Practical guide
How to pack your boxes
Everything you need to know to get your boxes ready for pickup. Written for away-from-home students, based on the experience of those who handle thousands of boxes every year.
Step 1
Choosing the right boxes
Size matters more than you'd think. A box that's too big and full of books becomes impossible to lift; one that's too small for clothes multiplies the number of pieces (and the pickup cost).
📚
Box S
~ 30 × 30 × 30 cm
Books, notebooks, shoes, small heavy items.
👕
Box M
~ 50 × 40 × 40 cm
Clothes, linens, accessories, kitchen kit.
🛏️
Box L
~ 60 × 50 × 50 cm
Sheets, duvets, pillows, bulky but light items.
💡 Quick tip
When you book a pickup with Smoves you can request the packing kit: we deliver right-sized boxes and tape a few days before pickup, so you don't have to hunt them down across the city.
Step 2
Materials you need
Get everything before you start: stopping halfway to look for the tape is the fastest way to get tired and postpone.
Smoves packing vs DIY
When booking, for each box you can choose between Smoves packing (included) or packing on your own.
- Smoves packing (included): we deliver the new box ready to go, with tape and protective material. You fill it up, we seal and number it at pickup. Nothing to buy, zero stress.
- DIY: use your own boxes and materials. Lower cost but you need to source everything listed below.
You can mix both within the same booking (e.g. 3 boxes with Smoves packing + 2 DIY).
- 📦
New boxes or in excellent condition
Double-wall cardboard if you need to pack heavy items. Avoid folded or dented boxes.
- 🎞️
Wide brown packing tape
You'll need at least 2-3 rolls. Regular scotch tape doesn't hold for months of storage.
- 🫧
Bubble wrap or packing paper
For fragile and delicate items. Towels and old t-shirts also make great filler.
- 🖊️
Permanent marker, thick tip
For labelling. Black on brown cardboard is always readable, even in the dark of the warehouse.
- 🏷️
White adhesive labels (optional)
If you want a tidier system: one label per box with number and contents.
- 📱
Your phone
To photograph the contents before sealing each box. Best 10-second investment of your life.
Step 3
What to pack by category
Group by type, not by chance. In September you'll just open one box at a time knowing exactly what's inside.
📚 Books, notes, study material
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- →Always S boxes — even if they look small, they fill up fast.
- →Lay the books on their edge: they take up less room and don't bend.
- →If you have notebooks or material you'll need in September, label that box as 'priority'.
👕 Clothes
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- →Wash everything before packing. Months of closure amplify any odour.
- →Roll, don't fold: rolling clothes saves about 30% of space and wrinkles them less.
- →Separate summer from winter into different boxes: it's useful when you come back.
- →Scent with a lavender sachet or a scented dryer sheet inside the box.
💻 Electronics and cables
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- →Wrap each device in bubble wrap or a soft clothing item.
- →Cables and chargers in a dedicated bag — not loose in the box.
- →Remove batteries from remotes, wireless mice, small appliances: after months they discharge and may leak.
- →Photo inventory is mandatory before sealing.
🍶 Fragile items (glasses, plates, vases)
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- →Bubble wrap is non-negotiable. At least two layers around each piece.
- →Fill empty spaces in the box with towels or t-shirts: nothing should move.
- →Write 'FRAGILE' on all 4 sides and on the lid, in red marker if you have one.
- →Don't stack other heavy boxes on top of these.
🛏️ Sheets, duvets, pillows
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- →Vacuum bags if you have them: they cut volume by 60%.
- →Otherwise use L boxes with the duvet rolled up + the pillow as filler for the empty spaces.
- →Clear label: 'bed linens' is more useful than 'textiles'.
🧴 Cosmetics and liquid products
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- →Only closed products with screw caps. Open bottles leak.
- →Put everything in a sealed transparent bag before placing it in the box.
- →No expired products — throw them out now, you won't use them in September.
🍳 Kitchen kit (pots, plates, cutlery)
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- →Wash and dry well before packing.
- →Pots inside each other with a cloth between to avoid scratches.
- →Cutlery in a separate bag, blades covered.
- →No food, not even canned — see section 4.
Step 4 — Caution
What NOT to pack for storage
Some things simply don't belong in storage. It seems obvious, but every year we find everything. Save yourself the surprise in September.
- ⛔
Food and drinks
Even if sealed: in the summer heat something always breaks. Attracts insects and contaminates other boxes.
- ⛔
Flammable liquids (alcohol, stain removers, solvents)
Forbidden by law in storage facilities. Dispose of them in your city's special waste.
- ⛔
Plants (live or dried)
Live plants die within 48 hours in the dark. Dried ones attract humidity and pests.
- ⛔
Unique documents (passport, contracts, original degrees)
Keep them with you or leave them at your parents'. Not worth risking for months even though our facilities are secure.
- ⛔
High-value items (jewellery, cash, artwork)
Same logic. For truly valuable items, talk to us directly: we arrange dedicated solutions.
- ⛔
Old batteries and power banks
They may leak or swell. Drop them at proper collection points.
- ⛔
Pets
Sounds obvious. It isn't always. We're saying it anyway.
Step 5
How to label so you find everything
In May you know exactly what you packed in each box. In September you don't. Investing 30 seconds now to label saves you 30 minutes of "wait, where is it?" when you come back.
Minimum system (recommended)
- Big progressive number on 2 sides + lid (e.g. "1", "2", "3"…).
- Brief contents under the number (e.g. "exam books", "summer clothes").
- Phone photo of the contents before sealing.
Pro system (if you have 20+ boxes)
- Colour code by category: blue = clothes, red = fragile, green = priority.
- Phone notes app with content list per box number.
- A "priority box" — the one you open first when you come back: slippers, clean sheets, shower towel, some comfy clothes.
📦 Already booked with Smoves?
A ready-made label PDF is available in your dashboard and attached to the confirmation email. One label per box, with your name, box number (e.g. 1/10) and booking code.
No need to print them: just write number + name + size on each box by hand (e.g. "3/10 — Mario Rossi — M"). The operator will recognise them right away at pickup.
Step 6
Getting boxes ready for pickup
Last step before pickup. Five minutes that avoid problems later.
- 1.Seal with at least two strips of tape on the bottom and two on the lid, in a cross.
- 2.Check the weight: lift the box, if it's hard to move it's too heavy (above 20 kg → redistribute).
- 3.Confirm the total box count matches your quote. If it changed, write to us before pickup.
- 4.Group all boxes in the same spot (reception, entrance, accessible room). The operator won't walk around the house looking for them.
- 5.Leave a phone contact in case the operator needs to reach you (rare, but it happens).
- 6.If you're not there, tell the concierge or leave clear instructions by message.
Packing FAQ
How much weight can a single box hold?
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Can I use second-hand boxes?
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Do I have to label every single box?
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Do I need to be home for the pickup?
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Can I add or remove boxes after booking?
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Ready to pack?
If you want the boxes-and-tape kit delivered to your door, or just want to book the pickup, start here. Three minutes, instant quote.