Packing Tips

Packing up your home to move can seem like a daunting task, but we have some packing tips to help it go smoothly. When you move with Reynolds Transfer & Storage, you can either hire our teams of packers and movers in Madison, WI to pack everything for you and ensure that your items arrive safely; or, you can pack it yourself. Help your future self out by packing well, avoiding broken items, time lost looking for missing items, and general frustration.

  • First, make a list of all the rooms in your home. Include closets, basements, sheds and garages.
  • Gather your supplies:
  1. Boxes – We can provide new boxes, gently used boxes, or eco-friendly plastic totes. Moving with us locally? Use the plastic totes for free, or pick up used boxes for free.
  2. Fat permanent marker and/or labels
  3. Garbage bags or more boxes, for recycling, trash and donations
  • Then, pick one room to start with. A closet or a small room may be easiest.
  • Sort and declutter! Separate items into three piles: to keep, to donate, and to dispose of.

Those old sweaters that you haven’t worn since high school? Donate and give them a new life. 

packing tips

  • Take care of  the donate and dispose of piles. Donate your items – or, move them to the garage or other location to keep adding to the pile. Be sure to recycle electronics, batteries, papers, glass, etc.
  • Package the items going to your new home.
  • Label the boxes clearly with the contents and the room you’ll want them to go into at your new home.
  • Pad fragile items well. These helpful videos have more information. Don’t feel like you can pack something well enough for it to survive your move? We’re happy to pack only certain items or rooms.
  • If you’re able to, moving the boxes to one room and stacking them will save us time – and you money – when we arrive to load the truck.
  • Check the room off  your list!
  • Relax a moment, then continue on with each room on your list until you are packed up and ready for move day.

More information and links:

City of Madison Electronics & Computer Recycling

City of Madison Battery Recycling

There are often free shredding events in the community, findable via Google.

Donation centers include St. Vinny’s, Goodwill, Habitat for Humanity ReStore, and the Salvation Army.

Additionally, we partner with The Road Home to pick up gently used furniture and more.

Questions? Feeling overwhelmed? Want us to pack for you? Need more packing tips? Just reach out to us and we’ll take care of the issue.