Packing supplies checklist

What Should a Packing Supplies Checklist Include?

A complete packing supplies checklist includes moving boxes in four sizes, packing tape with a dispenser, cushioning materials such as bubble wrap and packing paper, labeling supplies, box cutters, stretch wrap, mattress bags, and furniture covers. Most households spend $150–$300 on supplies and need 30–130 boxes depending on home size.

The full checklist

• Boxes: small (books, tools), medium (kitchenware, toys), large (bedding, lampshades), extra-large (pillows, comforters), plus specialty boxes — wardrobe, dish pack, and TV or mirror boxes
• Tape: packing tape (5–10 rolls), a tape gun or dispenser, and painter’s tape for temporary labels
• Cushioning: bubble wrap, packing paper, foam pouches for plates and glasses, and packing peanuts for odd-shaped gaps
• Labeling: permanent markers in two colors, printed or color-coded labels, and a notebook or phone app for a box inventory
• Furniture protection: stretch wrap, mattress bags, sofa and chair covers, and moving blankets
• Tools: box cutters, scissors, zip-top bags for screws and cables, work gloves, and rope or ratchet straps

How Many Moving Boxes Do You Need?

Box counts depend on square footage, how long you’ve lived there, and how much you declutter first. These 2026 averages hold up well across most households:

Two adjustments make these numbers far more accurate. Decluttering before you pack cuts your box count by 20–40%, and basements, attics, and garages add far more than people expect — a finished basement alone can add 20–30 boxes. When in doubt, buy more than you think you need and return or give away the extras.

If you’d rather not guess, residential movers calculate your exact box count during an in-home or virtual estimate, so you buy the right amount the first time.

Box size matters as much as box count. Heavy items go in small boxes and light items in large ones — distributing weight properly in boxes and the truck prevents blown-out bottoms, strained backs, and crushed belongings.

Tape, Cushioning, and Labeling Supplies

Packing tape

Expect to pay $2–$5 per roll in 2026, and buy it in bulk — you will use more than you think. A tape gun pays for itself within the first hour of packing. Seal every box bottom with at least two strips and tape both seams on anything heavy.

Cushioning materials

Bubble wrap runs $10–$20 per roll and packing paper $10–$30 per pack. Use paper as the workhorse for wrapping and filling gaps, and save bubble wrap for glass, electronics, and anything with sentimental value. Towels, blankets, and cotton T-shirts make excellent free padding — they cushion your valuables and pack themselves at the same time.

Some belongings need more than a sheet of bubble wrap. Mirrors, TVs, lamps, and stemware rank among the trickiest items that require extra care when packing, and specialty boxes for them cost only a few dollars more than standard ones.

Labeling supplies

Label every box on the top and at least one side with the destination room and a two-or three-word summary of the contents. Color-coded labels or markers — one color per room — let anyone carrying boxes sort them without reading a word. Number each box and keep a running inventory in your phone; it takes seconds per box and turns unpacking from a scavenger hunt into a checklist.

Supplies for Furniture and Large Items

Furniture can’t go in a box, but it still needs packing. Mattress bags keep dust and moisture off beds, stretch wrap holds drawers and doors closed, and moving blankets absorb the bumps that scratch wood and dent appliances. For the heavy lifting itself, furniture sliders, a hand truck, and lifting straps turn two-person jobs into manageable ones.

If wrapping a house full of furniture sounds like a weekend you’d rather not spend, professional packers bring every material on this list and can pack a full kitchen in a couple of hours. It’s often the cheapest part of a move to delegate relative to the time it saves.

Where to Get Packing Supplies for Less

Free boxes are everywhere once you know where to look. Grocery stores, liquor stores, and bookstores break down sturdy boxes daily and usually hand them over if you ask. Online, check Facebook Marketplace, Nextdoor, Craigslist’s free section, and the U-Haul Box Exchange, where people who just moved give away their entire supply. Friends and coworkers who moved recently are the fastest source of all.

Inspect every used box before you trust it. Soft corners, water stains, or a musty smell mean the cardboard has lost its strength — fine for towels, risky for dishes. New boxes still make sense for fragile and valuable items, since a long-distance move puts every box through hundreds of miles of road vibration, and worn cardboard fails at the worst possible moment.

If you come up short during packing week, movers in Memphis stock the full range of packing supplies and can bring boxes, tape, and wrap straight to your door with your crew.

Your Packing Supplies Checklist, Sorted

A good packing supplies checklist comes down to five groups: enough boxes for your home size, more tape than feels reasonable, cushioning for everything breakable, a labeling system anyone can follow, and protection for the furniture that won’t fit in a box. Gather all of it before you pack the first item, source what you can for free, and moving day becomes the easy part. And if you’d rather skip the shopping trip entirely, Spyder Moving and Storage can supply the materials or handle the packing from start to finish.