The Best Guide on How to Pack for a Move Efficiently and Stress-Free

Introduction to Moving

Worrying about how to pack everything for your impending move? If you have moving anxiety (and perhaps a teensy bit of procrastination), calm your nerves and use these top packing tips that won’t leave you overwhelmed. We’re dishing on everything we’ve learned in 40 years of packing & moving hundreds of thousands of Texas households. Here’s how to pack for a move and have a no-sweat experience—no matter where you live or how many items you have!

Preparation and Planning

Okay, so you know you have to move, so start by breaking the move down into more digestible pieces. Identify and brainstorm on the following:

• Think about the type of move you’re making: Is it a cross-country move or a local move? There are differences in how to prepare for it.

• Begin by planning and preparing for the move by developing a move-out checklist. Here is an example of a checklist for moving out of an apartment.

• Consider the moving process and how to make it as smooth as possible. Like any enormous task, excellent planning leads to better results.

Packing Supplies

If you’re moving in a hurry or trying to stick to a budget, there’s little time to waste on finding the right packing supplies for your move. Here’s a quick breakdown of what supplies you need for proper packing.

Must Have Packing Supplies for Moving

Gathering up the proper tools and materials is the first must-do item on your checklist. To save time and better understand what you'll need, Home Depot has a handy moving calculator that will both determine needs and give you an estimated cost of those needs by entering a little information. Along with boxes, you will need to gather up the following:

• Tool Set- How else are you going to dismantle your furniture? P.S. It’s best to have a case for your tools so you don’t have to put them in a moving box. 

• Moving Boxes- A good assortment of boxes that have handle slots, making sure that the boxes are heavy-duty.

• Packing paper and/or Bubble Wrap - Bubble wrap and packing paper are essential for padding fragile items and filling in spaces to keep them stable.

• Shrink wrap and/or moving blankets- For protecting furniture from dirt, scratches, and dents.

• Good-quality packing tape - A good-quality paper tape, such as Scotch Heavy Duty Packaging Tape, to secure boxes.

• Plastic garbage bags and storage bags- for storing small items and garbage bags for decluttering and donations.

• Knife or Box Cutter - You’ll need this handy tool to open packed boxes or zip ties as you unpack.

• Suitcase or Bag- A good suitcase or non-plastic bag is necessary for storing your essentials (as in, whatever you’ll need immediately in your new home—like toilet paper, toothbrush, medicine, snacks, towels, clothes, etc.)

Jump To: Which Packing Supplies Do You Really Need?

Where To Get Free & Low-cost Packing Supplies & Moving Boxes

You can find packing supplies that won’t break—or break the bank—at certain stores, like:

• Your moving company. Tell your movers what you need, and they’ll bring it along!

• Liquor stores, Bars, or Wineries

• Furniture Stores

• Dollar stores

Why You Shouldn’t Use Grocery Store Boxes for Packing 

Not only could the boxes harbor mold or mites, but spilled food or specific allergens could also contaminate your personal belongings and enter your new space.

Getting Started With Your Pack

Before getting started on the packing process, take a step back and declutter your home wherever possible. It's an investment in time but can help save space and money by not moving unused belongings. Check out our blog article on decluttering for moving to learn more about this critical step.

Packing Strategies

Like the rest of your move, strategize up front to make things easier as you move through packing up your belongings.

• Declutter and then pack room by room to keep things organized and make unpacking easier.

• Pack one room at a time, starting with lesser-used spaces like the dining room or guest room.

• Pack items that are not frequently used, such as seasonal decorations or off-season clothing.

• Keep a separate list of fragile or valuable items to ensure they are handled with care.

• Use a color-coding system to label boxes by room, label each box on multiple sides, and consider using a marker to describe the contents of each box for staging and unpacking purposes.

• Pack a separate box with essentials, such as a change of clothes and toiletries, to keep with you on moving day.

• Consider packing a “first-night” box with essentials like towels, bedding, and a coffee maker.

• Use small boxes for heavy items, like books, and larger boxes for lighter items, like linens, to prevent overloading.

• Consider using wardrobe boxes for hanging clothes and packing shoes in separate boxes.

When and How to Start Packing

For most people, figuring out when and how to start packing is the biggest hurdle. But following what we call the POP method (prioritize, organize, prepare) will help you conquer the packing process without getting overwhelmed! Here's how it works:

1. Prioritize Rooms and Items for Packing

The first step in the POP process is to prioritize what you have to pack and when:

• Do certain items have to be delivered to your second destination or a storage unit?

• Are some pieces heavier or more delicate than others? 

• Does something have more intricate parts to disassemble?

• Will you need it urgently at your new place, such as dishes, towels, or bed sheets? 

Specialty items, such as Peloton, may require dismantling or uninstallation by an experienced representative. This may or may not be someone from the parent manufacturing company. Since these types of pieces will take more time and attention, it’s a good idea to rank them in one of two ways: 

• Number each item in order of importance

• Or, add a note indicating either HIGH, MEDIUM, or LOW priority.

Use these tips to create a prioritized home inventory list before you pack:

1. Do a 5-to-10-minute brainstorming session and list everything you need to pack that’s extra heavy, delicate, valuable, or complicated. 

2. Then, go room by room and list the rest of your belongings. These remaining items will typically be easier and faster to disassemble and pack.  

3. Add a HIGH, MEDIUM, or LOW priority note for each item.

4. Now you’ll know where to start and which pieces will take more or less time to pack!

Note: If you expect to hire professional packers or need help packing anything that’s high-priority, add this to your notes. This serves as a reminder to notify your movers before your move day arrives so you both know what to expect.

2. Organize

Packing without first getting organized is a stressful disaster waiting to happen. Here’s how to make a plan to organize before packing:

• Determine what supplies you’ll need for each room. Ensure they’re of good quality and that you have sufficient quantities.

• Gather everything you need to move into your new place. We mean everything (e.g., a working payment card, keys, paperwork, elevator/equipment reservations, apartment or storage hours, etc.) and set those items aside in a secure place away from other items you'll pack.

• Contact your movers early about any specialty items you may have. If you're planning to have the pros pack for you or have particularly unique circumstances, communicate with your movers early. Some pieces movers can’t disassemble at all or only with your signed waiver.  Other items—such as Peloton bikes—may require a specialist to uninstall or dismantle them, so do this early.

3. Prepare

This is where things get down to business… You know, the part where you pack. Take a look at your home inventory list. Now, it’s simply a matter of executing parts 1 and 2 of the POP Method—Prioritize and Organize—that you’ve already done!

• Start disassembling and wrapping your highest-priority items.

• To stay organized, group similar items together based on the room (e.g., all dishes in the same box).

• Mark the sides and top of each box. Include its contents, whether it’s fragile, and which side is up. Labeling helps immensely when you need to figure out which boxes to load without crushing something. (Example: “Kitchen Dishes | FRAGILE | This Side Up” or “Bedroom Canvas Prints | This Side Up”).

• Continue down the list until you’ve wrapped and packed everything.

• Clothing can be packed on hangers if they’re in wardrobe boxes/covers, folded and boxed, or packed in suitcases.

• For anything you need help with, make a note and save it for move day.

How To Pack Specific Types of Items

Working through your house room by room, packing the least to most used items is a solid strategy; now, let's talk about packing by the type of items in your home.

Packing Furniture

Dents, dings, dirt, and tears are the main concerns with furniture, so using the proper protective materials is important to prevent issues. Some things to consider when packing up furniture:

• Disassemble any hardware, place it in a bag, and label the bag.

• Use moving blankets to protect edges and fabrics, taping the blanket in place.

• Buy mattress moving bags to keep them clean.

• Wrap mattress bags or moving blankets in shrink wrap to add extra protection and keep the blanket in place.

• Label each piece with the correct room that it will belong in at your new home.

Packing Clothes

Packing your clothes is a reasonably personal preference, and some of it depends on how far out your move is. If you're moving in the next week, it's easier to set aside a few necessary clothes and pack the rest rather than leaving more options open for a longer timeline. Once again, declutter and donate ahead of packing, and then follow these basic steps:

• Start by packing out-of-season clothes, such as winter clothes, if you're moving in the summer—labeling boxes with the season's clothes inside them.

• Use garment bags or wardrobe boxes to pack delicate or special-care items.

• Consider using vacuum-seal bags to pack clothing items that need to be stored for a long time.

• Don’t forget to pack accessories, like hats, scarves, and belts.

• If not being used in wardrobe boxes, pack hangers in each box to add stability to each box.

For more complete tips and checklists, check out our blog post on packing clothes to get detailed advice.

Packing Valuables and Delicates

Valuable and delicate items need special attention, so having an assortment of proper packing supplies is crucial. Some really high-end belongings like pieces of art should be crated by professional art movers, but for your other valuables, remember to:

• Use extra care when packing fragile items, such as fine china or glassware.

• Wrap each item individually in bubble wrap or packing paper to prevent breakage. For very small items, using toilet paper and plastic bags is a good substitute.

• Consider using storage bags for valuable items, like jewelry, and pack separately from other items. Set aside in an easy-to-remember place.

• Keep valuable items with you on moving days rather than packing them in the moving truck.

For more detailed tips on packing fine china and other fragile items, check out our tips on packing fragile items.

Packing Electronics and Appliances

Electronics and appliances can be one of the biggest nuisances of packing for a move. Cords, loose items inside appliances, lamp shades, and light bulbs are easily broken or lost if not properly packed. Follow these tips to make packing them easier:

• Take photos of electronics and furniture before disassembling them to make reassembly easier.

• Label A/V cords, power cords, and HDMI cords with tape to help with reassembly later.

• Use original packaging, if possible, to pack electronics and appliances.

• Wrap cords and cables to prevent tangling and damage.

• Buy specific TV moving boxes if you don't have the original box. Here are separate tips that cover moving televisions.

• Consider using anti-static bags to pack sensitive electronics.

• Keep manuals and instructions for electronics and appliances in a safe and accessible place.

• Pack your phone chargers with your essentials box.

Packing Garage and Lawn Equipment

Garages are notorious for clutter, so try to clean out and discard as much as you can while packing this area. Your garage is also where your heaviest and sharpest items usually are. Having sturdy, high-quality supplies—like reinforced boxes or chipboard, moving blankets, tarps, and packing tape—is essential to pack your lawn and garage equipment the right way. Some other things to note about packing up your garage:

• Movers can’t transport fuel, like gasoline or propane tanks, due to liability, so prepare appropriately by draining or disposing of hazardous chemicals responsibly

• Group your garage chemicals and cleaning supplies together, line the inside of the moving box with a trash bag, and place those items inside the bag.

• Double-bag any liquids or soil that could leak. Line a moving box with a contractor’s bag, then reinforce the top with chipboard.

• Triple- or double-wrap any sharp, exposed edges with bubble wrap and/or stretch wrap.

• Use duct tape or packing tape to bind long handles of rakes, brooms, and garden tools together, then cover the ends with garbage bags.

• To keep cords organized, tie them together using a zip tie. You can also put them in a zipped bag or box with a label.

• Keep tools in their toolbox to ensure your tools are secure and won’t knock around against other items.

Packing Firearms and Ammo

If you own a gun safe, check with your mover to see if they have the proper equipment to move it safely and without damage. Our blog post about moving gun safes details the how-to for the safe itself. But a couple of things to remember:

• Most movers will not move the guns/rifles themselves, so you need to pack them separately and transport the weapons yourself.

• Use the carrying case, or if necessary, bubble wrap each firearm separately and place it for safekeeping.

• Empty the safe for ease of move.

• Because ammo can create hazards, you'll need to pack that and transport it as well.

Packing Live Plants

Due to state regulations, movers legally cannot transport live plants in the back of their trucks. You’ll have to pack and transport plants yourself. In order to ready your plants for the move, pay attention to the following:

• Make sure there is no standing water in the basin of the planter that could spill out. The soil should be relatively dry.

• If you have a wheel dolly, lift the potted plant from the base onto the wheel dolly. 

• Place one garbage bag over the top of the plant, wrapping it lightly so it’s not damaged.

• Put another garbage bag around the base where the potting soil is located. Wrap the bottom tightly so the soil and muddy water won’t spill.  

• Use zip ties or tape to secure both garbage bags at the base or narrowest part of the planter.

Packing Tips and Tricks

• Use soft materials, like throw pillows or blankets, to cushion fragile items.

• Pack heavy items, like books or tools, in small boxes to make them easier to carry.

• Consider using strapping tape to secure boxes and prevent them from opening during the move.

• Keep a “tool kit” with essentials, like a screwdriver and pliers, handy on moving day.

Moving Tips

When move day comes around, you can create peace of mind by performing the following tasks to ensure you're ready and that everything that is valuable or creates liability is accounted for:

• Make sure your essentials box is labeled and set aside. Keep the box with you and transport yourself to your new place.

• Items that create liability for movers are transported in your own vehicle. Keeping a close eye on items like firearms and fragile keepsakes is your responsibility.

• Consider packing a “snack box” with essentials, like water and snacks, to keep with you on moving day.

• Keep important documents, like insurance papers, birth certificates, and utility contracts, with you in a safe and accessible place.

• Do one last walkthrough before your movers arrive, or you load the truck to make sure no packed boxes are hidden away in closets or behind doors.

Final Check and Review

An ounce of prevention, right? There is absolutely nothing worse than missed items, either for the loss itself of value or the loss of time by having to re-load the truck because something was missed. To avoid this, do the following:

• Do a final walkthrough of the old home to ensure everything is packed and nothing is left behind.

• Check the moving truck to ensure everything is loaded and secure.

• Review the inventory list to ensure everything is accounted for.

Conclusion

Moving can be a stressful experience, but with the right guidance and preparation, it can be made easier. Remember to stay organized, label boxes clearly, and handle fragile and valuable items with care. If you're short on time or lack the skills, consider hiring professional movers or packers to assist with the moving process.

If you’ve made it this far, congrats!  You’ve now learned everything you need to know to start packing for your move like a pro. Use these tips to plan and pack efficiently, ensuring you pack specific items correctly.