Packing moving boxes guide: quantity, technique & tips

The right number of boxes saves money, time and stress: too few means chaos on moving day, too many means unnecessary cost and empty volume in the van. As a rule of thumb: the more books, kitchenware and small items you own, the more boxes you need – regardless of room count alone.

Use flat size as a starting point and add a buffer of about 10 percent. Households that declutter heavily often land at the lower end of the range; collectors and families with lots of toys at the upper end. Do not double-count specialty boxes in the rule of thumb – dish and picture boxes come on top of standard cartons.

A quick walk through every room, including cellar and attic, helps more than any app: note cupboards that look «full» and estimate two to four boxes per cupboard. That way you avoid the classic mistake of counting only living and bedrooms and running out of materials on moving day.

Rule of thumb: moving boxes by flat size

What strongly affects the count

• Books and files: heavy and bulky – prefer many small boxes.
• Kitchen with lots of crockery and stores.
• Cellar, attic and hobby room with long-term storage.
• Whether furniture stays «full» or everything must go into boxes.
• Whether you have professionals pack – then the team plans quantities with you.

<!-- VERIFY --> Standard moving boxes in Switzerland often cost about CHF 2 to 5 each, depending on size, quality and supplier. Renting can pay off if you keep the move compact and return the boxes promptly; buying is more practical if you pack in stages or still need boxes later.

Besides DIY stores and online shops, many moving companies supply boxes or include them in the quote. Used boxes from neighbours or online marketplaces are cheap – but check stability, cleanliness and whether the base still holds. For heavy books, only sturdy, undamaged cartons will do.

Specialty boxes with real benefit

Specialty boxes and when they pay off

You also need packing paper, stretch wrap, tape, markers and, if needed, bubble wrap. Newspaper is cheap but often leaves printer ink on porcelain – for crockery, use unprinted packing paper instead. For lamps, plants and screens, edge protectors and blankets help; open baskets without lids are risky in a stack.

Order or collect materials early – especially before classic move dates at month- and quarter-end. Anyone still hunting two days beforehand often pays more and takes whatever is left. Check used boxes for moisture and mould: a cheap carton that soaks through costs more in the end than a new standard box.

Good packing technique protects inventory and your back. As a guide: do not load boxes heavier than 15–20 kg. Heavy items go at the bottom, light and fragile ones on top. Fill voids with paper, textiles or soft laundry – nothing shifts and the carton stays rigid.

Crockery, glassware and fragile items

• Stand plates on edge, do not stack flat – impacts distribute better.
• Wrap each glass individually; use packing-paper layers in between.
• Heavy pots and pans in their own smaller boxes – do not mix with crystal glass.
• Electronics in original boxes or with enough padding and labelled cables.
• Liquids and open food preferably left behind, or packed separately and leak-proof.

Base, lid and stackability

Seal the box base crosswise with strong packing tape – one strip lengthways is rarely enough. Close the lid firmly too so stacked boxes do not collapse. Overfilled cartons with a bulging lid stack poorly and raise breakage risk. Underfilled boxes without filler buckle at the sides.

If you are unsure or short on time, you can hand packing over: an experienced team takes care of materials, system and pace – a real relief especially for large flats or tight move dates.

Without a clear labelling system, search chaos awaits at the destination. Write on at least two sides of every box: destination room, short contents and a priority. Also mark fragile goods clearly with «Fragile» and – if needed – «This side up».

A simple scheme that works

1. Room: e.g. kitchen, bathroom, child 1, cellar.
2. Contents: 3–5 keywords, no novels.
3. Priority: A = needed immediately, B = on day one, C = later.
4. Notes: Fragile, Heavy, This side up.
5. Optional: numbering (Kitchen 1/12) so nothing goes missing.

Colours or sticker codes per room speed up unloading: carriers put boxes straight into the right room without asking every time. Align the system with all helpers or the moving company – one shared code is worth more than three parallel lists.

Pack from the outside in: first cellar, attic, garage and rarely used cupboards, then books and décor, then everyday cupboards. Kitchen and bathroom stay usable as long as possible. That way you live normally until shortly before the move and avoid important items disappearing into boxes for weeks. Decluttering in parallel saves boxes and transport volume – what you have not used for two years rarely needs to come along.

Set fixed packing windows, for example two evenings a week, instead of «somehow everything at once». Anyone with children or working from home packs room by room and keeps one retreat free. The day before the move, only the first-night box, cleaning supplies and the essentials for breakfast and overnight should still be within reach.

What belongs in the first-night box

• Bedding, towels, toiletries and medication.
• Chargers, extension leads, torch or lamp.
• Coffee machine or kettle, cups, cutlery, snacks.
• Important documents, keys, cash and insurance policies.
• Change of clothes and for children: favourite toy and night light.