Taping your moving boxes correctly can mean the difference between Grandma's china arriving in good shape or a million pieces. Learn how to tape moving boxes so that everything gets to your new home in the condition it left the old one.

Choose the Right Moving Boxes and Packing Materials

• Moving boxes don't have to be expensive. There are sources for cheap moving boxes online and at moving companies. Just make sure the boxes you use are sturdy.
   
• To pack efficiently, you need the right packing supplies like bubble wrap, biodegradable packing peanuts, newspaper, tissue paper, towels, etc.
   
• Pick up proper packing tape—not Scotch tape or masking tape but tape specifically designed for packing, preferably in a tape dispenser. A strong, high-quality tape will mean you will use less tape on each box.
   
• You have the option to buy "moving kits"—pre-made kits full of moving supplies—but you can also purchase the supplies you'll need individually.
   
• As tempting as it is to put a ton of your stuff into big boxes, it's best to pack heavy items into small boxes, which are easier to manage. Make sure each box you pack is sturdy and filled to the flaps—concave moving boxes don't stack well and can collapse in on themselves.

Don't Let the Bottom Fall Out

Simply overlapping opposite flaps on the bottom of a moving box will not make a container secure enough. Start assembling your box by having your tape ready. Besides securing your items, it's important to know that movers may not move your boxes if they are packed incorrectly. You could be charged if they need to repack them.

Start Taping

• Take your moving box and start by folding in the smaller bottom flaps. Then fold in the larger flaps. Flip your box and start taping.
   
• Professional movers usually use "H" taping. The middle of the H is the middle seam of the box. Tape that first and then put a strip of tape all the way down both sides where the flaps were folded in.
   
• If it's a really heavy load, tape from corner to corner in an "X" manner to reinforce the bottom.
   
• After taping, make sure that the tape is flat and sticking to the box. When you've filled your box, close the top with the same H pattern.

Get Out of a Sticky Situation

If you're one of those folks who's ever wasted time trying to find the end of the tape roll, there's an easy fix. After each taping, fold over a ¼- to ½-inch section of the tape onto itself and pull it out onto the tearing mechanism. You will then have a little "tab" that you can grab to start taping the next part.