.
5. Hold the bottom and top cups in position and roll the cups to the remaining corner. (Fragile mixing bowls may be rolled in the same manner.)
6. Place cups in a vertical position, lips down, near the top of the box. Do not stack heavy items on top of the cups.

More delicate cups, like china, should be wrapped one at a time. Antique glass or china should be stuffed with crumpled tissue and wrapped one at a time as well.

1. Before wrapping, stuff glassware and stemware with crumpled tissue or packing paper.
2. Lay glass or stemware on the corner of the packing paper and roll it one or two full rotations (depending on size); pull the sides of the packing paper up and over the glass/stemware and continue rolling to the far corner. Corrugated paper rolls may be used for added protection.
3. Glasses and stemware should be placed toward the top of the box. Heavier items (dishware, pitchers, etc.) should be placed toward the bottom. Very delicate glassware and stemware should be placed in a vertical position, lips down — not on their sides.

As you pack each layer of a box, use crumpled packing paper to assure a snug fit wherever there is a gap. All boxes that contain fragile items should be marked "Fragile." Labels, including "Fragile," "Load Last/Unload First," etc., are provided by your Moving Men Agent.