How to Pack a Large Area Rug

Large area rugs can easily sustain damage during a household relocation. In addition, packaging your large area rug will impact how it weathers throughout your move. Here is one strategy for packing a large area rug before your relocation.

Make Sure You Still Need It

Before you go through the trouble of packing a large area rug and transporting it to your new home, it's essential to ensure that you still need this area rug in your new home. Know in advance where you plan to use your new area rug and whether it will fit in the room where you plan to use it.

Have you measured the area rug and the room where you will place it? Also, have you considered how the rug will look with the flooring in that room? If it turns out that the area rug won't work with your new home, then you won't have to worry about moving it. If you've decided that you can use your area rug in your new home, proceed to the steps below.

Gather Your Materials

Your area rug must be rolled up and protected with packing paper to prevent it from becoming damaged during the move. For this task, you'll need the following:

Twine or string
Multilayered paper wrap (used to protect oversized, fragile items)
Packing tape

Get Help

Area rugs can be heavy and awkward to move on your own. Instead, get someone who can assist you in rolling and lifting the area rug. If the rug is large enough, you may need more than one person to help you.

Follow This Process

Clean the rug using a vacuum to remove debris and little bits in the area rug's fibers.
Flip the rug so the part you usually walk on faces the floor. Then when you roll it, the backside of it will face the inside of the roll. The rug fibers will face the outside.
Roll the rug starting from the short side. Keep it taut in a tight cylinder, making it easier to manage.

Secure the rug using twine or string. Tie a piece of twine around each end of the area rug — and in the middle, if it’s long.
Wrap the rug in a protective paper pad. Pay particular attention to the ends of the rug by leaving at least 6 inches of protective paper pad beyond the edges.
Tape the protective paper securely around the area rug, so it's packaged like a box you're planning to send through the mail.

Pro Tip: Avoid using plastic wrap around your rug as it might hold moisture and cause mold or mildew to develop. Also, you can wrap your rugs using old bedsheets if you don't have packing paper. This option might be more cost-effective if you have several large area rugs to move.

Hire Movers that Will Pack Your Area Rug For You

We can help get your area rug packed. Contact us today for a quote for your upcoming relocation.