Pack smarter with Eco Crates.

Moving is much easier when your belongings are packed properly.

Eco Crates are strong, reusable and easy to stack, but how you pack them matters too — especially when it comes to fragile items.

These simple tips will help you pack more efficiently, reduce movement inside your crates and make unpacking easier at the other end.

Packing Tips

✅ Start with cushioning at the bottom – For fragile items, begin by placing a layer of scrunched packing paper in the bottom of the crate.

This creates cushioning and helps absorb movement while the crate is being carried or transported.

For particularly fragile items, add a little extra padding.

✅ The golden rule: stop things moving – One of the most important things you can do when packing is to prevent items from moving around inside the crate.

Use scrunched packing paper between items and fill any empty spaces around the sides and top.

Once the crate is packed, gently check whether anything can move. If you can hear or feel items shifting, add more paper.

A snugly packed crate is a safer crate.

✅ Pack plates and crockery upright – Plates and similar crockery are generally better packed vertically on their edges rather than stacked flat.

Wrap fragile pieces where needed, stand them upright beside one another and place scrunched paper between them.

Think of them like records sitting upright in a box.

✅ Pack glasses upright too – Wrap delicate glasses individually where necessary and place them upright rather than on their sides.

Use scrunched packing paper between each glass and around any gaps so they cannot knock against one another during the move.

✅ Put heavier items at the bottom – Pack heavier and sturdier items towards the bottom of the crate, with lighter or more fragile belongings on top.

This helps keep the crate stable and reduces the chance of heavier items damaging anything underneath them.

✅ Don’t make crates too heavy – Eco Crates are strong, but that doesn’t mean they should be filled completely with heavy items.

Books are a good example — a full crate of books can become extremely heavy.

Where practical, combine heavier belongings with lighter items so the crate remains comfortable and safe to lift.

✅ Don’t overfill the crate – Keep everything below the top edge so the lid can close properly.

Avoid forcing the lid shut or leaving items sticking above the top of the crate. Properly closed crates are easier to carry, stack and transport.

✅ Secure the lid for extra protection – Eco Crates have attached lids, so you don’t need packing tape.

For extra security, we recommend using cable ties to secure the lids closed, particularly when packing fragile or valuable belongings.

If a crate is accidentally dropped or tipped, cable ties can help keep the lid closed and the contents contained.

Cable ties are available to purchase when you order your Eco Crates.

✅ Fill every empty space – Once the main items are packed, look for gaps around the sides and top of the crate.

Fill these with scrunched packing paper or soft household items such as tea towels or hand towels.

Again, the aim is to stop the contents shifting around.

✅ Use towels and linen as extra padding – Towels, tea towels, pillowcases and other linen can be useful for protecting sturdier belongings.

Use them to wrap items, separate objects from one another or fill empty spaces.

It’s a simple way to add cushioning while packing something you need to move anyway.

✅ Keep similar items together – Try to pack by room rather than simply filling whichever crate is available.

Keep kitchen items together, bathroom items together and bedroom belongings together. This makes unpacking much faster and helps movers place each crate in the correct room.

✅ Label every crate – Clearly label each crate with the room it belongs in.

You can also add a short description where helpful, for example:

KITCHEN – GLASSES & MUGS

BEDROOM – LINEN

OFFICE – FILES

Clear labels make moving day easier and save time when you start unpacking.

✅ Pack an “open first” crate – Keep one crate for the things you’re likely to need immediately when you arrive at your new home.

Useful items might include toiletries, phone chargers, medications, toilet
paper, a kettle, tea or coffee, a couple of mugs, basic cleaning products, pet essentials and a change of clothes.

Label it clearly:
OPEN FIRST

✅ Take extra care with liquids – Make sure bottles and containers are tightly closed before packing.

Where possible, place cleaning products, oils and other liquids inside sealed bags before putting them into a crate.

This gives you extra protection if something leaks.

✅ Start packing earlier than you think – Begin with belongings you don’t use every day, such as books, decorative items, spare linen, seasonal clothing and less-used kitchenware.

Leave everyday essentials until closer to move day.

Packing a little at a time is much easier than trying to pack your whole home at the last minute.

✅ Make moving easier with Eco Crate  – Eco Crate provides strong, reusable moving box hire across Auckland,
delivered to your door and collected again once your move is complete.

Residential customers can choose from one of our three moving packages, with two weeks of crate hire included. Extra weeks are available at a discounted
rate if you need a little longer.

For business moves, contact us and we can arrange the number of crates and hire period to suit your requirements.