Patrick MacFarland · Updated December 29, 2023
Invented in the 1920s, the television was available to consumers worldwide by the time World War II ended. Although there were some contrarians that said TV was just a fad, it’s here to stay. Fast forward 100 years and we have state-of-the-art televisions with massive, high-definition screens. Approximately 79% of households worldwide have at least one television. When you have decided to move to another place, one of the biggest concerns is how to ship a TV safely.
So what to do? Put it in the box from which it was purchased? Where is that box? Maybe you should bubble wrap it? No, maybe plastic wrapping is better. What about cloth? There are so many questions! The last thing we want is for you to stress. We’ll give you the lowdown on how to ship a TV safely — it’s especially important in 2023 when TVs are so sensitive and fragile. Here are some tips and tricks to make your life easier when moving a television.
Proper Packing Materials Used to Protect Your TV During Transit
When you’re moving to a new home, you can keep furniture from being scratched with bubble wrap or blankets. When it comes to TVs, it’s more difficult. Modern TVs are so big and fragile that they can be rendered inoperable with just a slight jostling. Here are the proper packing materials you need to ensure your TV is protected during shipping.
Bubble Wrap: Bubble wrap protects your TV from bumps and — heaven forbid — being dropped during the move. Cover the whole TV with bubble wrap for maximum effectiveness.
Foam: Next get foam padding for the corners because they’re incredibly sensitive. Even if you have enough bubble wrap to protect the back and screen of the TV, a corner getting hit might lead to a broken screen.
Plastic Bags: Plastic bags are a good, affordable tool for protecting your TV during a move. However, don’t just use plastic bags because they don’t wholly protect the TV from damage. Combine plastic bags with bubble wrap and foam to ensure the highest level of protection.
Choose the Right Size Box: The box. Always, always, always, pack your television in a box. Ideally, you still have the box from when the TV was purchased. If you threw all of that away, don’t worry. You can always use a large box in place of the original. What you have to do is buy several boxes and take them apart. Tape them back together flat until you make several walls to cover the TV. Voila! You have a large box to put the TV in made from smaller boxes. The original packaging is the best way to move a TV.
Tape and Additional Padding to Secure TV: The best thing you can do when shipping a TV is to overdo it. Better safe than sorry. You can use additional tape and padding, or use towels and bed sheets.
Remove External Equipment
If there’s nowhere in the original box to store external equipment like the remote control, the cords, and the stand, place them in an individual box set aside for TV equipment. Remove all external equipment before putting it into the box. Once you’re in your new place, you won’t have to hunt for this equipment, making your life easier when reassembling.
Prepare the TV for Packing
Once you have the equipment to cover the TV, it’s time to prepare the TV for packing. Here’s a handy-dandy list that can be of use for you.
- Take photos of the wiring and cables — when you reassemble everything after the move, you know exactly where they go.
- Remove the TV from the wall mount. Disassemble any legs or the stand from the TV.
- Clean the TV and all the components.
- Remove batteries from remote controls.
Proper Positioning of Your TV When Moving
Once you’re done packing, the next step is hauling that TV of yours onto the truck. But how do you do it? Do you have it placed upright? Do you lay it flat on the ground? Do you lay it on top of furniture? Well, we’ll answer those burning questions you may have and more.
How To Position a TV in the Moving Truck?
You should always place your flat screen TV in an upright position to avoid damaging the screen. If you lay it flat, something might fall on the box and break your screen. Likewise, if you lay it on top of furniture, you run the risk of the TV falling or hitting the truck in some way.
Where Do I Place My TV and TV Stand?
You should choose a location with a level surface to place your TV and its stand. Otherwise, you run the risk of it tilting and breaking. Place other furniture next to the TV; this ensures it’ll be stable and won’t fall over.
Where Do I Put Other Items in the Truck?
Always keep your TV away from other items that could potentially damage the screen. It goes without saying, but anything protruding object that could potentially punch holes into the box should be placed far from the TV. You can put items that are flat and safe to have next to your TV, which like stated above, will avoid your TV from tilting or falling.
Should I Leave Space Around the TV?
The simple answer is yes. Don’t bunch up any other items up to the TV but leave a little wiggle room. When you have some space around the sides of the TV, you can account for any movement. It will let the TV breathe a little and avoid having the TV hit other furniture items, too.
Qualities of the Best TV Shipping Carriers
When researching different TV shipping companies you should look for a few qualities that make them stand out from the competition.
- They can accommodate any type of furniture.
- The furniture shipping company adheres to all rules and regulations required by federal and state governments.
- Regular updates provided and the transporters exhibit good communication.
- The customer service is excellent.
- When perusing reviews, check for a majority of positive ratings on social media, Google and even the Better Business Bureau.
Choose a Reliable TV Shipping Carrier on CitizenShipper
There’s an easy-to-use alternative to traditional companies that ship TV sets along with other furniture items. When you post a listing on a two-way marketplace like CitizenShipper, the transporters actually come to you. Plus, because they compete against each other for your business, you’ll get prices that are lower than traditional TV transporters. In fact, you can save up to 60-70% compared with traditional moving companies.
At the end of the day, what you want out of a shipping company is one that saves you money, time, hassle and is reliable. You don’t want to pull your hair out from the stress. There are no hidden fees on CitizenShipper. In fact, posting a listing on CitizenShipper and receiving quotes is super easy.
Here’s how it works:
- Create a free listing for TV transport on CitizenShipper. Add your information — contact info, details about your television, the pick-up and drop-off locations and your preferred transport dates.
- Then, your listing will be distributed to a network of television shipping carriers.
- Drivers submit bids on your listing. You typically receive bids within minutes! It’s free to review over your quotes, chat with drivers and read feedback from previous customers.
The bottom line? It’s an easy process. After choosing a driver, you confirm the transport. CitizenShipper has excellent customer service, making television shipping safe, seamless and stress-free. Your beloved 60″ state-of-the-art OLED television will be in good hands with our qualified drivers. Navigate to the furniture shipping page, type in your info and get quotes faster than deciding with your partner on a movie to watch on Netflix!
Patrick MacFarland has been a teacher, a candidate for public office, and a local tour guide. But now he dedicates his time writing full-time, currently at CitizenShipper and VeraContent.
