Everything You Should Know About Packing Paper Before Your Move

How can paper help your next move? You've stocked up on bubble wrap, cardboard boxes, and heavy-duty tape. But what about paper? Before you prep for your next local move, take a look at everything you need to know about packing with paper.

What Type of Paper Should You Use?

Not all paper is equal—especially when it comes to your move. It's likely you already have a variety of paper products in your home. These could include newspaper, magazine pages, your child's old school assignments, construction paper, loose-leaf notebook pages, or wrapping paper. Even though these options all serve a purpose, some of them won't help during a move. 



The specific type of paper you choose depends on a few factors. To select the best paper for a move, consider:

• Ink or dyes. Newsprint and newspaper are heavy with ink. The color on the pages can transfer from the paper to anything you pack in it. This can result in permeant stains on fabric or delicate items. Avoid any paper with an inky print to reduce the risks during your move.
• The weight. Thicker-weight papers are difficult to bend or crumple. The ability to ball or crumple is necessary to effectively cushion some types of moving boxes. Skip heavy card stock, cardboard, or poster board types of paper.
• The overall size. Do you need to wrap wide dinner plates with packing paper? A small sheet won't help you to protect this type of item. Select paper that's large enough to completely wrap around the item you need to pack.
• Sensitivity issues. Photographs, paintings, and other artwork may require acid-free or archival paper. These types of paper can protect sensitive items—minus the fear of chemical damage.

While you can use almost any type of paper that fits your needs, specialty packing paper is a top pick. You can buy packing paper at most shipping supply stores or online retailers. This paper is plain, ink-free newsprint and comes in sheets large enough to fit around many household items.

What Can You Wrap with Paper?

Now that you know more about what types of paper to use (or not use), it's time to take the next step and decide what to pack. Paper is an easy to use packing material. But it's not ideal for every item. Some of the most common items to pack with paper include:

• Dishware. You can place packaging paper in between plates to reduce the risk of friction-related damage during your move. Along with this type of use, you can also crumble paper to place inside bowls or fill empty spaces with balled packing paper.
• Glassware. Like dishware, you can also pack glassware with paper. Crumple or ball the paper to fit inside the glasses and fill them completely to the top. Wrap wine glass stems or the entire exterior with paper for added protection.
• Decorative items. Use packing paper to wrap small-sized sculptures and other knick-knacks. You may need to cut or tear the paper to fit around awkwardly shaped decorative objects.
• Photos and some types of art. Keep these light-, heat-, and moisture-sensitive items safe during your next move. You can layer paper in between photos or flat paintings or cover an entire album.

Along with these common uses, you can also stuff the sides or top of almost any type of box or bin with packing paper. Crumbled paper provides a cushion that can stop anything from books to beauty products from crashing into the container's walls, sides, or the top, mid-move.

How Do You Use Paper to Pack?

You already know you can wrap, layer, and crumble paper. But what else do you need to know about packing with this supply? To make the most of the material:

• Use scissors or tear the paper. Newsprint and other paper sheets won't always fit neatly around every object. If you need to wrap the arms of a porcelain figurine or the stem of a champagne flute, tear or cut the paper to size.
• Use multiple layers. One layer of paper won't always protect delicate or fragile items. You may need to cover dishware, knick-knacks, or other similar belongings with a double-wrap or more than one piece of packing paper.
• Use tape. Paper isn't self-adhesive and can easily fall off mid-move. Use masking tape to secure everything you wrap in paper. You don't need to tape crumbled or balled paper that you use as extra box filling material.

After your move, unwrap everything and save the paper for the next time you need to pack. In 2018 Americans generated 67.4 million tons of paper waste, according to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). Instead of tossing the leftover packing paper into the trash, reuse it.

Do you need help with your move? Contact United Moving and Storage for more information.