Professional Packing Services & Supplies

Packing & Moving with Walsh

Anyone who has moved — and every adult Southern Californian has moved at least once — knows what a chore packing can be.

The more you move, the more you realize how difficult it is to protect fragile items and valuables in transit, especially over long distances.

Our Packing Services: The 1,000-ft View

Enter packing services, another specialty on the Walsh full-service menu.

• For do-it-yourselfers, we offer boxes, tape, and other moving supplies. And unlike the cartons you dig out of the dumpster for free, our boxes are sturdy and sized for stacking.
• We offer professional packing as well. When it comes to boxing breakables, antiques, and family heirlooms, it pays to have someone experienced on the job.
• For customers who need short-term vault storage, Walsh workers do the packing and load the vault at your home or business.

Professional Packing Services: What to Expect

We’ll arrive on time at your home or office with everything needed for your move:

• Large, medium & small moving boxes
• Specialty boxes (picture, lamp, etc.)
• Wardrobe boxes
• Mattress boxes
• Moving blankets and wraps
• Wrapping paper
• Thick furniture pads
• Packing tape
• Dollies & hand trucks
• Wooden vaults (if you need storage)
• Storage containers
• And so on

We’ll follow a time-tested step-by-step procedure to ensure the safety of your belongings. This includes:

• Carefully wrapping fragile items in plain newsprint (the material of choice for packing professionals).
• Lining the base of each box with wadded paper.
• Storing the heaviest items directly on top of this protective layer of paper.
• Packing the remainder of each box with progressively lighter items.
• Filling any gaps in the box with wadding paper for a tight fit.
• Sealing every box with packing tape.
• Loading boxes in a way that reinforces their integrity and reduces the risk of damage.

We’re familiar with the limits and maximum safe loads for every size and style of box we use. We never exceed those limits.

We’ll label each box and container for easy identification as you unpack at your destination.

Our Rates for Professional Packing

• Rates for packing are identical to moving rates: $130 an hour for 2 packers and $50 an hour for each additional packer.
• We also charge a small fee for travel from our Torrance or Long Beach locations to your home or office.
• Please contact us for the price of packing supplies: boxes, newsprint, tape, and so on.
• For vault storage information, please visit our storage page.

Professional Moving & Packing vs DIY

You’re Always Covered with Walsh!

What happens if you break that cherished 88-inch OLED TV or something else of value during a DIY move?

Tears and heartbreak, we suspect. Simply put, you’re out of luck.

You broke it, you replace it — if the funds remain in your bank account to replace a major appliance.

But when you hire moving professionals, you’re much less likely to experience breakage. And you’re reimbursed for most things that do break.

Professional movers are licensed and insured. Anything damaged is covered.

This extends to injuries as well. If you or someone else gets hurt during a DIY move, the bills are yours to pay. But professional movers assume all costs of work-related injuries to their employees.

Hiring professional movers means spending a little more upfront. In the long run, you may be saving far more than you realize.

Moving Supplies Available at Walsh

Cardboard Boxes

Boxes are the quintessential moving supply. Without a few boxes, you’re probably not moving anywhere.

Even an office transfer from one desk to another demands a box or two for snacks, for accumulated swag, for whatever.

You can probably manage that desk move without us, but when you get that long-awaited promotion and the company ships you off to Salt Lake City, you’d be wise to call the Walsh people who pack boxes for a living, and you have every moving supply imaginable for sale or for your use (if you hire us).

All boxes look alike to the untrained eye. But don’t be fooled.

Spare yourself the indignity of dumpster diving! Not just any box will do for your big move.

• Flimsy boxes can break apart during transport.
• Boxes that can’t be sealed and stacked may contribute to damage or shifting during transport.
• Sturdy boxes made for packing are your best option. They cost a little more, but they’re well worth the investment.

It helps to have packing boxes in a variety of sizes. This makes the packing easier and the loading much safer. We load our trucks the way the ancient Incans built walls. No masonry! Every fit is a work of art!

• Small boxes: 1.5 cubic feet
• Medium boxes: 3 cubic feet
• Large boxes: 4.5 cubic feet
  Extra-large boxes: 6 cubic feet

Capacities are approximate and not calibrated for space travel. Still, you get the idea!

At Walsh, of course, we carry the full pallet of boxes from small to extra-large. We’ll put them to good use for you.

Specialty Boxes

We still haven’t talked about specialty boxes, our favorite water-cooler topic at the Walsh warehouse.

For some things, fragile things in particular, an ordinary packing box won’t do. Breakables need extra protection during a local or long-distance move. Examples include:

• Porcelain and glass dishes
• Mirrors
• Paintings (especially if you own a Rembrandt or Van Gogh)
• Lamps

These boxes are so specialized they have their own names, like pets.

Moving Boxes 101

Get the right box for the job & your stuff will be safe

High-quality packing materials designed for moving can keep your belongings damage-free and are well-worth their purchase price.

• DishPak (or China Barrel): Extra sturdy corrugated carton of double-wall construction for breakables like china and dishes, crystal and glassware. Cellular dividers inside the carton act as an extra measure of protection.
• Small Box (Book Carton): A small, easy-to-handle carton designed for heavy items like books or CDs. 1.5 cubic feet.
• Medium Box: A medium utility box great for pots and pans, toys, non-perishable food (cans and jars), and small appliances. 3 cubic feet.
• Large Square Box (Lamp): Best for light but bulky items like linens, towels, toys, or lampshades. 4.5 cubic feet.
• Large Rectangular Box (Lamp): For lightweight bulky articles such as pillows, blankets and large lampshades. 6 cubic feet.
• Wardrobe Carton: This extra-large carton contains a hanger bar for clothes from your closet or draperies.
• Mirror Carton: A telescoping carton that fits almost any picture, mirror, or flat glass surface.
• Mattress Carton: Available in king, queen, double, single (twin) and crib sizes. You’ll need one for each box spring and mattress.

Other Packing Accessories We Offer

• Professional-grade packing tape in varying widths for wrapping and box sealing.
• Paper pads and inkless newsprint for wadding.
• Mattress bags to keep your mattresses dirt-free.
• Blankets and thick fabric furniture pads. We don’t sell these, but we include them as part of your moving service.

Things You Shouldn’t Pack for the Moving Truck

By federal law or by policy, moving companies can’t or won’t transport the following items.

Hazardous Materials: Flammable, Corrosive, Toxic, or Explosive

• Ammonia
• Ammunition
• Car batteries
• Charcoal
• Charcoal lighter fluid
• Chemistry sets
• Cleaning solvents
• Fertilizer
• Fireworks
• Gasoline
• Kerosene
• Lamp oil
• Liquid bleach
• Loaded guns
• Matches
• Motor oil
• Paint thinner
• Nail polish remover
• Paints
• Pesticides
• Poisons
• Pool chemicals
• Propane tanks
• Sterno

Perishables: Food, Plants, Living Things

• Frozen foods
• Plants
• Produce
• Refrigerated foods
• Open or half-used foods

Items of Particular Value

• Stamp or coin collections
• Deeds or wills
• Moving documents
• Family photographs
• Personal electronics
• Securities
• Cash
• Jewelry