Electronics are not just fragile, they are also often irreplaceable in a way furniture is not. A cracked vase is a cost; a dead hard drive with ten years of photos on it is a loss no insurance payout fixes. Plan for data first, then packing.

Before you pack anything: back it up

Do this a few days before moving day, not the night before:

• Back up laptops and desktops to an external drive or cloud storage, and check the backup actually opens before you box the machine.
• Photograph the back of routers, set-top boxes and any A/V equipment showing exactly which cable goes into which port, before you unplug a single one.
• Note down or photograph your broadband router’s settings sticker (network name, admin login) in case you need to re-set it up at the new address.
• Export or note passwords for anything you might lose access to if a device is damaged or delayed.

TVs and monitors

Flat-panel screens are more fragile than the strong glass they had years ago, and how they travel matters:

• Use the original box if you kept it. It is moulded to the exact weight distribution of your model. If you did not keep it, a specialist flat-screen TV box (sold by most removal and packaging suppliers) is worth buying rather than improvising.
• Never lay a flat-panel screen flat for a long journey. Panels can flex and crack under their own weight when horizontal for extended periods; transport upright, secured so it cannot tip or slide.
• Let it acclimatise before switching on. Moving between a cold van and a warm house can cause condensation inside the casing; leave it to reach room temperature for a couple of hours before powering up at the new address.
• Wrap in anti-static bubble wrap, not ordinary bubble wrap pressed directly against the screen, and pad corners specifically — corners are where impact damage happens.

Laptops, desktops and external drives

Once backed up, pack the physical hardware with the same logic as anything shock-sensitive:

• Original manufacturer boxes are ideal for desktop towers; if unavailable, use a snug box with padding on all six sides so nothing can shift.
• Remove ink cartridges from printers before transit to avoid leaks, and check the manufacturer’s guidance on transporting the printer head assembly.
• External hard drives are mechanically the most vulnerable item in a home office — a knock while the platters are spinning (or shortly after) can cause data loss. Pack them powered off, padded, and ideally in your own bag rather than the van (see below).

Cables, chargers and peripherals

The unglamorous part of an office move is usually what actually delays you getting back online:

• Photograph each device’s cable setup before disconnecting (see above), then bag cables per device with masking tape labels — “desk PC”, “printer”, “router” — rather than one giant bag of mystery leads.
• Pack chargers with their matching device, not in a separate box, so a laptop that needs charging on arrival is not searchable through ten boxes.
• Keep one “day one” bag with the essentials: laptop charger, phone charger, a spare ethernet cable and any adapter you know you will need before the rest is unpacked.

What to carry yourself, rather than load with the rest

The British Association of Removers is candid that “even with the greatest care no mover can guarantee that belongings won’t get damaged in transit”, and specifically advises customers to “take responsibility for” their most irreplaceable valuables rather than relying on the load, using jewellery as the example. The same logic applies to a laptop holding financial records, an external drive with the only copy of family photos, or a desktop tower with specialist work software licensed to that machine: if it would be genuinely painful to lose, it travels with you, not in the van.

If something breaks in transit

Note any visible damage on the delivery paperwork at the time, before the crew leaves — not after you have unpacked everything. Under the Consumer Rights Act 2015, Citizens Advice confirms that “services must be provided with reasonable care and skill”, and that you can ask for the work to be put right or seek a price reduction where that standard was not met; see our guide on what removal insurance actually covers for how a damage claim on electronics is usually assessed against the mover’s or insurer’s terms, including how self-packed boxes are often treated differently from items the crew packed themselves.

FAQs

Should I let the removal company pack my electronics, or do it myself?

Either can work, but check your policy first: cover for damage to the contents of a box is often stronger when the mover packed it and can see the condition going in, compared with a box you sealed yourself. If you pack electronics yourself, ask specifically how that affects any claim before moving day, not after.

Is it safe to move a desktop PC without removing the hard drive?

Modern solid-state drives tolerate transport well once the machine is powered off. Older mechanical hard drives are more vulnerable to shock; if the data matters and you have time, image or back it up externally first regardless of how carefully it is packed.

Can I pack a printer with the ink cartridges still inside?

Most manufacturers recommend removing cartridges or running a transport-lock setting first, since pressure changes and jolts can cause leaks. Check your specific printer model’s manual before packing.

Sources

• British Association of Removers – Moving in the UK (insurance and valuables guidance)
• Citizens Advice – Complain about a service (Consumer Rights Act 2015, reasonable care and skill)

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