How to Pack for a Move

In a perfect world, you’d have a couple of months to get ready for a big move. You could slowly go through your belongings, getting rid of items you don’t need, organizing everything, and being methodical about what to pack when.

But in the real world, all too often it’s more like “throw stuff in some boxes and tape 'em up” to move fast. Whether a job transfer, super-hot real estate market, or another reason is prompting a quick move, here are some tips on how to make moving easier and faster.

When to start packing for a move

Most relocation experts recommend starting to plan for your move six to eight weeks before moving day. The more time you have, the better.

How to start packing for a move

Instead of getting overwhelmed, start the process of packing for your move by solidifying a moving day. Here are the six steps of packing your house for a move.

1. Schedule moving services and support ASAP

If you’re hoping to use professional movers, booking them should be your first priority. Especially in the peak spring and summer moving season, truck rentals, hourly moving services, and cross-country moving companies book up quickly. If you’re planning to enlist friends and family members to help, schedule them as early as possible.

2. Gather moving supplies

Gather markers, tape, bubble wrap, newspaper, trash bags, and boxes. Local “buy nothing” groups can be a great place to find gently used boxes. You might also consider renting reusable plastic bins, a convenient and eco-friendly option.

3. Tackle one room at a time

It’s easy to get overwhelmed, so the best way to pack for moving is to tackle one big room first — the basement, a storage area, or a big closet, for example. Then, move room to room, crossing each one off your list.

4. Sort your belongings

Even though you’re on a deadline, if you can stay organized packing for a move, it’ll save you time because you’ll only have to transport the stuff you want and need. As you work through each room, sort your belongings into the following categories:

• Donate: Donate to charity or give to friends and family.
• Get rid of: Trash or recycle.
• Keep: Take it with you.
• Day 1: These are things you’ll need to access right away, like a change of clothes, bed linens, toiletries, some basic cleaning supplies, and a few dishes.

5. Label everything

It may seem tedious, but labeling each and every box will streamline the unpacking process. Make sure to label boxes with where they’ll go in your new home, not where they came from in your old house. That way, anybody who's helping you move can easily get things into the right room, which saves you from having to shuffle things around.

6. Purge the excess

We mentioned this above, but it’s worth repeating: Get rid of stuff now! There’s no point in moving items you’re never going to use, so call your favorite charity to schedule a pickup and take a trip to the garbage dump.

Tips for packing for a move

Now that you understand the process of packing for a move, review these six packing tips to help you stay on track.

Hire a sitter

Kids and pets can make packing feel like one step forward and two steps back. Consider hiring a babysitter or pet sitter, so you can make some real progress. Discover more tips about moving with kids.

Prepare for help

If you’re lucky enough to have help from friends and family, don’t have them show up until you’re organized. That way, you can give them clear instructions like “take that pile to the dump” or “box everything in this cabinet.” If they show up too soon, they’ll just slow you down with questions.

Follow moving company rules

If you’re hiring movers, one of the most important packing tips for moving is to read your contract. Often, they have restrictions on certain types of items, like things that are flammable, corrosive, perishable, oversized, or exceedingly difficult to move. Make sure you know ahead of time what they’re willing to move and what they’re not.

Pack efficiently

Maximize space by finding the most effective way to pack. Use linens and towels to wrap breakable items, and make use of your luggage to pack clothing or household items.

Pay attention to weight

It might seem obvious, but remember to pack heavy items in smaller boxes and lighter-weight items in big boxes. It’s much easier to move a small box of books and a large box of pillows.

Pick the right date

When choosing your moving date, be strategic. Some movers offer lower rates for weekday moves. Or, there may be a day of the week when you’re more likely to get people to help. 

Packing and moving checklist

Schedule moving services
Gather supplies
Hire a babysitter or pet sitter
Schedule a time for friends and family to help
Sort, sort, sort
Donate items to charity
Discard unusable items
Get packing
Label and load