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Packing for moving is a special skill that anyone can master.  You just need to get the right material to pack like a pro.  Here are a few tips to help you master the art of packing:

Take inventory.  Go around your home and evaluate your needs.  Take the time to take photos of your things, especially your high-valued items.  This will help you catalog your inventory and high-valued items for insurance.  To make the most of your time, do this from room to room and note your estimate of the amount of boxes you will need.

Estimating boxes.  There are packing calculators on-line that can offer you a start.  However, do not take it as gospel, because they are not very accurate.  Instead, I would go back to your inventory for each room and think about your needs.  Keep in mind that you want to use smaller boxes for your heavier items, like dishes.  You will use more medium boxes than smaller and large boxes, because you can use them for a variety of your things.  Certain fragile items, like lamp shades may require one box.  If you can pack it well, you may be able to get two in a box depending on the size.   

Get the right packing material.  You definitely want to make the effort to get the right packing material.  If you are packing anything fragile, you want to make sure you get heavy-duty boxes to take the weight of the load.  Also, you want to make sure that you use packing paper to cushion your items. The main reason for packing paper is to prevent your things from shifting during transport, which in turn will minimize the chance for damage.

Do not overpack your boxes.  You do not want to overpack your boxes.  If you do, you will risk damage.  There is a fine line of putting enough in the box to prevent them from shifting to overloading the box.

Securing boxes.  You want to make sure you get packing tape for your boxes.  It is worth the extra investment because it will allow you to secure your boxes and prevent them from falling apart.  Remember, when you do tape your boxes be generous with the tape and give yourself several inches on both ends of the seams.  This will help prevent the load from falling through the box.

Labeling.  Permanent markers are best for this task.  You want to label your boxes according to the room of the items to help with unpacking.  You also want to note the top of the box with an arrow.  Noting the top of the box will help to prevent damage.