Pack Your Own

Save costs by DIY packaging of your household effects into packing boxes and cardboard cartons etc, for local, domestic, or international moving, packed by owner.

family packing

 

Save costs by wrapping and packaging your own goods

We offer you the option of packaging your own goods in packing boxes and cardboard cartons etc ready for shipment in a container, via ship or air freight. As well as saving money, you can work in your own time, and you don’t have anybody else in your house, and you can treat items of special value as you wish.

There are three ways you can do this:

  • You deliver your goods to us
  • We collect your goods from your home
  • You pack a whole container yourself

The advantage of taking a full container load (FCL) is that once it is packed and closed up, there is no further handling of your items by third parties until you unload at the other end.

Additional savings by collecting goods yourself from the far end

You can make extra cost savings in some cases by collecting your own goods or container from the far-end port or airport.

Tips for doing your own packaging

General tips on wrapping and packaging:

  • Use common supermarket cardboard cartons for most items, using newspaper wrapping if necessary for individual items.
  • The heavier the contents, the smaller the packing box you should use - as a general rule, if you can’t lift the box easily it’s too heavy. e.g. use smaller packing boxes for books and larger boxes for clothes.
  • Fill cardboard cartons to the top, using packing materials to fill any unused spaces, to avoid collapse from boxes packed on top.
  • Put the heaviest items at the bottom of each carton with lighter items on top.
  • Remember that the ink on printed newspaper tends to rub off.
  • Keep your back straight and upright and use your legs to do the lifting – don’t bend over and use your back like a crane.
  • Tape up seams of packing boxes well to avoid them opening up and items falling out.
  • Save space by tossing in shoes and small items around bigger items.
  • Advice for specific items:
    Dishes or glasses - use special packing boxes with dividers, or wrap individually with paper or bubble wrap. You can also add crumpled paper at the top and bottom of the carton for extra cushioning. Label box as “fragile”.
  • Suits, dresses, jackets, and coats can be packed in special hanging wardrobe boxes. Some crinkling is inevitable, with no real way to prevent this.
  • Lamps – remove the shade and pack it in a carton, using crushed paper as cushioning. Remove the bulb from the lamp. Wrap the base in bubble wrap before packing. Mark the box as “fragile” and “top load” so that no other cartons will be stacked on top of it.
  • Lawnmowers – drain fuel and oil thoroughly to avoid leaking in shipment. Remove or fold handles down to save space. Rapid old blankets or sheets - something absorbent.
  • Mirrors and pictures – put masking tape and “ex” over the glass. Wrap mirrors in bubble wrap but add an under-layer of paper for paintings to avoid sticking. Place into special picture cartons or build up yourself with sheets of cardboard. Stand vertically in box, not flat (horizontal).
  • Rugs – roll up with underside facing out and secure with tape (and wrap with paper, if you want).
  • Tables – remove the legs and cover surfaces in bubble wrap. Puts screws in an attached ‘parts’ box or bag and label clearly.
  • Screws - put in a parts box accompanying the item they belong to, and label clearly.
  • Tools and garden equipment – drain hoses thoroughly and place them in a carton or plastic bin. Tools can be taped together.
  • TVs and computers – best to put an original boxes if possible. If not, wrap in bubble wrap before placing in boxes. If too big for cartoons, or an odd shape, wrap in several layers of blankets or bubble wrap. Mark screen side as “fragile” or cover with a layer of cardboard for extra protection.
  • Paint, flammables, guns – not allowed, sorry.
  • Label every packing box or cardboard carton to show contents, to help with unpacking at the other end.
  • If you are only packing some items yourself, show us which ones you have done, especially if they are fragile or valuable, so we can advise on the adequacy of the packaging and recommend any repacking necessary.
  • Bikes - wrap in an old blanket or sheet, to protect the paintwork.
  • Valuables – best to carry jewellery, passports, birth certificates, medical records, etc with you.

Container loading:

  • Start with the heavy and large items, like appliances, and load them on the floor against the firewall of the container.
  • Continue loading heavier items on the floor, working your way towards the front of the container.
  • Place lighter items on top of heavier items, and place lightest and most fragile items at the very top.
  • Pack tightly so that nothing can move around. Work your way along in tiers from bottom to top. Fill in the gaps between boxes with loose items such as pillows, blankets, or soft toys. Packing is easiest when cartons are all of similar size.
  • Do not leave space at the back or front of the container, otherwise boxes high up will crash down to fill the gap. Spread the boxes wider to fill the gap and not so high up in the container.
  • Good packing is crucial for ensuring your goods arrive at the other end undamaged.

Please bear in mind that we cannot be held liable for items in packaging done by yourself. Feel free to consult with us for further advice on packaging.

If you haven’t already read the relevant pages for the type of moving you require, go to Moving Locally, Moving within NZ, Moving Overseas, Moving into NZ where you can request a quote.