How To Pack Candles for Moving

Nothing turns a house into a home quite like a scented candle!

It doesn’t matter if you’ve amassed an impressive candle collection over the years or if you just have a few tried and true favorites. Either way, you might be wondering what to do with them as you plan to move to a new home.   

If you’re confused about how to pack candles for moving or need help keeping your favorite candles safe on a residential move or long-distance move, this guide is for you. 

We’re answering all your candle-related moving questions below.

Risks of Moving With Candles

You can’t just toss your candles into a moving box, haul them on a cross-country trip, and expect them to look as good as new when you unpack them.

Here are some potential risks you face if you don’t pack candles correctly:

• Melting: All kinds of wax are used in the candle-making process (paraffin wax, soy wax, palm wax, beeswax, etc.). If you don’t pack your candles properly, they’ll melt on the journey to your new home.

• Mess: Let’s say you pack a candle in a box with other items, and it melts. That wax is going to get everywhere and could irreparably damage your belongings.

• Broken Candle Holders: It’s not just the wax you must worry about when packing candles. If the wax is held in a glass candle holder, you risk the glass breaking in the moving truck and damaging other items (or hurting you when you unpack).

You can safely move candles across town or the country. However, it would help if you took the proper precautions — discussed later in this guide — to make that happen.

Will Candles Melt in a Moving Van?

From soy candles to beeswax candles, there is a chance they’ll melt in a moving van or truck. The risk of melting increases if you’re not moving candles in an air-conditioned vehicle.

Even if a candle doesn’t melt into a complete puddle, it can still melt partially and become misshapen.

If the wax melts halfway, your candle might still be usable. It won’t look as lovely as it did previously, though, and the wax could still make a mess all over your other belongings.     

Tips For Packing Candles

The good news is that you can reduce the risk of melting by following our moving tips for candle lovers. Here are some specific strategies you can use to pack and ship candles safely:

1. Sort and Organize the Candles

As we mention in our guide on when to start packing for a move, the more organized you are during your move, the less stressful it’ll be — especially when you’re moving fragile items like candles. 

One of the first steps to take when you pack candles for moving is to organize them.

Gather all your candles, then sort them by size and type. Put all your small beeswax candles in one group, your medium-sized paraffin wax candles in another, your large soy candles in another, etc.

2. Get Packing Supplies

Next, gather your packing materials. You’ll need to carefully wrap each candle to keep it safe during your move.

These supplies can make the candle transporting process as simple as possible: 

• Packing tape

• Tissue paper, wax paper, or packing paper

• Bubble wrap

• Packing peanuts

You’ll also need some dedicated candle boxes. If you still have the original packaging, that’s great. If not, set aside some boxes specifically for candles. 

3. Wrap Each Candle Separately

Your next job is to wrap candles individually.

Use tissue paper, wax paper, or bubble wrap to protect the candle holder, reduce the risk of melting, and prevent scents from merging. Remember, if you wrap your candles together, they might melt into one big mess.

Follow these steps when wrapping a candle:

• Lay down a large piece of wrapping material (wax paper, packing paper, etc.)

• Place the candle on its side on one end of the paper

• Roll the candle inward, keeping the paper as tight as possible

• Use tape to close the paper on each end

Some people choose to use towels or linens for cushioning their candles. This option works, but be sure to select old towels or linens that you don’t mind potentially damaging. If the wax melts, you don’t want it to ruin your favorite towels, do you?

4. Pack and Seal in a Cushioned Box

Next, grab your dedicated candle box and place the candles inside. Ideally, you’ll use cushioned boxes that provide another layer of protection for your candles and their glass containers.

Add a label to each box that says “Fragile” or “Do not stack!” These labels remind your movers not to place a heavier container on top of your candle box. 

5. Protect from Heat

The risk of melting is one of the most significant issues those moving candles have to worry about.

If possible, pack your candles in your car, so the air conditioning protects them. You can also talk to your moving company to find out if they have an air-conditioned truck or moving van. 

Another option is to use frozen gel packs to keep your candles cool. Gel packs are convenient and cost-effective. You’ll need to buy them in advance, though, so you have time to freeze them before the move.

6. Consider Shipping Candles Separately

If you’re worried that your DIY candle-packing skills aren’t up to par, you can do what those in the candle business do instead and ship them with the help of an organization like USPS. 

Shipping candles separately with an express shipping service ensures your candles arrive at your new home quickly.

If you’re considering this approach, make sure your candles won’t arrive at your house before you do (otherwise, they’ll sit on your porch in the sun and melt).

You can also open a P.O. box in your new city and have the candles sent there. That way, they stay in the cool post office until you pick them up.

7. Don’t Let Candles Sit for Too Long

In addition to increasing their chances of melting, letting your candles sit for too long can also cause them to expire or even rot before you get a chance to use them. 

For example, soy candles, citronella candles, and palm wax candles usually do not contain preservatives. They have a shelf life of about 18 months, and then they’ll go bad.

Beeswax candles don’t have an expiration date, but they can go bad if they’re not wrapped and stored correctly.

Paraffin wax candles contain petroleum and have the most extended shelf-life. If you store them at the right temperature, you can expect them to last a lifetime.

8. Work with Professional Movers

If you’re still worried about how to pack candles for moving, reach out to a company that offers professional packing services and moving services.

These experts have years of experience moving heavy-duty and fragile items, including candles. Most of them will even give you a free quote, so there’s no harm in contacting them and asking about their process.

Packing Different Types of Candles

It’s important to note, too, that different packing and shipping rules apply to different types of candles.  

In the meantime, it might be useful to read our guide: How to Pack for a Move.

Pillar Candles

For large pillar candles, use a heavy-duty box that can support their weight. Wrap them individually and keep them flat, too. You can place other candles on top of them, but don’t forget to put paper or another barrier between them.

Glass Candles

Glass candles also need a heavy-duty box. Make sure the box is adequately cushioned to prevent the glass from breaking. 

Tealight Candles

Small tealight candles can usually be packed in a small moving box or even a shoe box. Don’t forget to wrap each one individually. They’re small, which increases the likelihood that they’ll melt together. 

Jar Candles

Jar candles and tumbler candles will still retain their shape if they melt. Pack them vertically to prevent the wax from spilling out of the container and making a mess.

Votive Candles

Like tealight candles, votive candles are little and easy to pack in shoeboxes or other small containers. Wrap them individually to prevent them from melting together into one bix candle. 

Taper Candles

Long, slim taper candles are some of the most susceptible to damage. It’s easy for them to get scratched, and they’ll lose their shape if they melt.

Wrap taper candles individually in tissue paper, then lay them flat in rows to prevent warping. You can stack tapers on top of each other, but you should add a barrier between each layer for extra protection.

Pack Candles for Moving Properly

Figuring out how to pack candles safely and load them into a moving truck can be a bit intimidating at first.

However, if you follow the step-by-step instructions outlined in this guide, you’ll have a much easier time keeping your candles safe and getting them to your new location in one piece.

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