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Blog July 7, 2021

How to Pack Lamps for a Stress-Free Moving

Posted in Moving Day Tips
Eva Johnson

Digital nomad born in New York but currently living online, Eva knows everything there is to know about packing and moving.

If you’re about to engage in a cross country moving by yourself, the packaging of lamps can be an incredibly inconvenient task. They are fragile and come in different shapes and sizes. Moreover, most of them are composed of several parts. Thinking about how to pack lamps for moving does not have to be stressful. Actually, it could be so simple. All you need to do is follow the instructions below.

How Do You Pack and Move a Lamp – Preparatory Steps

It is only natural that we want our belongings unharmed during long-distance moving. Luckily, to secure and pack the lamps, especially if they are valuable, you will need no more than the usual moving supplies.Still, you’ll do well to get all the necessary equipment on time because it will significantly reduce the moving stress you’re bound to experience. The most important items on the moving essentials checklist are boxes. You can find them in local retail stores, in the appropriate sizes, and maybe even for free. As for more special ones, such as those for the tallest lamps, you can get them from a local cross country moving company. When you have collected all the boxes, the only thing left to do before taking care of the lamps themselves is to line the boxes’ bottoms with packing paper for moving.

How Do You Store Lamps? They Should Be Disassembled First

Because of their shape and fragility, it is necessary to disassemble the lamp before packing it. After that, you should wrap each part separately.

So, first unplug the lamp from the wall and coil the cord, tying it with a rubber band. Then, unscrew the light bulb and set it aside. Since it is the most fragile of all parts, it must be specially secured for transport.

Next, you can remove the lampshade and harp and attach the cables to the base. Wrap the cord and plug around the base, and secure it so that they do not unwind. And one especially important note: all screws should be packed in small plastic bags and marked. It will help you to find them later and not confuse them with other screws.

screws Put all screws in a plastic baggie and label it

How Do You Pack the Lampshades and Bulbs

When you think of delicate parts, lampshades and bulbs stand out. But they have to be packed too. So, start with removing them and then use plain paper or bubble wrap for protection. And since you certainly don’t want to leave a permanent stain on the delicate surface of your lampshade, make sure that your hands are clean and dry while working, and that paper you wrap it in doesn’t have any print.

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How Do I Ship a Lampshade

When you wrap the shade, place it carefully in an upright position in a box of appropriate size. Make sure you can close the box comfortably, so that the lid can’t damage the item. And yes, we always tend to think about safety first, but it should also be practical. Therefore, you can place several shades in one box, if there is room, but fill the gaps between them with a bubble wrap so that they do not shift during transport. You can also use anything soft for cushioning, such as kitchen towels or socks.

To take precautions to the end, mark the box with the lampshades and place it on top of other belongings in a moving truck, so they can be safe during the moving to a new home.

How Do You Pack Light Bulbs

In all that confusion about relocation, you should pack the fragile items before all the other things. And light bulbs are certainly the most delicate. So wrap each bulb in air-filled padding and tape them well to make sure the padding doesn’t unwind in the box. To make it easier for you, you can also use special boxes, which are divided into segments by cardboard. In this case, you should wrap each bulb and put one in each section. Before closing the box, put another layer of paper over them. In the end, as we have already noted, don’t forget to label the boxes as ones to be carefully handled.

cardboard-segments Wrap each bulb in bubble wrap, secure them with tape, and put in the box

How Do You Pack Lamp Bases

Next come the bases. You should also begin with wrapping the lamp base with paper. If it is made of a fragile material, such as glass or porcelain, use a lot of padding and tape. As with the other parts, you can put several lamp bases in the box. Still, do not pack the lamps’ tops with the bases, because some metal part could be distorted if you do.

wrapping-paper Fill the gaps around the lamp with packing paper to prevent shifting during the transport

How Do You Pack Tall Lamps

The tall floor lamp has a metal stem and a cable that runs through it. That makes the task a little bit complicated. The stem should be disassembled piece by piece, always taking care not to pull the cord. When you’re done with the stem, pack floor lamps according to the previous instructions. However, the bases of these lamps often cannot fit in boxes, so you have to transport them as they are. Of course, if they are made of some delicate material, wrap them in air-filled plastic.

fragile caption If you manage to fit a tall lamp in a box, mark it as fragile

How Do You Pack Table Lamps

If you’ve managed to pack a tall lamp, packing a table one won’t be a problem for you. The procedure is the same. When you disassemble the lamps, protect each part separately. Unlike a floor lamp, a table lamp has a short base, which you certainly can pack in a box once you secure it. The safest way to ship it is, as ever, in the box of appropriate size.

If you have any doubts get the necessary equipment, and see how to pack a table lamp  in the video below:

YouTube video

Additional Tips on How to Pack Lamps

Mistakes made during packaging can cause damage to your belongings, or make other kinds of problems. So think ahead to avoid such common mistakes and protect your stuff (and your nerves.) A sure way to achieve that is to take enough time to properly pack lamps for moving. Here are some steps that might be very helpful:

  • Measure all lamps’ parts before you buy the boxes,
  • Label the boxes in such a way that you can easily find matching parts,
  • Unpack as soon as may be, since packing fragile items is almost always risky.
bubble-wrap Bubble wrap and packing tape are great help in packing

How to Pack a Lamp for Moving – Try with Professionals

Thinking about the things you will need to do before moving your lamps may put unnecessary pressure on you. If you are determined to do it yourself, read tips on how to pack a lamp for moving and get organized to move. However, if you are still unsure about the reasons to hire a cross country moving company, remember that their moving services and packing services, as well as storage facilities can make your cross country relocation a stress-free endeavor.

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