Part of packing up your home is ensuring that everything makes it to your next home in one piece. You can do this by hiring professional movers to pack up and move your home for you, or you can pack things up on your own. If you're unsure of how to pack items in your home, it will help to know the following things about packing materials. 

Packing Paper

One material everyone needs to have on hand is packing paper. It can be used to pack almost anything. It should be used on items that you want to prevent from being scratched or scuffed during the move, as it gives some nice protection to the outer layer of items that are packed in boxes. Many people use packing paper when wrapping fine china, or placing it as a layer between dishes so that they don't scratch the surface of the dish they are resting on. However, you'll still need to use another packing material to fill up that empty space in your boxes, even if it is simply more crumpled up packing paper. 

Bubble Wrap

Bubble wrap is going to be a bit more heavy-duty compared to packing paper, but it will provide much more protection. If you are packing items in boxes, bubble wrap can be used to wrap individual items or fill in the open space in the box so that things do not move around. Bubble wrap can even be used to protect larger items that are not in boxes. For example, it can be placed around a larger lampshade so that it does not become damaged during the move. 

Packing Peanuts

The main reason you will want to use packing peanuts is that you want a cheap method to fill in the space of a box so that things do not shift around. It also fits into the smaller holes in boxes to close the gaps and limit movement. The downside of using peanuts is that they can be messy to deal with, leaving tiny bits of foam on the item in your boxes. 

Plastic Wrap

Plastic wrap has so many uses during a move that it is a must-have item to keep on hand. Plastic wrap can be used to cover fabric surfaces of furniture to prevent scratches, or to secure moving pads to your furniture. Wrap it around corners of furniture pieces so that the edge is protected if it gets bumped in transit. 

For more information, contact a residential moving company.