I've moved 5 times in 10 years, and U-Haul's moving kits are my best packing tip

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• Moving is always stressful, but planning and buying the right supplies make it go a lot smoother.
• For my past two moves, I've ordered everything I need from U-Haul's online store, and I cannot recommend it highly enough for its convenience, comprehensiveness, and fast standard shipping.
• You can select one of U-Haul's moving kits that comes with all the supplies you'll need or choose supplies a la carte. I recommend the moving kits since the quantities of each item in them can be adjusted to best fit your moving and packing needs. 
• A more sustainable option for local and short-distance moves, U-Haul also rents reusable plastic moving boxes that you can pick up and return to the same U-Haul location. Learn more about this option.
• Read more: The best dolly carts and hand trucks

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I've moved five times in the last decade, which might sound like too many times to many people, but probably not to New Yorkers and dwellers of other cities. Suffice it to say, I feel like a moving and packing pro at this point and have picked up some tips that I hope can help others with their future moves.

My best packing tip: get U-Haul's moving kits. These kits contain everything you need to pack, protect, and organize your belongings, and I've purchased them for my last two moves.

U-Haul has four options to choose from depending on the size of your space: the Apartment Kit, 1-2 Bedroom Kit, 3-4 Bedroom Household Kit, and the 4+ Bedroom Master Pak Moving Kit.

I went with the 1-2 bedroom kit for my most recent move in March 2020. Here's everything that comes in the kit:

• 15 small moving boxes 
• 25 medium moving boxes 
• 10 large moving boxes
• 3 large wardrobe boxes 
• 1 cushion foam
• 1 packing paper (100 sheets) 
• 1 dish saver kit 
• 1 glass pack kit
• 1 flat-screen TV cover 
• 3 box/packaging paper tape (55-yard roll)
• 1 box markers with knife
• 2 15' bubble wrap rolls
• 1 sealable mattress bag (queen/king size)
• 1 5" mover's stretch plastic wrap

You can adjust the quantities of each item in your moving kit. I didn't think I'd need 25 medium moving boxes, so I only ordered 10 but since I have a lot of dishes and two TVs, I got an extra dish saver kit and another flat-screen TV cover. I also always get more packing paper and tape than I think I'll use.

If you order the 1-2 bedroom kit without any modifications, it costs $196.24, plus tax. With all my customizations, the kit cost me $168.15, plus tax, and standard shipping was free since the order was over $50. 

What to expect in terms of quality

Everything in the kit arrived in perfect condition both times I used U-Haul.

U-Haul boxes are well made, sturdy, easy to unfold and tape together, and they have dedicated space for you to write what's inside them. They're also recyclable and reusable, but they end up being a one-use product for me since I don't have room to store them in my apartment. 

I especially appreciate the design of the wardrobe boxes, which make packing your closet a cinch. Each box includes a metal hanging bar for hanging up to 2 feet of closet space. 

Our senior home and kitchen editor, Jada Wong, also used U-Haul boxes when she moved this summer:

"I'd bought a ton of large plastic bins for my move, but once I ran out of those, my husband and I bought eight medium U-Haul boxes to finish the job. As Ellen said, the boxes are sturdy — they held plates, books, shoes, and general knick-knacks around my apartment without sagging at the bottom or breaking at the handles."

"We wound up using all eight (you'd be surprised how much you can accumulate in a small apartment), but if we didn't, we would've taken advantage of the Buyback option and gotten a refund for any unused boxes. Most of the boxes are still in decent shape after the move so we kept them around for storage — there's a handy 'second use' spot so you can write in the new contents." 

What to expect for shipping times

As far as shipping options go: U-Haul offers standard (5-10 business days), priority (2-3 business days), and express shipping (1-2 business days), but only standard shipping is free for orders over $50. Priority and express shipping can wind up being quite costly, depending on your shipping address. 

On U-Haul's FAQ page, the company's answer to "how long will it take to get my moving supply order" is as follows: "Orders placed before 10:00 a.m. (CST) will be processed and shipped the same day. Orders placed after 10:00 a.m. (CST) will be processed and shipped on the next business day. Most orders arrive in 2-4 business days."

Both times I ordered moving kits from U-Haul, I chose standard shipping and my order was shipped the following business day and arrived at my door a few days later. Your experience may differ slightly depending on your location. 

There's also a "Pick up in a store" option. You can check store availability near you by entering your ZIP Code.

The bottom line

I haven't found a more convenient or more affordable option for my moving and packing needs, which is why I continue to use and recommend U-Haul's moving kits to friends, family, and Business Insider readers. My cat's also a big fan, clearly. 

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Check out more of our buying guides to help plan your move:

• 10 packing tips to make your move easier, according to home organization experts
• The best dolly carts and hand trucks
• The best toolkits
• The best tape measures
• The best cordless drills
• The best duct tape
• The best ladders