Bubble Wrap, Packing Peanuts, or Packing Paper | Which Is Best?

Published on 2023-03-07

Packing for a move has its own challenges aside from the heavy lifting you’ll have to put in later and part of that calculus is what type of packing materials you should use. The most popularly used materials are bubble wrap, packing peanuts, and packing paper, but you may be wondering, “which one is best?” The short answer is that it depends, and sometimes a combination of the different options. We’ll explain below what works best for certain situations and cover some of the reasons why.

Bubble Wrap

One of the most essential packing materials you’ll need when moving is bubble wrap. It’s right up there with tape and boxes as far as importance and it’s ideal for packing a number of items and making sure everything is protected during your move. The air cushioning provides protection against any bumps by offering a snug fit to ensure that if there is any shifting of items in a box, they’re as secure as possible, even if they do move slightly.

Bubble wrap is ideal for fragile items like glasses, which can be wrapped around them and taped firmly so that it’s protected on all sides. It’s also a good idea to pack electronics with bubble wrap, though you may want to used a specialized type known as anti-static bubble wrap. Styrofoam peanuts are good to fill the spaces around electronics to keep them safe.

Larger or awkwardly shaped items, and even furniture, are also a good candidate to pack with bubble wrap. While packing paper can work, sharp edges tend to tear it, whereas bubble wrap is a sturdier option and provides more of a physical barrier. Bubble wrap can also be easily reused if you need to make multiple trips while moving delicate items.

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Packing Paper

Forlighter items or anything that has a surface that can be scratched, packing paper is ideal. This goes for fine flatware or China, glass tabletops, mirrors, flat screen TVs, and even furniture that. As far as furniture is concerned, if you polish it, you should paper it. For dishes, it’s best to use a combination of packing paper and bubble wrap, surrounding them with the air-cushioned bubble wrap and then filling in the box with packing paper or peanuts.

Packing Peanuts

Packing peanuts are kind of in between bubble wrap and packing paper as far as usefulness when moving. They’re ideal for filling empty spaces in boxes to provide some extra cushioning and they’re perfect for small, delicate items that are packed together. You can easily fill a box with packing peanuts and then add the bubble wrapped items afterward since peanuts shift so easily while still providing some protection. This is where they work best—think filling a box with plates, dishes, or glasses—since adding your belongings after the packing material is in the box isn’t really a viable option with bubble wrap or packing paper.