How to Pack a TV for Moving

The short answer

Keep the TV upright, pad the screen, and strap it so it cannot shift. Almost every broken television travels flat, loose, or leaning against something hard. The panel itself is the fragile part, and a cracked screen usually costs about what a new set costs.

Five things decide whether the TV arrives working:

• the screen faces a soft surface, never a hard edge;
• the set stays vertical from the wall to the truck;
• corners are protected, because that is where the pressure lands;
• the box or crate is snug, with no room to slide;
• the load is strapped, not wedged.

Supplies you need before you start

Gather everything first. Once the TV is off the wall, you want both hands free.

• the original carton with its foam inserts, if you kept it;
• a TV box or a picture-and-mirror carton one size larger than the screen;
• a soft moving blanket, or a clean bed sheet as a first layer;
• bubble wrap or foam sheets for the corners;
• packing tape and a marker;
• a resealable bag for screws, brackets, and the remote;
• a screwdriver for the stand or wall mount;
• two people for anything over 40 inches.

If you are short on materials, our crews bring them to the job, and you can also order moving boxes and packing supplies ahead of the move.

How to pack a flat-screen TV, step by step

1. Photograph the connections

Take a picture of the back panel before you unplug anything. Reconnecting an entertainment setup from memory takes far longer than it should.

2. Unplug and coil the cables

Label each cable with tape, coil it loosely, and put the bundle in one bag. Do not leave cables attached to the TV; a hanging HDMI plug can crack a port.

3. Remove the stand or unmount the set

Lay the TV face down on a soft blanket on a table, then unscrew the base. For a wall mount, lift the set off the bracket with a second person holding the far side. Put every screw in the labeled bag and tape it to the mount.

4. Clean and cover the screen

Wipe the panel with a dry microfiber cloth. Cover it with the blanket or sheet before any plastic touches it, because bubble wrap pressed straight onto a screen can leave marks in a warm truck.

5. Wrap the body and build up the corners

Wrap the whole set in the blanket and tape the blanket to itself, never to the TV. Add folded bubble wrap or foam at all four corners. Corners take the impact when a box is set down.

6. Box it and mark it

Slide the TV into the carton so it stands on its long edge. Fill any gap with foam or crushed paper until nothing moves when you tilt the box. Write THIS SIDE UP and FRAGILE — SCREEN on both faces, and add an arrow.

How to move a TV without the original box

Most people no longer have the carton. A picture-and-mirror box works well, because it telescopes to the screen size and keeps the set vertical.

If you have no box at all, build a sandwich instead. Two sheets of rigid cardboard cut slightly larger than the screen, one on each face, taped together around the edges, and the whole package wrapped in a moving blanket. It is not as good as a carton, but it stops flex, and flex is what cracks panels.

What does not work: sliding the TV between two mattresses, or standing it against a stack of boxes. Both let the set slide when the truck brakes.

Loading and transporting the TV

The TV rides upright, on its long edge, flat against a wall of the truck. Strap it to the wall or wedge it between two padded, immovable items, then strap the whole group.

Never lay a flat screen face up under other items. The panel is a thin sheet of glass and plastic in a frame; weight on the middle is exactly the load it is not built for.

In a car, the back seat with the seat belt across the package works better than the trunk. Keep the set away from the tailgate, where it takes every bump.

One more thing about temperature. A TV that has sat in a cold truck can hold condensation inside. Let it reach room temperature for a few hours before you power it on. This matters on winter moves over the Sierra and on any long-distance move with an overnight leg.

Cables, mounts, and the remote

Keep all of it in one place. The parts bag should travel with you, not in the truck, so nothing is missing on setup night.

• power cable, HDMI cables, optical or audio cables;
• stand feet and their screws;
• wall bracket, arm, and mounting bolts;
• remote, batteries removed;
• soundbar mounts and any spare screws.

At the new place, anchor the TV or its stand before you switch it on. Tip-overs are a real hazard in homes with small children, and a set that is simply resting on a dresser is not secure.

Shipping a TV instead of moving it yourself

For an interstate move, the TV usually travels with the rest of the shipment. That raises a question worth answering before the truck is loaded: what is the mover responsible for if the screen arrives damaged?

Interstate moves come with two valuation choices, and they are not the same as insurance. Released Value Protection is set at $0.60 per pound per article, which on a 30-pound television is $18. Full Value Protection is the option under which the mover may repair, replace, or settle in cash under the applicable terms. The FMCSA explains both in its liability and valuation guidance.

Declare high-value electronics during the walkthrough, and get the choice written into the move documents. For a move inside California, the terms come from your move paperwork and state rules; the Bureau of Household Goods and Services publishes consumer guidance for California household movers.

If you want the price fixed before the truck arrives, ask whether the estimate is binding. The FMCSA describes how a binding estimate works.

Common mistakes

• Laying the TV flat under boxes. This is the single most common cause of a cracked panel.
• Taping directly to the screen or the bezel. Adhesive pulls at the coating and leaves residue.
• Pressing bubble wrap onto the panel without a cloth layer first.
• Leaving cables plugged in during the carry.
• Loading a loose box. If it can slide six inches, it will.
• Powering the set on immediately after a cold ride.

Moving-day checklist

• Photo of the back panel taken.
• Cables labeled, coiled, bagged.
• Stand or bracket removed; screws bagged and taped to the mount.
• Screen covered with cloth, then padded.
• Corners built up with foam or folded bubble wrap.
• Box filled out so nothing shifts.
• Arrows and FRAGILE marked on both faces.
• Loaded upright and strapped.
• Parts bag traveling with you.
• Set left to warm up before the first power-on.

When to hand the TV to the crew

A 75-inch screen, a wall mount over a staircase, or a home theater with a rack of components is worth handing over. Our crews wrap and protect televisions, mirrors, and artwork as part of the standard scope, and the lead foreman confirms how each fragile item is loaded before the truck moves.

Halo by California Movers USA works with in-house employees rather than subcontracted labor, so the person who wraps the TV is the person accountable for it. If you want the whole home packed, see our packing services; for a same-city move, see local moving.

Related guides: how to pack for a move, packing dishes and glassware, and how moving prices are built.

Questions people ask

Can a TV be transported lying flat?

Manufacturers advise against it, and so do we. A flat panel is unsupported in the middle when it lies face up, and stacked weight is what cracks it. Keep it upright.

Does a TV need its original box?

No. A telescoping picture-and-mirror box with foam corners does the same job. The carton only has to be snug and rigid.

How much does it cost to move a TV?

On a full-service move, the TV is part of the shipment rather than a separate line. On our standard hourly package, two movers and a truck are $175 per hour, with protection for televisions, mirrors, and electronics included in the listed scope. For a fixed number, ask for a written scope and a flat rate.

Should I move the TV in my own car?

For a short local move, yes, if it fits upright in the back seat with a belt across it. For anything longer, it is safer inside a padded, strapped load.

What about the wall mount?

Take it down and bring it. Brackets are model-specific, and buying a replacement costs more than the ten minutes it takes to unscrew.

Ready to plan the move? Tell us what you are moving and we will come back with a starting quote.