How to Pack a TV and Electronics for a Move

Electronics are among the most valuable and most fragile things in a home: a large television, a desktop computer, monitors, speakers, a router, a printer, perhaps a gaming console or a camera. They're vulnerable to knocks, pressure, moisture and heat, and a cracked screen or a damaged port is expensive. Packing them properly takes a little longer, and it's worth it.

Before you unplug anything

Back up your data first: phones, laptops, desktops and anything else that holds files you care about. Moves are a common time for drives to be knocked or lost, and a backup turns a disaster into an inconvenience.

Then photograph the back of every device before unplugging it: the TV, the set-top box, the sound system, the computer and the router. When you're setting up in the new home, a photo of which cable went where saves a lot of guessing.

Televisions

A flat-screen TV is safest in its original box, with the original foam inserts. If you don't have it, ask the mover for a proper TV carton or a padded wooden crate. The screen needs protection from pressure as well as knocks, so it should be wrapped in a soft layer first, then bubble wrap, and packed so nothing presses on the screen.

Flat TVs should travel upright, the way they stand, not lying flat. Remove the stand or wall bracket, put the screws in a labelled bag and tape it to the back of the TV or the carton. Mark the carton clearly as fragile, with the screen side shown.

Computers and monitors

Laptops should travel with you, not on the truck. Desktop computers and monitors should be packed in their original boxes or in strong cartons with padding on every side. Monitors are like small TVs: protect the screen and keep them upright. Remove any discs and secure loose parts.

If you work from home, treat your desk as a small move of its own. Pack the monitor, dock, keyboard, mouse and cables together and label them, so your workspace can be set up first in the new home. If equipment belongs to your employer, check their rules before you pack it.

Speakers, consoles, printers and cameras

Cables and accessories

Cables are easy to lose and tedious to replace. Coil each one, tie it with a twist tie or a rubber band, and put it in a bag labelled with the device it belongs to. Keep remotes and chargers in the same bag. A single, clearly marked carton of all the bags makes setting up much quicker.

Heat and moisture

Electronics don't like heat or damp. In summer, a closed truck can get very hot, so ask for electronics to be loaded last and unloaded first. In the monsoon, keep them in sealed cartons and add silica gel. If a device has been cold or damp in transit, let it sit at room temperature for a while before switching it on, especially when moving between very different climates.

At the new home

Check electronics cartons before the crew leaves: look for crushed corners, wet patches or rattling. Unpack the TV and computer carefully, check screens and ports, and connect them using your photos. Switch each device on and test it in the first day or two, so any damage can be reported to the mover promptly.

Wall-mounted TVs

If your TV is wall-mounted, ask whether the mover takes it down or whether you need a technician. Removing it from the bracket needs two people and the right tools. Decide whether the bracket stays with the home or comes with you; if it comes, keep its screws and wall plugs in a labelled bag. At the new home, check the wall can take a bracket before drilling.

Refrigerators and washing machines

A refrigerator should be emptied, defrosted and dried a day before the move, with the door left slightly open so it doesn't smell. It should travel upright. At the new home, let it stand for a few hours before switching it on, or follow the manufacturer's guidance if it says otherwise.

Front-loading washing machines often have transit bolts that hold the drum steady during a move. If you kept them from when the machine was installed, fit them before moving day. Drain the machine fully and disconnect the hoses, and keep the hoses and bolts in a labelled bag.

ACs, inverters and water purifiers

Air conditioners, inverters and water purifiers usually need a technician to disconnect and reconnect safely, and ACs may need gas topped up after reinstallation. Book technicians at both homes in advance. Inverter batteries are heavy and must travel upright, so tell the mover about them when you ask for a quote.

Devices from your internet or TV provider

Routers, set-top boxes and remotes often belong to the service provider rather than to you. Before packing them, ask whether the provider wants them back or whether they can be moved to your new address. Many providers can shift a connection to a new address within their service area, so ask early.

Common mistakes

• Laying a flat TV down instead of keeping it upright
• Not photographing cable connections before unplugging
• Sending laptops and hard drives on the truck instead of carrying them
• Switching on a fridge immediately after the move
• Forgetting to back up data before the move

Insurance and proof of value

Electronics are often the most valuable items in a household move, so check the risk coverage carefully. Ask the mover what it covers, how the value of goods is declared and whether there's a limit per item. Keep purchase receipts or other proof of value for expensive electronics, and photograph each device working before it's packed.

If something doesn't work after the move, report it to the mover promptly with photos of the carton and the device. A device that worked before packing, photographed switched on, is far easier to claim for than one with no record.

Ask the mover in advance what the risk coverage includes for electronics, and keep receipts or proof of value for expensive items. Our packing services page explains how professional packers handle electronics, and our moving checklist covers the rest of the move.