10 Packing Mistakes That Cost Lubbock Movers Real Money

Packing is where moves are won or lost. The truck, the crew, the route — those matter, but a badly packed house turns a smooth moving day into a long, expensive one. Since 2014, the crew at Tough Guys Moving has helped families across Lubbock and West Texas move — and seen just about every packing mistake in the book. Here are the ten that cost people the most — and what to do instead.

1. Packing everything yourself to “save money” — then breaking things. The most expensive box is the one with your broken flat-screen or a shattered set of dishes. Professional packing for fragile, high-value items costs less than replacing them. If you’re doing most of the packing yourself, hire the crew to pack just the kitchen and electronics. That’s where the losses happen.
2. Using free grocery-store boxes for everything. Those banana boxes from the grocery store are free for a reason: they’re thin, they’re different sizes, and some have been sitting in a damp back room. Uniform, sturdy boxes stack tighter in the truck, which means fewer trips and less shifting in transit. If you’re moving in Lubbock, ask about free reusable moving totes on qualifying moves — Tough Guys Moving provides them on qualifying jobs, and they’re sturdier than anything you’ll find curbside.
3. Making boxes too heavy. A box of books that nobody can lift safely slows the whole crew down — and a dropped box of books is how hardwood floors get dented. Rule of thumb: if you can’t lift it comfortably to chest height, it’s too heavy. Small boxes for heavy stuff (books, records, canned goods), big boxes for light stuff (linens, pillows, lampshades).
4. Leaving drawers full. It’s tempting to shrink-wrap a dresser with the drawers full. Don’t. Drawers slide open in the truck, the dresser gets twice as heavy, and the furniture’s joints take stress they weren’t built for. Empty every drawer into a labeled box — it takes ten minutes and saves real damage.
5. Packing the kitchen last. Everyone puts it off because you ‘need the kitchen until moving day.’ That’s exactly why it should go first. The kitchen has more fragile, awkward, and heavy items than any other room, and packing it under time pressure is how things break. Set aside one box of essentials — coffee maker, a few dishes, soap — and pack the rest early. Paper plates for the last two days. You’ll survive.
6. Forgetting that it’s Texas. Lubbock heat doesn’t quit just because it’s October. Candles melt into puddles in a hot truck, houseplants cook, and anything battery-powered or pressurized doesn’t belong in there at all. Move plants and heat-sensitive items in your own air-conditioned car, and leave the aerosols and propane at the old place to dispose of properly.
7. Not labeling boxes on two sides. ‘Kitchen’ written on one flap isn’t enough when boxes are stacked three deep in a truck. Write the room and a one-line summary on at least two sides: ‘Kitchen — everyday dishes’ or ‘Primary bedroom — sheets and blankets.’ Unpacking takes half the time when every box tells you where it goes.
8. Packing important documents and valuables in the truck. Passports, birth certificates, lease paperwork, jewelry, medications, chargers, and anything you’d panic about losing — these ride with you, not in the truck. Every mover will tell you the same thing. Make a ‘do not pack’ zone and put a sign on the door.
9. Running out of supplies on packing day. Running to the store for more tape at 9 PM the night before the move is a rite of passage — and it’s avoidable. For a typical 2–3 bedroom home, plan on several dozen boxes, a few rolls of tape, a roll of packing paper or a stack of moving blankets, and more markers than you think you need. Buy more boxes than your estimate. Leftover boxes get returned; an unfinished living room at midnight doesn’t.
10. Not asking what the movers include. Before you spend a weekend packing, ask. Many movers include wardrobe boxes, mattress bags, and furniture disassembly in the quote — things people pay for separately without realizing. And crews pack faster than you do: a full-service pack for a whole house often costs less than the time you’d lose doing it yourself.

The bottom line: Packing well is the cheapest insurance a move can have. Do the heavy lifting (literally) with the right materials, protect the fragile stuff properly, and let professionals handle what they’re fastest at. If you’re planning a move in the Lubbock area, call or text Tough Guys Moving at (806) 787-7533 for a straightforward quote, or learn more at toughguysmoving.com. — The Tough Guys Moving Team, serving Lubbock & West Texas since 2014.