Why You Should Hold On To The Box Your TV Came In

We've all heard the horror stories, or maybe you have one to share yourself: You're moving into a new home, have hired movers (or you're paying a few friends and family members with pizza and beer to help), and that fancy flat screen gets scratched, dented, or shattered in the process. If only you had kept the box it came in for safer transport! Yes, that's an irritating thought for anyone who hates clutter, especially if you're in a small home or apartment with limited storage space. But it's worthwhile to prevent a costly accident.

The box is not only perfectly fitted to the TV, it has packing materials inside that are specially designed to offer cushioning for the screen and prevent shifting. The box will even have spots to hold included accessories, like a stand, cables, and the remote so you can neatly pack everything together. Yes, the box is big, especially with bigger-screened TVs. But if you can find a spot to store it, like the basement, attic, or even an enclosed garage, you might be thankful later.

You may not have any immediate plans to move to a new home. But this can arise in the future. And thankfully, TVs are built to last a long time, the typical lifespan ranging around 7 to 10 years based on average use. Considering the estimation is that the average American relocates every five years, whether it's to accommodate a growing family, downsizing, a new job, or a change of neighborhood, you'll probably need to take your TV with you at least once through its lifespan.

Moving is stressful enough, including having to load all your small items into boxes, getting newspapers and bubble wrap for fragile items, and labeling everything. With big furniture, you need to entrust movers with transporting items safely, avoiding bumping into things that could cause damage or scuff walls. Fitted boxes for items like TVs, speakers, and other tech and appliances make a huge difference. While you could use any old box, as mentioned, the boxes TVs come in have components inside made specifically to house the TV that came in them. Even if you don't have plans to move, what if you want to sell the TV when you upgrade to a new smart TV, or simply pass it on to a family member? Having the original box makes this so much easier.

Hindsight is 20/20, and if the original TV box is long gone, you might find yourself in a challenging position. There are alternative ways of securing a TV during transport if you no longer have its original box. You can use a moving box that's big enough to fit the TV (make sure to measure first) along with packing tape. There are special TV boxes that have foam corner cushions and screen protectors. Similar to an item like a universal phone case or barbecue cover, they aren't perfectly fitted to a specific TV, but can be adjusted to fit TVs up to a specific size and depth.

If you're holding onto an ancient CRT TV or a TV of a size for which you can't find an appropriate box (or don't want to fork over the money for one, though they're affordable and worth it to protect the high-ticket item), there are other household items you can use. Wrap the TV with bubble or stretch wrap and a moving blanket. This will keep it protected from bumps and scratches, but you still need to handle it with care. Whether you keep the original box, buy a third-party TV box, or use a secure wrap and blanket, the most important part is that you ensure the TV is well covered before moving it from one spot to another. All it takes is one slip, fall, or bump for your expensive TV to meet its end.