Packing lamps for moving can be tough. They are among the most common household items and the most challenging to pack since each lamp contains various fragile pieces, including the bulb, the shade, and the electrical cords. However, if you follow the method we lay out for you below, you'll be packing lamps like a champ.
What you'll need
When packing lampshades, you'll need the following packing supplies:
- Large box for the lampshade
- Appropriately sized box for the lamp body
- Corrugated paper or paper pads
- Stack of packing paper
- Roll of tape
- Permanent marker
In order to safely pack your table lamps and lampshades, follow these steps:
Disassemble the Lamp
The first step is to disassemble the lamp by taking out all the parts.
- Turn off the light switch and remove the lampshade from the fixture, and then remove the harp (the metal framework that is composed of a lamp) to which the lampshade is attached.
- Though the lampshade and the lamp must be packed separately, you can pack multiple lampshades together by stacking them on top of each other and putting them inside the same box.
Note: If you have lampshades that are made of silk or are very fragile, they should be packed separately.
Packing the lampshade
Next, you need to prepare the box in which you are going to pack the lampshade.
- Take an appropriately sized empty box and place some crumpled paper at the bottom to avoid any direct contact between the lampshade and the box.
- Next, carefully place the lampshade inside the box and stuff more packing paper on all sides.
- Once the lampshade is securely packed in the box, add some packing papers on the top to keep it more secure, and seal the box.
- Tape shut the box, and label it with the contents. Don't forget to put arrows indicating which end is up!
Wrapping the bulb and the harp
Once the lampshade is packed, you can wrap up the light bulb and harp. Here's how:
- On a clean floor, spread a sheet of packing paper and then place the harp near one end of a packing paper.
- Now, roll the paper over the harp and make sure the bulb is on top of the harp.
- Then continue folding the package forward until the items are completely wrapped.
- For additional protection, you should secure the item with few layers of bubble wrap.
Wrapping the body of the lamp
Now it's time to wrap the body of your table lamp. Remember to be very careful and make sure that it doesn't break while you're handling it. Follow these steps to make sure nothing goes wrong:
- Place the lamp on its side at the edge of the corrugated paper, in a way that the electrical cord is kept away from the lamp.
- Then, roll the paper along the lamp's body and when it's fully wrapped, tuck in the cord and continue wrapping.
- After this, use a rolling tape to secure the wrapping.
Packing the lamp with all its parts
The last step is to pack the lamp with all its remaining parts, namely the harp and the bulb. This can be done in following steps:
- Place the lamp in the upright position inside a box that is slightly larger in size than the lamp.
- Use crumpled paper to provide cushioning at the bottom as well as on the sides to keep the lamp from rattling around inside the box.
- Then put the bundle of the light bulb and harp on the top.
- Provide more cushioning to secure the top of the box, shut the box up, and seal it with tape.
- In the end, mark the box with its contents and "Fragile" and "This end up" for easy handling.