Moving is the most stressful event in your life, at least according to a 2020 study conducted by OnePoll and North American Van Lines. Beating out other high contenders like “going through a divorce” and “having children”, 45% of participants in the study declared moving to be the single most stressful life event. Within the category of moving, most participants determined that the act of packing was the most stressful part of moving, outranking money-related stressors like “budgeting for movers” or “saving up for an apartment lease”.
So if packing is supposed to be the most stressful part of the most stressful event in your life, what can you do to give yourself a little break? Get yourself a roll of stretch wrap! Stretch wrap is one of the most versatile tools in the world of shipping and storage. And in the middle of a big move, stretch wrap will be your best friend. If you’re not sure if stretch film is right for you, or if you don’t even know what it is, then let this article introduce you to this great packaging material and tell you how to use stretch wrap for moving.
What is Stretch Wrap?
Stretch Wrap is a plastic film that is wrapped around objects to bundle them together and protect them from the elements. Typically manufactured from polyethylene (PE), stretch film is stretched as it is wrapped around pallets and bundles, strengthening the material and binding the load together as a single, stabilized unit. Stretch wrap is thin and flexible, yet durable and resistant to many environmental contaminants, such as dust, dirt, and moisture. On top of this, stretch film clings to itself, so you won’t need packing tape to successfully bundle a load.
What is Stretch Wrap Used For?
In general, stretch wrap is mostly used by the packaging industry for palletizing and securing loads for shipping and storage. Workers in warehouses, docks, and distributors will often use industrial stretch wrap machines to quickly wrap several pallets in an hour. However, stretch wrap can just as easily be applied by hand using a set of handles or a wrap dispenser. The stretch film not only bundles loads together for shipping and storage, but it also keeps the goods protected from rough handling, shifting, and environmental contamination.
We've made a short how-to video on how stretch wrap works and how to best use it:
How Do I Use Stretch Wrap for Moving?
In the world of moving, stretch wrap is primarily used for bundling and securing loads of furniture, appliances, and other household items. It also acts as a barrier of protection, keeping the contents inside and contaminants out. However, before you start covering everything you own in a layer of stretch film, it helps to go over smart practices when moving and using stretch wrap.
1. Clean, Dry, and Disassemble Your Furniture
Before you apply an inch of stretch wrap, you need to make sure the surface you’ll be wrapping is clean and dry. Standard household cleaners like glass cleaner will work just fine with most surfaces.
Wooden surfaces need to be dusted with a dry duster or cloth. Leather surfaces must be vacuumed and cleaned with soap, water, and leather conditioner. Upholstered surfaces should be vacuumed and wiped down with a damp cloth.
No matter the kind of surface, you must make sure that the surface is 100% dry before wrapping it in stretch film. Otherwise, you risk trapping moisture under the stretch wrap and causing damage to your possessions.
Once you guarantee that the surface is dry, perform a light disassembly of your furniture. It doesn’t have to be extensive, just take away the parts that are easily removable and that are likely to cause trouble during the move. Removable parts can include chair legs, tabletops, cushions, decorations, extensions, and more. Roll these removable parts up in a blanket or towel, ensuring the parts do not touch each other, then apply a layer or two of stretch wrap around the ends of the blanket or towel to keep these parts in place.
2. Cover Wood and Leather with Paper Padding
Wood and leather are some of the most moisture-sensitive materials that you’ll have around your house. Therefore, even if you’re absolutely certain that your wood and leather items are completely dried off, go ahead and cover them in a layer of durable paper padding. Not only will the paper padding absorb any remaining traces of moisture, but it also serves as an additional layer of protection for your furniture. With your paper padding now in place, you may now wrap your wood and leather items in layers of stretch wrap.
If you’re more interested in reusable options, moving blankets and furniture pads are available to use instead.
3. Protect the Corners
Corners are among the most easily damaged parts of any piece of furniture, appliance, or any other household item. Before you apply your stretch wrap, keep the corners of your possessions free from damage by placing a piece of foam or cardboard over your items’ corners.
Go a step further and order yourself a set of corner protectors; these convenient little tools are made from plastic, cardboard, or foam and can be used and reused for as long as you need them.
4. Get to Wrapping
Now that your furniture is cleaned, dried, disassembled, and protected, you can now begin applying your stretch wrap. Tuck the end of the stretch film into a crevasse, such as under a cushion or in a door hinge, then wrap the film around your furniture and appliances multiple times, keeping the film taut and stretched as you wrap. Remember, stretch wrap gets stronger when it’s stretched, so make sure the film is in constant tension while you’re wrapping.
5. Horizontal and Vertical
After you’ve applied a few layers of stretch wrap in one direction, consider applying stretch wrap in a perpendicular direction so your possessions are wrapped up both horizontally and vertically. Twice the wrapping means twice the bundling and twice the protection. Now there is little-to-no chance of your possessions shifting or getting damaged or contaminated during the move.
6. Wrap the Whole Drawer
If you’ve got a silverware drawer or a jewelry case, it can be an absolute pain in the neck trying to bundle together individual necklaces or spoons. But you also can’t just leave them alone and wait for them to loosen and spill out during your move. You can therefore save yourself the trouble and wrap the entire silverware organizer or jewelry case. There may be some minimal shifting inside, but your small accessories will not come spilling out and will instead stay all together.
For extra security, lay a towel or small blanket over the drawer, then wrap with stretch film.
7. Keep Doors and Drawers Closed
Don’t you hate it when you’re moving a cabinet or dresser around and the drawers keep opening up on you? Well, don’t let it happen to you by applying a layer of stretch wrap around the entire piece of furniture. The stretch film will keep those doors and drawers shut, saving you the trouble later on.
8. Secure Your Cords
Loose cords for appliances can be a big source of headache during your move. Keep them from becoming tripping hazards by rolling up your cords and wrapping them up with some stretch film. Then, either tuck the cords into their appliances or stretch wrap them against the side of the appliance. This will keep these cords close by, but thankfully out of the way.
9. Keep Lids and Caps Fastened
Nothing brings a move to a screeching halt like a bottle of liquid losing its lid and spilling its contents all over your possessions. Avoid this fate by tearing off a small piece of stretch wrap and either stretching it over the lid or over the opening and screwing the lid over the stretch film. Then continue packing with the peace of mind that your liquids will remain in their containers.
10. Safeguard Your Photos and Artwork
Framed photographs and pieces of art deserve a little extra care and attention. Protect the corners of the frame with some foam or cardboard, then wrap the entire frame in stretch film. For your most valuable artwork, consider placing them in special mirror/picture boxes, then wrapping the boxes in stretch film.
11. Bundle Long and Awkward Items Together
Long and cumbersome objects like rakes, shovels, and brooms can be frustrating to carry around and maneuver during a move. Save yourself the hassle and bundle these long items together with some stretch wrap. Simply apply a couple layers of stretch film around the ends of these items to secure them together.
12. Bundle Large and Lightweight Items Together
Have you amassed a collection of throw pillows and stuffed animals that you’re determined to take with you on your move? Save space in your moving truck and bundle these large items together. Throw your big pillows and plushies into a big pile and wrap these items together the best you can. These large, soft bundles can even act as padding for your furniture and appliances.
Delicate pillows and plushies may require additional layers of stretch wrap for protection. Otherwise, these items should perhaps go into a corrugated box.
Wrapping Up
And that’s how you use stretch wrap for your big move! There’s a lot about moving that can be intimidating, but packing up your belongings doesn’t need to be one of those things. Especially when you have a roll of reliable and versatile stretch wrap at your side, your move can be much less stressful than what you first imagined.
Inevitably, you will also have to consider your choice of packing tape for your move as well, especially if you’re planning on packing loose and fragile items into boxes. If you’re curious about the kinds of tapes that are available and what tapes work for certain applications, take a look at our beginner's guide to packing tape.
We at PackagingSuppliedByMail offer a wide selection of stretch wrap products, as well as various handles and dispensers for stretch wrap. On top of this, all our stretch wrap comes with free shipping. So if you’ve got a big move coming up and you want the most stressful event in your life to be not-so-stressful, get yourself some stretch wrap and become the master of your move.
