One of the most important aspects of preparing for a move is careful packing. Before you start wrapping and boxing up your kitchenware, hanging artwork, clothing, and tchotchkes, you need to equip yourself with the right packing supplies. If you’re handling your own relocation instead of hiring professional movers, make sure you pick up boxes, packing paper, padded blankets, and plastic wrap for moving all of your beloved possessions.
So, once you have all the packing and moving materials you need, what’s the next step? Here’s everything you need to know about successfully using plastic wrap for furniture during your move.
What is Plastic Wrap for Moving?
Plastic wrap is basically a thin sheet of film that sticks to itself with either static or adhesive. While it’s most commonly clear, you can pick up a couple rolls of plastic wrap for moving that’s tinted in your favorite color as well! This popular moving day material has many names, including stretch wrap, shrink wrap, and cling wrap—and it’s very similar to the Saran wrap you might use to pack up your dinner leftovers.
Although you might be able to use the stuff from your kitchen cabinet in a pinch, take advantage of a pro packing tip and get the thicker, stronger plastic wrap for furniture. There are plenty of benefits to this popular moving supply, which is why it’s so commonly used throughout the moving industry.
Benefits of Using Plastic Wrap for Moving
Part of preparing for moving day involves researching the best packing materials for all of your items, as well as the benefits of each. Since plastic wrap for furniture is such a common moving supply, it’ll likely pop up in a lot of your searches. Here are some of the benefits of this popular and easy-to-use material:
- It secures the moving blankets in place without leaving sticky adhesive residue on your furniture.
- It helps keep drawers and cabinets closed during transportation, making your bulky and heavy pieces easier and safer to carry.
- It helps protect your furniture from rain, snow, dust, and dirt since it creates a seal around your items.
- It’s easy to remove when you unpack—just cut it, ball it up, and toss it!
When you use a variety of packing and moving supplies like wrap, bins, boxes, and mattress bags, you’re setting yourself up for a smooth and stress-free move. In other words, using plastic wrap for furniture can really save the day when it comes to moving!
However, despite its many advantages, this material has a couple of drawbacks, and it’s important to consider the pros and cons before you purchase any plastic wrap for your upcoming move.
Disadvantages of Using Plastic Wrap for Furniture
Although plastic wrap is a hugely popular packing material that helps protect and secure your furniture, it does have some disadvantages. First (and perhaps most importantly), it’s not good for the environment. The moving industry creates a lot of waste, and since plastic wrap for furniture can’t be reused or recycled, it unfortunately ends up in landfills.
The good news is that you can do your part to prevent more garbage from piling up. If you’re interested in having an ecofriendly move and avoiding plastic wrap altogether, you can protect and waterproof your wrapped furniture with things like reusable tarps and ponchos, depending on the size of your furnishings.
Another disadvantage of using plastic wrap for moving is that it doesn’t provide any padding. To protect your furniture from dings and dents that might happen if you bump into something while you’re carrying it (or if it jiggles around a bit inside the moving truck), you should put a layer of blankets, towels, or another soft material between the furniture and the wrap. As long as you use plastic wrap for moving the right way, you’re on track to have a smooth move free of damage to your furniture.
How to Use Plastic Wrap for Moving
As you make your way through all the tasks on your moving checklist, you’ll soon arrive at the day to start prepping your furniture for the move. Although it’s safer for both you and your belongings to hire a professional moving company to handle the professional packing, wrapping, and lifting, here are a few steps to using plastic wrap for furniture if you’re planning a DIY move:
- Clean your furniture. You’re moving into a nice, clean home, and you probably don’t want to bring dusty or dirty furniture into it. Clean your furniture before wrapping it up so your couches, chairs, tables, and dressers are as fresh as your new dwelling.
- Prep your furniture. Empty out your dressers and cabinets to help with both weight and safety. If any of your furnishings have shelves, feet, or delicate parts, carefully remove them and pack them into a clearly labeled box or bag so you can easily reassemble everything when you get to your new place.
- Gather your wrapping supplies. Make sure you have some blankets, tape, and, of course, the plastic wrap for furniture at your fingertips before you start wrapping.
- Lay some blankets on your furniture. You’ll want some sort of padding on your furniture just in case you bump into a wall or doorway when you move it. Drape some blankets over each piece, leaving a bit of overlap if you’re using more than one blanket. Try to square off the corners just like you would if you were wrapping a gift. You might need to use some tape to keep the blankets in place.
- Wrap each piece in plastic. Once the blankets are secured, grab your plastic wrap for furniture and go to town! Start by tucking in a bit of the wrap into a blanket crease, or ask a friend or family member to hold it in place. Then walk the wrap around the circumference of your piece of furniture multiple times, pulling the plastic taut and leaving some overlap between each layer. Once you’ve covered the entire piece in plastic wrap, you’re good to go!
Don’t forget to let yourself admire your work. Using plastic wrap for furniture isn’t the easiest job you’ll do during your move, so pat yourself on the back for a job well done!
We’re the Experts on Plastic Wrap for Moving—and Everything Else About Your Relocation!
It’s easy to get stressed out about moving to a new home, especially if you’re planning a DIY move. However, it’s even easier to call Chicago’s favorite movers and let us handle the packing, wrapping, and transportation from your old place to your new one! We’re the experts on protecting your items in plastic wrap for furniture, boxes for your clothing and kitchen items, and everything else needed for a smooth, successful, and stress-free move.
Contact us today for a free estimate!