How to Pack a Guitar for a House Move
A guitar is a genuinely awkward shape to move safely: light enough to shift around in transit, but sensitive to temperature, humidity and pressure at the same time. Slightly loosening the strings, padding a soft case properly, and keeping the instrument away from a hot or cold van are the three habits that protect it.
Loosen the strings slightly rather than fully de-tuning. Use a hard case where possible, pad a soft case with clothing around the body, and store the case upright, never flat with anything stacked on top.
Loosening the Strings Before You Pack
Turn each string down a quarter to half a turn before the move, enough to reduce the tension on the neck without fully de-tuning the instrument.
Fully slackening every string can actually be counterproductive on some guitars, since a neck built and set under tension can shift the other way when that tension is suddenly removed.
A small reduction protects against the temperature and humidity swings of a moving day without disturbing the instrument's overall setup.
Hard Case vs Soft Case for a Move
Filling the Voids Inside the Case
Loose Accessories and Cables
Remove anything loose from inside the case before the move, tuners, capos, spare strings, picks, since these can rattle against the guitar's finish and cause fine scratches over a long journey.
Pack these accessories in a small separate bag rather than leaving them loose in the case's storage compartment, where they are more likely to shift against the instrument itself.
Temperature and Humidity in the Van
- 01
Avoid leaving a guitar in a hot or freezing van for an extended period either side of the actual drive, since sudden temperature and humidity changes are one of the more common causes of cracked lacquer and glue-joint problems in wooden instruments.
- 02
A guitar that has been sitting in a cold van should be allowed to reach room temperature gradually, in its case, rather than being taken out and played immediately in a warm house.
Storing the Case Correctly in the Van
Store a guitar case upright rather than flat, and never stack other items on top of it, even briefly, since the thin top panel of most cases is not designed to bear significant weight.
Position the case somewhere it is wedged against something solid, such as a wall of boxes, rather than free-standing where it can tip during braking or cornering.
Multiple Instruments and Amps
If you are moving several instruments, keep guitars separated from each other by soft padding rather than stacked case-to-case, since hard case corners can dent a neighbouring case's finish over a long journey.
Amplifiers travel reasonably well upright with their own padding but should not have anything heavy placed on top of the speaker cone, which can be damaged by even moderate pressure.
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Cleaning and Restringing After the Move
Hard Case vs Soft Gig Bag for a Move
Instruments are one of the categories where a small amount of preparation, loosened strings, a padded case, the right position in the van, makes a disproportionately large difference to how they arrive.
Giant Van's packing service starts from £150 and covers materials, wrapping and loading.
Our crews handle instrument cases with the same care as any other fragile item, loading them upright and secured rather than stacked under boxes.
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How to Pack a Guitar for a House Move — FAQs
Should guitar strings be loosened before moving?
A quarter to half a turn per string is enough, reducing tension without fully de-tuning. Fully slackening every string can sometimes be counterproductive, since a neck set under tension can shift when that tension is suddenly removed.
Is a hard case necessary for moving a guitar?
It offers meaningfully better protection than a soft gig bag, resisting crushing and protecting the headstock and edges. If you only have a soft case, pad the space around the body and neck generously with clothing.
Can a guitar be damaged by cold or heat during a move?
Yes. Sudden temperature and humidity changes are a common cause of cracked lacquer and glue-joint problems, so avoid leaving a guitar in a hot or freezing van for longer than the drive itself requires.
Should a guitar case be stored flat or upright in a van?
Upright, and never with anything stacked on top, since the thin top panel of most cases is not built to bear significant weight.
What should I do with loose accessories inside a guitar case?
Remove tuners, capos and spare strings from the case's storage compartment and pack them in a separate small bag, since loose accessories can rattle against the guitar's finish during transit.
Should I carry a valuable instrument myself rather than put it on the van?
For a genuinely high-value or vintage instrument, yes, it is worth carrying it in the car yourself, the same precaution worth taking with any irreplaceable item regardless of how careful the removal crew is.
Sources and further reading
These are the official UK sources that set the rules for a job like this one. Each link goes straight to the source so you can check it yourself. Links open in a new tab.
- WRAP
WRAP's guidance on reuse and recycling, including what to do with packing materials and bulky items you no longer want.
- HSE — Manual handling at work: a brief guide (INDG143)
The Health and Safety Executive's guide to lifting and carrying heavy loads without injuring yourself.
- Consumer Rights Act 2015, s.49 (reasonable care and skill)
Section 49 of the Consumer Rights Act 2015: a service you pay for must be carried out with reasonable care and skill.
- Consumer Contracts (Information, Cancellation and Additional Charges) Regulations 2013
The regulations covering what a trader must tell you before you book, and your right to cancel a service booked online or by phone.
All links checked on or after 1 August 2026.
Compiled by the Giant Van editorial team
Giant Van Ltd. Registered in England & Wales.