The Movers.com Blog

Lamps add beauty and functionality

Most of your belongings are pretty easy to move.  You just pack them up into boxes and bring them to your new home, but with some items, it isn’t so simple.  Lamps, for example, can be awkward to move because of their irregular size and shape, but don’t worry: there’s almost always a way to relocate your belongings.  It’s no different when it comes to lamps.  If you follow a few simple steps, you can ensure that your lamps will arrive safely in your new home.

First of all, there are boxes that are specially designed for packing lamps.  These boxes often telescope, allowing you to adjust them to the size of your lamp.  Pack each of your lamps into appropriately sized boxes.  Doing so will limit their movement within the boxes during your move.

Secondly, make sure you remove light bulbs from your lamps so they won’t shatter in the electrical socket during the move.  There are many florescent and energy-saving light bulbs that can be damaged by the oils found on human skin, so you should remove them using a paper towel or cloth.  You can protect your light bulbs by wrapping them in packing paper or paper towels and then pack them in a separate box.  Make sure you put extra cushioning between the light bulbs and the sides of the box.  Mark this box “FRAGILE” so your movers will know to handle it with special care.  You may also want to label the box “LIGHT BULBS” so you’ll be able to unpack them and get them back into your lamps upon arrival in your new home.

You’ll also want to disconnect power cords from the lamps if possible.  Wrap them neatly to be packed along with your lamp.  When wrapping the cords, be sure that they aren’t sharply creased.  Sharp creases can damage or even cut the wires that are inside the cord’s protective covering.

Now for the lamp stands.  If you can disassemble the lamp stand to make it smaller, you should do so.  Wrap each piece individually and put them into the lamp box.  Include as much cushioning as possible in the box, especially for very fragile lamps.

If your lamp has a fragile base, it’s a good idea to fill any hollow parts of the base (usually the underside) with packing paper or other cushioning.  Then, wrap the whole thing again in a protective wrapping, like bubble wrap or a towel.

Lampshades will need to be packed into separate boxes.  Regular packing boxes are fine for packing lampshades, but try to find a box that is close in size to the lampshade.  If there’s too much extra room in the box the lampshade could be damaged while jostling around inside.  On the other side of things, don’t force a lampshade into a box that is too small for it.  Use some cushioning material on the inside of the lampshades to keep them from being crushed.

Packing lamps takes a little extra effort, but it is well worth it.  Keep the above tips in mind as you pack and your lamps should have no problem finding their ways safely to your new home.

Have you ever packed a lamp before?  How did you keep it secure during the move?  Tell us about it with a comment below!