How To Pack a TV for Moving

There’s nothing unusual anymore about packing up a flat screen television. Of course, that doesn’t make doing it any easier – or doing it right any less important. Here we put out a two-point plan for how to pack a TV for moving with an emphasis on keeping that pricey piece of entertainment safe.

The Pack

Many months ago we went over how to properly pack a large mirror. The process involves using several pieces of mirror carton – four or six or possibly more – and fashioning a custom-sized box. If our customer does not have the original box for their flat screen television, this is how we want to go about packing it.

Those flat screens can be really heavy, man. Paper pads and newsprint inside pieces of cardboard ain’t gonna cut it!

Agreed. So instead of paper, wrap that flat screen in a furniture pad. We’d still recommend hefty amounts of packing paper in the corners of the carton, to further cushion any external impact. We can even fold up a second pad to take extra special care of the screen side. If the customer isn’t springing for furniture pads find a thick blanket or two. Just check before you start wrapping the flat screen up in Grandma’s old keepsake quilt!

The Pen

We’ve scoured the Internet for answers to the common question of “Can I safely transport my flat screen horizontally?“ Information and advice runs the gamut from “No problem”,  to “OH MYLANTA NO!!!”

Like mirrors and picture frames, flat screen televisions should always be transported vertically. The main reason is to reduce if not eliminate the stress placed on the glass. Another reason is to prevent possible adverse effects to the chemical elements that are contained inside the unit. Confusion still reigns among the denizens of the Internet forums on the relation between horizontal transport and display damage but we advise playing it safe on all counts.

Make sure that flat screen remains upright by drawing a bunch of big thick arrows all over the carton – preferably all pointing the same way. Write TV in big letters on every side, along with TOP or THIS SIDE UP or whatever else will grab a person’s attention. Especially when the original carton no longer exists, we don’t want that flat screen to be loaded improperly – or mistaken for the customer’s foosball table top.

The Customer’s Peace of Mind

Few common items cause as much concern as flat screen TVs. We know that we know how to pack a TV for moving, but once we’re finished packing it up it might be helpful to explain to the customer what we’ve done to protect their baby. And to let them know that if they ever decide to move it again they too will want to keep it upright, just to be on the safe side.

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Photo credit: Wonderlane on Flickr