Moving industry know-how
Packing materials guide
The common moving boxes and supplies, what each is for, how many a home typically needs, and how to sell them on an order in MoveBoard.
- 2 min read
- Checked against MoveBoard
- For sales, foremen, owners & admins
On this page
Selling the right materials protects the customer's things and your claims record. Here are the usual items and what they're for.
Boxes
| Item | Size (approx.) | For |
|---|---|---|
| Small box (1.5 cu ft) | 16 × 12 × 12 in | Books, tools, canned food — heavy things. |
| Medium box (3.0 cu ft) | 18 × 18 × 16 in | Kitchen items, toys, small appliances. |
| Large box (4.5 cu ft) | 18 × 18 × 24 in | Linens, pillows, lampshades — light, bulky things. |
| Extra-large box (6.0 cu ft) | 24 × 18 × 24 in | Comforters, cushions. |
| Wardrobe box | about 24 × 20 × 34–46 in, with a hanging bar | Clothes on hangers. |
| Dish pack (dish barrel) | about 18 × 18 × 28 in, double-wall | Dishes, glasses and china, with cell kits. |
| Picture / mirror box | adjustable flat carton | Frames, mirrors, artwork, glass tabletops. |
| TV box | sized to the screen | Flat-screen TVs. |
Protection
- Packing paper — clean newsprint for wrapping dishes and filling gaps.
- Bubble wrap — for fragile and valuable items.
- Mattress bags and sofa / chair covers — keep upholstery clean.
- Stretch wrap — holds drawers and doors shut, protects upholstery.
- Moving blankets (pads) — usually supplied by the crew, sometimes sold or rented.
- Tape and labels.
How many?
A common starting point for full packing:
| Home | Small | Medium | Large | Wardrobe | Dish packs |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 bedroom | 10–15 | 8–12 | 5–8 | 2–3 | 1–2 |
| 2 bedrooms | 15–25 | 15–20 | 8–12 | 3–4 | 2–3 |
| 3 bedrooms | 25–35 | 20–30 | 12–18 | 4–6 | 3–4 |
| 4 bedrooms | 35–45 | 30–40 | 18–25 | 6–8 | 4–5 |
Book-heavy homes need more small boxes; families with lots of clothes, more wardrobes.
In MoveBoard
- List your materials with their prices for hourly and long-distance moves on Settings › Sales & orders › Packing materials (administrators can also record what each costs you). See Packing materials.
- Add materials to an order's quote — see Materials and additional services on a quote — and price packing labor — see Packing and unpacking prices.
- The crew adds what was really used to the bill on the phone — see Add materials and services to the bill.
Related guides
- SettingsPacking materialsThe boxes and supplies an order can carry, with their prices for hourly and long-distance moves, the order they're listed in, and — for administrators — what each one costs you.
- Estimates & pricingMaterials and additional services on a quoteAdd boxes, packing materials and extra services (piano, hoisting…) to a quote, and turn your other fees on or off.
- Estimates & pricingPacking and unpacking pricesHow partial or full packing is priced on a quote, how it lengthens the labor time, and the settings behind both.
- Mover's PortalAdd materials and services to the billAdd the boxes, packing and extra services you used on the bill of lading — tap to add, set the quantity, and the totals change straight away.
Still stuck? A person will help.
Open a ticket from Support inside MoveBoard, or email us — we usually reply within one business day.