Pack a flat-screen TV
- Photograph the back. Take a picture of every cable and port before you unplug them, so setup at the new home takes minutes.
- Remove cables, stand and mount. Bag the cables, the remote, the stand screws and any wall-mount hardware, and tape the bag to the back of the TV or to the box.
- Protect the screen. Cover the face with a soft cloth or a sheet of foam. Do not press tape to the screen.
- Choose the box. Use the original box and foam if you have them. If not, use a TV carton or a mirror carton that matches the size.
- Wrap the edges. Add blankets or foam on all four corners and edges, and fill any gap so the TV cannot move.
- Seal and mark. Tape the seam, write TV, FRAGILE and THIS SIDE UP, and mark the screen side.
A television screen is the most fragile large item in the house. It breaks from pressure and from flexing, not only from drops. The two rules that matter are to keep it upright and to keep weight off the face.
Always upright
A flat-screen panel is made to stand on its edge, not lie on its face or its back. The box should ride upright between the cushions of other soft goods or between stacked furniture, with nothing leaning on it. Tell the crew it is a TV when you hand it over. Placement on the truck is part of their job, and a clear label makes it easy to get right.
No original box
- Ask the Sparks office which cartons it sells for flat-screen sets.
- Use a mirror and picture carton for smaller sets.
- Never use a plain box much larger than the set. A big gap lets the TV slide.
- If you must improvise, pad with moving blankets and tape the blankets to themselves.
Stands, mounts and soundbars
Keep each accessory with its TV. Unscrew a stand and bag the screws. Take a wall mount down at the same time and keep the bracket and bolts together. Pack the soundbar and speakers in their own boxes with the same care.
At the new home
Large TVs on a dresser or a stand can tip, particularly in homes with children. The Consumer Product Safety Commission publishes guidance on securing furniture and TVs to the wall, and it is worth following on the first day. See the new home checklist for other first-week items.
For other fragile items, the guide on mirrors and pictures uses the same flat-carton method.