How To Pack Records and Record Players

Donna Summer, Fleetwood Mac, and Creedence Clearwater Revival all have to travel to your new home — make sure they get there in one piece! Follow our tips for safely packing records to move.

Use Quality Sleeves

Remove records from their jackets and paper sleeves. Toss the paper sleeves in favor of a poly sleeve for the record itself. Slide the jacket into its own outer sleeve, but do not reinsert the record into its jacket. Stack records vertically against their jackets when packing them into their box.

Invest in high-quality sleeves to prevent wear on jackets and records.

Pack Records Tight

Don’t leave records free to shift around in their boxes or they might chip on the ride to your new home. Pack them as tight as you can in 1.5 cu. ft. size (small) box, the best size for the width and weight of the records. For extra protection, fill your boxes with foam inserts, packing paper, or bubble wrap. Records can be heavy, so an additional benefit to a small box is separating your collection into manageable weights for moving.

If you’re unsure about the general best practices for packing, check out Olympia’s How To Pack series.

Keep It Cool

If you’re moving in high heat, your records are at risk of warping. Avoid leaving your records in the heat of the moving truck for an extended period of time. Interstate moves with records can be risky for this reason, so if you have the option, consider bringing your records in your car with you.

Make a Packing (Play)List

Keep a detailed list of all the records you own and their current condition to avoid unhappy surprises during unpacking. This also helps speed up organization when you arrive in your new home. Alphabetical order by artist is the most common method, but you can always pack your records in the order that you want to display them to save time.

How To Pack Record Players

If possible, remove the platter, tone arm, and turntable from the record player. Individually wrap each piece in packing paper or anti-static bubble wrap. Pack the player and its parts into a secure box with the heaviest pieces at the bottom. Fill any empty space in the box with foam, bubble wrap, and other sturdy material. If these parts cannot be removed, particularly the arm or needle guard, secure them with tape or twist ties.

If you are unsure about removing parts on your record player, focus instead on keeping all the components as secure as possible. Tape down any moving parts and secure the entire object in bubble wrap and foam. Just like your records, if you are putting you record player in a box, pack it with as little space as possible to prevent it from knocking around during the move.

If you and your record collection are ready to move, contact Olympia Moving & Storage to plan your move. Fill out our form online or give us a call at 800-222-4474 for a free estimate.