Sure, it’s got four sides, a top and a bottom – but it may not be meant for moving.  For items that require care, or a large handling capacity (such as heavy books) , going to the nearest grocery or retail store for cardboard headed to the dumpster may not cut it. 

First thing to do is to get organized.  Find out an estimate of how many durable moving boxes you’ll need.  For lighter things (such as bedding), a box may not even be necessary.  What you want to look out for are things made of glass (dishware, frames, décor, etc.) or things that are otherwise heavy, even if they are not necessarily fragile (such as books or bathroom toiletries containing liquid, like shampoo bottles, etc.).  The fragile and weighty items will need special packing boxes that are more durable at the bottom, seal well at the top and come with packing material such as tape and bubble wrap.  Used boxes will have already lost much of their lifespan – think of all the travel and movement they would have gone through before even reaching the retail store you found them at.

Next, pack the big things first.  You may not end up filling the boxes right away.  Keep this analogy in mind:  filling a jar to the uttermost with rocks requires putting the big pieces in first, then letting the pebbles dribble into the crevices where there is still room to be occupied.  It works the same way with your moving objects.  After the larger items are in place, begin snuggling the smaller and medium-sized things in, arranging things so there is as little space as possible for shifting around during the move. 

When you’ve done your best to fill up as many empty spaces as possible in the boxes, don’t neglect the little holes – they can be hazardous to your valuables if there is ever a big shake in the moving process.  Use Styrofoam popcorn or bubble tape to cushion things against.  If you run out, you can always go homemade and make use of plastic grocery bags you were planning on throwing out anyway.  A great way to stay green in your move…

Finally, remember to stay organized.  Just because you want to put big things in boxes first, then little things, don’t let objects get out of place or you will have a hard time finding them later on.  Keep a list of categories that you will remember when unpacking.  For example, a certain set of boxes will contain only “kitchen ware” or “books” or “bathroom stuff”, and so on.  In other words, don’t put your shampoo with your kitchen plates just because it fits a hole! Of course, label all your boxes with as much detail as possible, even if you do end up doing a little mixing – that will make settling into your new destination a breeze.