Candles bring comfort, warmth, and style to the space and help create the perfect ambiance in a home. It’s only natural, then, that when moving house, you’ll want to bring your candle collection along and use those pillars and tealights to make your new place beautiful and cozy and homely.
Still, you’ll probably not give much thought to your candles until the moment comes to actually pack your belongings for moving and you suddenly realize that you have no idea what to do with your elegant lights.
Made from brittle wax and typically encased in glass or tin, candles can easily break or melt during a move – they need special care in order to survive the trip to your new home intact and in excellent condition.
Here is how to pack candles for moving so they stay safe and sound throughout the entire relocation process.
General tips for packing candles for moving
Candles can vary in size, shape, and material, but they all have one thing in common – they can easily melt. So, when packing candles for moving, you need to take every precaution possible to ensure that they don’t soften, change their shape, or downright liquefy during the relocation – and that they don’t stain any of your other items if they do melt despite your efforts. Oh, and you want to make sure that your candles don’t break during the move, too.
Step 1. Sort your candles
The first thing to do before you start packing your candles is to organize them by size and type, so you can keep like ones together and pack them in the most appropriate way. (You can find specific packing tips for different types of candles later in the post.)
Step 2. Wrap each candle individually
Next, you need to wrap the candles – each one should be individually wrapped in tissue paper, wax paper, bubble wrap, or another appropriate covering. This will protect the surface of the candles, will prevent them from melting into one another, and will keep their scents from merging.
It may be tempting to wrap all candles of the same type together, but this is a very bad idea – if the candles melt, they will be glued together and will all be ruined.
To properly wrap a candle, you should lay down a large piece of packing paper (wax paper, bubble warp, etc.) on a flat surface, place the candle to one side of the paper, and roll inwards, ensuring a tight wrap. When ready, use some tape to close the paper around the candle (don’t forget to tape both ends close, so the candle doesn’t slip off the protective wrapping during transit).
Alternatively, you can wrap your candles in old towels or rags, of course – just don’t use good towels or linens, as they’ll be ruined if the wax melts. (See also: Packing supplies you already own)
Good to know: Wax paper and bubble wrap will provide the best possible protection to your candles, so you’re strongly advised to invest in those quality packing materials – at least for your more expensive and more delicate candles.
Step 3. Prepare the boxes
Once your candles are safely wrapped, it’s time to box them up for the trip to your new home. The best way to pack candles for moving is to put them in small, padded boxes, separately from other items so they don’t get stained if a candle melts (if the melting wax comes into contact with paper items, fabric items, pieces of art, or other delicate items and smears, your belongings will be badly stained).
It’s best to pack different types of candles in different boxes – choose heavy-duty boxes for large pillar candles and jar candles, small boxes for votive candles and tealight candles, etc.
Secure the seams of each moving box with packing tape and add a layer of crumpled paper (packing peanuts, old towels, etc.) on the bottom for added protection and cushioning.
Step 4. Pack your candles in the boxes
Place all the candles from one group into one box – make sure the carton is sturdy enough to support the weight of the candles and big enough to fit them all, but not too large (so there’s less risk of the candles shifting around during transit).
Fill any remaining empty space with packing peanuts, crumpled newspaper, or cleaning rags to keep the candles from moving around and to protect them from breaking if the carton is dropped.
Tape the box closed and label it clearly, so you know which type of candles is in which box. Write “FRAGILE” or “DO NOT STACK” on the carton to make sure it doesn’t get stacked under something heavy that could crush the box and the candles inside it.
Step 5. Consider the heat
High temperatures pose the biggest risk to candles during a house move – heat can cause your tapers and votives to warp or melt entirely. And moving trucks do get hot, especially during the summer. If candles are transported in a moving truck, there is a high chance that they will liquefy or soften and bend – even if they don’t melt completely, their shape will be compromised.
So, unless you’re moving only across town and your shipment will arrive at your new home within a couple of hours, it’s not a good idea to transport candles in a moving truck. Your best option is to take them in your car and keep them out of sunlight and near an air conditioning vent.
When packing up your car, be sure to put your candle box(es) in last. This way:
- The candles will stay in the cool interior of your old home until the last possible moment;
- The candle box(es) will be placed on top of your other boxes which will ensure that your candles won’t be crushed by heavier items put on top of them;
- Your candles will be among the first items you’ll take out of the car and into your new home, which will limit the time that they’ll be exposed to the heat while your vehicle is sitting in the driveway.
Be careful not to leave your car parked in the sun when you stop for meals or rest – with the vehicle turned off, the air-conditioning won’t be working and the temperature in the car will rise quickly, putting your candles at risk of melting.
Bonus tip for moving candles in your car: If you have a cooler that you won’t be using for food and drinks, you can pack your candles in it.
If you’re flying to your new city and can’t take your candles with you, you have three viable options:
- Ship your candles to your new address. Use an express shipping service so your candles arrive as quickly as possible, but make sure you get to your new home before the package – otherwise, it may end up sitting out in the sun which will, of course, cause the candles to melt. If you have already opened a P.O. box in your new city, you can have your candles sent to it, so they wait in the cool environment of the post office until you get there (See also: How to ship boxes with USPS when moving);
- Have your candles transported in an air-conditioned moving truck – Most reputable long-distance moving companies will be able to accommodate your needs, but it will be more expensive than shipping your items in a regular moving truck;
- Add frozen gel packs to the candle box(es) to keep the candles cool and prevent melting.
CAUTION: When wondering how to pack candles so they don’t melt, you may think of freezing your candles to ensure that the heat doesn’t affect them. This, however, would be a mistake – the freezing process can cause the wax to crack and warp just as badly as the heat.
How to pack different kinds of candles for moving
Candles are made from many different materials (beeswax, paraffin, soy, etc.) and come in a large variety of shapes and sizes. Each type of candles has its own packing specifics:
- Taper candles are long and slim, so they’re extremely susceptible to damage during a move. They’re easily scratched and dinged and will quickly lose their shape if the wax softens as there is nothing to contain it. To keep them safe during your relocation, you need to wrap them individually in tissue paper and lay them out in flat rows (this will prevent the candles from warping). You can stack rows of tapers on top of one another, but be sure to add some crumpled paper (or bubble wrap, old towels, rags, etc.) on top of each layer for added protection and cushioning;
- Large pillar candles must be packed in a heavy-duty box, strong enough to support their weight. They should also be individually wrapped and kept flat, but they’re sturdier and more durable than tapers, so you can put other candles on top of them (just make sure you add a protective layer of crumpled paper, packing peanuts, etc. on top of the pillars);
- Votives and tealight candles are small, lightweight, and don’t tend to be damaged easily, so they can be placed in any small carton – even an old shoebox will do. Keep in mind though that these types of candles will easily melt together, so they also need to be individually wrapped – and it’s a good idea to add dividers to the box you’re packing them in;
- Container candles (jar candles, tumbler candles, and other candles that burn in the container they’re poured into) will retain their shape even if they melt – just make sure you pack them vertically, so the wax remains in the container. Glass container candles must be individually wrapped and well-cushioned (to ensure that the glass doesn’t break during the move) and packed in a sturdy box (as they tend to be heavy).
When it comes to candle holders, they should be packed according to their shape, fragility, and value:
- For large candle holders and candelabras, see How to pack odd-shaped items for moving;
- For glass candle holders, see How to pack fragile items for moving;
- For valuable candle holders (antique candle holders, gold candle holders, silver candle holders, etc.), see How to pack valuables when moving; Custom crating services.
Now that you know how to pack candles for moving correctly, your pillars and votives will survive the move safe and intact and will help chase away the shadows from your new home and bring light into your new life. All the best for a bright future!
Article is very informative.