How to Pack a Printer for Moving

How to pack a printer for moving in 6 steps

With over 22 million people working from home, printers are common home office accessories. Still, printers are often tossed into a box as an afterthought during moves. Ink cartridges, ink heads and other moving parts can be easily damaged during moves.

Understanding how to pack a printer for moving ensures your equipment works properly once you reach your new home.

1. Remove ink or toner

Begin by removing the ink or toner cartridge from your printer. For toner cartridges, place them in a large sealable plastic bag. For inkjet cartridges, place each cartridge in an individual bag and store them in a small box, preferably upright.

2. Power down and disconnect everything

Before powering down, be sure your printer doesn’t require the head to be parked. Most inkjet printers will automatically park the print head as it powers down; however, a few may require an additional shutdown step outlined in your manual. If you’ve lost or thrown away the manual, most manufacturers, such as HP or Epson, have printer manuals online.

If no additional parking step is required, turn off your printer. If it is a battery-powered printer, remove the batteries and set them aside. If the batteries were already low, set them aside for recycling or other disposal.

3. Organize and remove cables

Once your printer is powered down, take a moment to label cables before removing them. This is especially important if you are moving multiple printers. Use painter’s tape or cable labels to mark the printer and cable type. For example, “John’s inkjet: power” or “Marketing laser: power.” Add a matching label to the printer with the printer name.

After labeling, remove and neatly coil cables, securing with cord keepers, fabric fastener or painter’s tape. Set cables aside to be packed with their respective printer.

4. Secure trays and moving parts

Remember when you got your printer? There were plastic bars, tape and foam in the printer. Those bits kept moving parts immobile for shipping. Before moving your inkjet or laser printer, you need to recreate that packing if you didn’t save it when you bought the printer.

A quick way to get an idea of what needs to be secured is to check the “Quick Start” section of your printer manual, which shows how to remove the original packaging. That way, you can see where the printer needs support. Using those diagrams as a guide, secure any moving parts and empty spaces that need support.

Foam, cushioning material and even fabric work well to fill larger voids, while painter’s tape works well to secure movable parts without leaving residue behind.

5. Box the printer

Packing for a move isn’t complicated, but you do need to choose materials based on what you are packing. If you saved the original packaging, your printer should fit securely within it. If you did not, you’ll need to choose a sturdy replacement box and add cushioning.

A heavy-duty moving box with several inches of space on all sides usually works for a single printer. Use cushioning material, crumpled packing paper or foam to support the printer. Place the printer on a flat surface, using cardboard if needed.

If you are moving multiple printers, consider getting some room-temperature expanding foam. This foam is enclosed in a plastic bag and will expand to fit your printer when activated.

Secure the box with packing tape and tape your ink or toner box on top. If you use movers, ensure you are allowed to tape boxes together.

Remember to add printer cables on top of your printers before sealing the box.

6. Label the printer

Label your printer with the intended room and the printer type. Also, add notes stressing fragility, such as “Handle with care” and “This side up.” If you are using a professional moving company, ask if “Fragile” stickers are provided. Follow any mover directions for label positioning. If no instructions are provided, be sure to label multiple sides.

For self-moves, or if you are transporting the printer in your own vehicle, “Fragile” labels are less important than labels indicating the contents and the room the box will go to in your new home or office.

Packing materials for moving a printer

During the hustle of getting multiple moving quotes, negotiating with movers and the rush to pack, it’s easy to forget proper supplies. While specialized packing materials add to the cost of a move, they can prevent printer damage and save money overall.

Packing supplies might include:

• Boxes: Original boxes are best, but heavy-duty moving boxes with about 6 inches of space on all sides work well and help insulate the printer during shipping.
• Printer packaging: The original packaging is ideal, but painter’s tape, small bits of foam or even fabric can protect printer parts.
• Box filler material: Cushioning material, foam or expanding foam packs work well. Avoid material that may crumble and leave pieces inside the printer.
• Plastic bags: Secure ink cartridges and toner in plastic bags to prevent spills. For ink cartridges, you may find that taping a piece of plastic over the ink opening adds an extra layer of protection.
• Fabric fastener and painter’s tape: Using painter’s tape to secure movable printer parts won’t leave residue. You can also use painter’s tape for labeling cables, and fabric fastener is useful for securing cable bundles.
• Labels: Self-printed shipping labels or preprinted specialty handling labels help protect your printer. Label boxes with “This side up,” “Electronics,” “Fragile,” your name and which room the printer goes in after the move. If hiring professional movers rather than moving items yourself, check with your mover for labeling requirements.

Transport tips for long-distance moves

For long-distance moves, extended transit times pose risks for printers and ink. Long periods of time in nontemperature-controlled moving trucks, storage containers or personal vehicles can damage electronics. For example, condensation can form when moving from cold to warm environments, which poses a risk to electronic devices.

Box positioning also matters. Printer boxes should be placed on a level, flat surface, without other boxes stacked on top of them. The boxes also need to be secured so they don’t slide around. You may find moving your printers in your personal vehicle more reliable than sending them on a moving truck.

When using a professional mover, be sure to follow the mover’s box-labeling instructions and check with the mover about how electronics are handled.

How to move a printer long distance:

» MORE: Best moving containers

Setting up the printer after moving

Once your things arrive at your new home, begin unpacking. Though you might feel tempted to rip open boxes and unpack as quickly as possible, taking a step-by-step approach ensures your printer works correctly.

1. Inspect boxes and remove packing materials

When using a professional moving company, it’s important to inspect the box for damage before you do anything else. Following your moving company’s requirements for damage claims, document any potential issues such as wet or dried water spots, as well as dented, torn or open boxes. Next, inspect the inside of the box, then finally the printer itself.

When removing packaging materials, take your time. Carefully remove tape and other materials to avoid damage to the printer or leaving pieces of packaging such as foam behind.

2. Reconnect cables and reinstall ink or toner

Using your labels, reconnect the cables to the printer, power and your computer or router. Note that some printers may require different steps. Follow the manufacturer's directions for installation.

Unpack ink or toner cartridges. Dispose of any that did not survive the move. If your printer allows it, reinstall the ink and toner now. Some printers may need to be powered on first before the printer head can be moved into the installation position.

3. Turn on the printer

If your printer was exposed to extreme temperatures during the move, give it time to acclimate before powering it on. If it needs to acclimate, leave it open to help with any moisture evaporation from condensation.

Once the printer has acclimated, follow the manufacturer’s instructions to turn it on. Install the corresponding software on your computer and update it if needed. Then connect the printer to your Wi-Fi if it is wireless.

If your printer requires power before installing ink or toner, you can install it now.

Printers and other electronics usually need about 24 hours to adjust to a new temperature.

4. Run cleaning and alignment cycles

After powering on, run any available cleaning and alignment cycles from your printer software. Watch and listen for the irregular movement of any components. If the printer hangs up or just doesn’t sound right, open it back up and check for missed packaging pieces or components that are out of place.

5. Test print and troubleshoot

Some printers combine test prints and alignment together. If yours doesn’t, run several test prints after cleaning and aligning. Look for issues such as error messages and streaking.

Troubleshooting error messages generally requires following prompts on your computer or the printer's display to resolve them. Streaking could indicate issues with toner or ink cartridges during the move.

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