How To Pack For A Move

Moving is a big deal! Learn how to pack for a move in order to make your move as smooth as possible. The trick is in the preparation. If you do the hard work now, you will be happy when it’s time to unpack!

Create a staging area.

Create a space, ideally close to the front door, where you will neatly pile boxes that have been packed. This will allow you to clear boxes from rooms and make moving them out, easier.

Make sure you have the supplies you will need, on hand.

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Moving Boxes – Keep in mind that small boxes are best for heavy items and large boxes will work for lighter things, like bedding.
Packing Paper
Packing Tape
Sharpies or Room Labels
Mattress Bags

Work room by room.

Work with intention by working in one room at a time. This doesn’t mean you will pack every last thing in that room, instead, it means you will pack everything in the room that you can, before you move on. Leave only the things you will need, before you move.

What rooms to pack first, when moving.

It will take a bit of time to pack your house so you might as well start where you will notice it the least, in your day-to-day living.

Storage Spaces – Attic, Under The Stairs, Garage, Basement
Spare Rooms
Linen Closet
Coat Closet
Office
Laundry Room

What rooms to pack last when moving.

Once you have packed the areas you use least, it’s time to move on to the areas you use most. In order to disrupt your kids’ routines as little as possible, make their spaces one of the last that you pack to move.

Living Areas
Bathrooms
Kitchen
Clothes Closets
Master Bedroom
Kids’ Bedrooms

Pack these things first.

Pack the things you won’t need until you are unpacked and moved into your new home. It’s never too early to start packing things that you don’t use very often.

Home Decor
Wall Art
Craft Supplies
Seasonal Decor
Photo Albums
Books
Clothes You Don’t Plan To Wear
Rarely Used Kitchen Items
Toys and Games

Pack your boxes for the room they will go in.

As you pack your house, keep in mind what room you want your items to go in, not what room you are packing them in. Your current master bedroom may double as your office space but, in your new home, you will have a dedicated office space. Pack your office items in boxes marked ‘office’.

Always pack items for one room in boxes designated for that room only. Don’t mix boxes with items for multiple rooms.
While packing, you will find things in places they don’t belong. Like a screwdriver, in the kitchen drawer. Don’t pack the screwdriver in a kitchen box. Instead, move it to the garage and pack it in a garage box. Move things to the right room boxes so unpacking will be easier!
Don’t look for things, in other rooms, to fill a box. It’s better to fill the box with packing material than to unpack a box with items that need to go in multiple rooms.

The only exception to this would be if you choose to use towels as packing material.

Return borrowed items.

From library books to the dish your friend left at your house. This is the time to load those items into your car and take a bit of time to deliver them to their rightful homes so you don’t have to spend time and energy moving them.

Pack only the things you want to keep.

There’s no need to pack things you don’t like or want to keep. That just makes double work for you. Instead, set up your garage for a garage sale and move the things not worth moving to the garage so you can sell them!

Label your boxes.

If you plan to pack and unpack in a timely manner, there’s no need to list every item in every box. You DO need to label your boxes with a room so you know where they belong.

Whether you choose to use a Sharpie and write right on the box or use color-coordinated labels, come up with a system that works, for you!

Use your suitcases for clothes you will wear before and during your move.

One easy way to determine what clothes to pack is to go ahead and pack a suitcase to live out of, until you move, then pack the rest. This is a great time to live like you’re on vacation, right in your own home!

Pack a moving box to open first.

After a long day of moving, you may want to cook your first meal, in your new home. Make sure to pack the basics in a box that you can use to make your first meal. Not interested in cooking on moving day? You may need a box of cleaning supplies so you can clean your new home before you unpack.

Determine your first priority for your new home and pack a box, accordingly.