Lamps can be tricky items to pack, whether you're moving across town or across the country. They come in odd shapes and sizes, and are more delicate than other household items. With a little planning and preparation, however, you can safely protect your lamps from being damaged in transit.
Get your materials - Buy or find sturdy cardboard boxes that will accommodate your lamp base and shade individually. Be sure to accurately measure each piece to ensure that the boxes are large enough to fit them comfortably. You should also get plain newsprint paper, bubble wrap or packing peanuts. Lastly, you'll need packing tape and a permanent marker.
Separate the pieces of the lamp - First, unplug your lamp (of course). Unscrew the light bulb and remove the lamp shade before you pack anything. Even if you wrap everything up tightly, lamps can get jostled around and cause harps to bend, shades to dent and bulbs to shatter. It's better to separate each piece at the beginning. Wrap the cord around the base and tuck the plug in to prevent it from unraveling.
Wrap them up - If you bought newsprint or bubble wrap, spread a large sheet on a clean flat surface. Lay the lamp on its side in the middle, so that the protective material extends beyond the ends. Roll it up and secure the seam and ends with tape. If the base is particularly fragile (e.g. glass or ceramic), you might want to give it a second wrapping t make sure it's adequately protected. Wrap the bulb and harp in newsprint and tape them closed.
Box and label the base - Set the lamp in the box base down. If there's room, you might want to tape the wrapped bulb and harp to the sides. Otherwise, you can pack them with the shade. Fill in any gaps between the base and box with packing material to prevent it from shifting during transport. Close the box and seal it shut with packing tape. Label the box with the marker and include the words "fragile" and "this end up" on all sides. To avoid confusion on the back end, you might also indicate in which room the lamp belongs.
Box the shade - Place the shade in the other box. If it's a paper or fabric shade, make sure your hands are clean, so you don't leave dirty fingerprints. Gently cover the shade with packing material, but leave some room at the top. You don't want it to be crushed, once you close and tape the box shut. If you have a Tiffany or glass lamp shade, you can be a bit more liberal with the bubble wrap or other material. Cover it completely and then fill in gaps like you did with the base.