You stand in the center of your living room and look around. You see books on the shelves, photos on the walls, and the sheer volume of life you have accumulated over the years. It feels heavy. You are about to uproot your life and plant it in a new home, which is a significant transition. While feeling stressed is a normal reaction, you can manage this situation with the right approach.
I have helped families, singles, and seniors transition to their next chapter. Through those moves, I learned what works and what leads to broken plates or broken spirits. The moving process does not need to become a nightmare. With a solid plan, it becomes a series of manageable steps rather than a chaotic hurdle.
I want to share my top packing tips for moving. These are tips we follow as professionals every time we conduct a packing service. These methods rely on logic and experience rather than luck. They will help you protect your belongings and keep your sanity intact throughout the transition.
10 Essential Packing Tips for the Moving Process
1. Purge Before You Pack a Single Box
Many people make the mistake of packing everything they own, thinking they will sort it out later. But in my opinion, that’s a waste of time, space, and effort.
Avoid wasting time packing unwanted items, dedicating valuable moving truck space to them, or expending extra effort on their removal.
This is another reason why you want to start the packing process early: Now you have time to go through all of your things! Walk through your home two weeks before you touch a single box. Look closely at your clothes, the kitchen gadgets gathering dust, and the furniture that wobbles. If you have not used an item in a year, let it go. You can donate, sell, or recycle these things. This critical step saves you money on supplies and makes unpacking much more rewarding.
2. Gather the Right Supplies
Building a house requires a hammer, and packing a house requires the right tools. While you might feel tempted to grab free boxes from a grocery store, these often lack the necessary strength to protect your valuables. You need clean, sturdy supplies to ensure your items arrive safely.
Here is the standard kit you should acquire before you start:
- Small boxes (1.5 cubic feet): These work best for books, canned goods, and dense tools.
- Medium boxes (3.0 cubic feet): Use these for pots, pans, toys, and general household items.
- Large boxes (4.5 cubic feet): These accommodate linens, pillows, and lampshades.
- Dish barrels: These possess extra-thick walls specifically for fragile items.
- Wardrobe boxes: These tall boxes include a metal bar for hanging clothes.
- Packing paper: Unprinted newsprint protects items without leaving ink stains like regular newspaper.
- Quality packing tape: Buy more than you think you need to avoid running out mid-pack.
3. Make Sure You’re Distributing Weight Correctly
Physics plays a major role in achieving success. If you ignore weight distribution, boxes crush and items break.
You must pack with gravity in mind to keep your belongings safe. You want to build a solid foundation in every box, so place the heavy items at the bottom and stack lighter items on top. This method creates a stable base and prevents heavy objects from crushing delicate ones during transport.
Pay attention to box size as well. Many people make the mistake of putting heavy items, like books, into large boxes. A large box filled with books becomes impossible to lift and often breaks at the bottom. Always put heavy items, like books, canned goods, or tools, into small boxes. Reserve large boxes for light, bulky items like comforters and pillows. Your back will appreciate this logic, and if you hire professional movers, they will appreciate it too.
4. Label With Logic and Detail
A box labeled simply “Kitchen” tells you very little about its contents. Since your kitchen contains everything from durable silverware to delicate wine glasses, you need more information. You need to know which box holds the coffee maker for the first morning and which one holds the holiday platters you won’t need for months.
Write the room name and a brief list of contents on the side of the box rather than the top. When you stack boxes in the truck or your new living room, you can’t see the top, but you can always see the side.
Consider using a color-coding system for efficiency. Assign a specific color to each room in your new home using colored tape or stickers. This directs traffic without you needing to shout instructions all day.
5. Pack Fragile Items Vertically
Most people pack plates flat, just as they stack them in a cupboard. However, this method makes them vulnerable to cracking from the pressure of the plates above them.
Pack your plates vertically, like records in a crate. Wrap each plate individually in packing paper, then stand them on their edges inside the box. This orientation allows the strongest part of the plate to support the weight.
Then, fill any empty spaces in the box with crumpled paper to prevent shifting. This technique drastically reduces the chance of breakage for your most fragile items.
6. Create an “Open First” Box
Moving day creates fatigue. By the time you unlock the door to your new place, I doubt you will want to tear through twenty boxes to find your toothbrush. You need an essentials kit that stays with you or goes on the truck last.
From my experience, it’s best to include these items in your “Open First” box:
- Toilet paper and hand soap.
- A shower curtain and towels.
- Bed sheets and pillows for each family member.
- Phone chargers.
- A basic tool kit (screwdriver, hammer, box cutter).
- Coffee maker, mugs, and coffee.
- Snacks and water bottles.
Related Article: How to Pack Electronics for Moving Without Damage
7. Use Soft Items as Protection
You can save money on bubble wrap by using items you already own. Your home contains plenty of soft materials that serve as excellent padding for breakables.
Wrap picture frames in towels. Use socks to cushion glasses or stemware. Wrap breakable knick-knacks in t-shirts. This approach kills two birds with one stone: you pack your clothes and linens while protecting your fragile objects. Just remember to wash the linens when you arrive if they get dusty.
8. Handle Clothes Efficiently
Moving clothes can become tedious if you take everything off the hangers. Folding clothes takes time, and re-hanging them takes even more time. For your nice clothing, use wardrobe boxes. These allow you to transfer clothes directly from your closet to the box without removing the hangers, which keeps your suits and dresses wrinkle-free.
For casual clothes, you can use heavy-duty trash bags. Group several hangers together, slip the bag over the clothes from the bottom, and tie the drawstrings around the hanger hooks. This keeps the clothes together and clean. You can lay these bundles flat on top of other boxes or squeeze them into odd spaces in the truck.
9. Disassemble Furniture Correctly
Large furniture pieces often require disassembly to fit through doorways or stack properly. Taking a bed frame or table apart is the easy part, but finding the screws later creates the challenge.
When you disassemble a piece of furniture, place all screws, bolts, and small hardware into a sealable plastic bag. Label the bag clearly with a permanent marker. Tape this bag securely to a large piece of the furniture itself.
If you cannot tape it to the furniture, gather all the hardware bags into one specific “Hardware Box.” This ensures you can actually build your bed when you are ready to sleep.
10. The Final Moving Checklist
Chaos often creeps in during the final hours. You need a moving checklist to guide you through the finish line. This list keeps you focused when your brain feels scattered.
Before the truck pulls away, do a final walkthrough:
- Check the dishwasher and the oven.
- Open the deep drawers in the refrigerator.
- Look behind every door.
- Check inside built-in cabinets.
- Ensure you turn off the lights.
- Lock the windows.
This final sweep provides closure and ensures you leave nothing behind.
Moving signifies a change. It brings stress, but it also brings opportunity. By following these packing tips, you take control of the experience. You turn a massive job into a series of achievable tasks. When you arrive at your new front door, you will feel tired, but you will also feel ready to begin. Calm confidence comes from preparation, and now, you are prepared.
BONUS: The Best Tip of All…
…is to hire a professional moving company.
You can purge, pack, and label with precision, but the physical demand of moving day remains. Lifting furniture and loading a moving truck requires strength and stamina that most people do not use in their daily lives.
When you bring in professional movers, you buy yourself peace of mind. We navigate the stairs, protect your heavy items, and handle the logistics. This allows you to focus on the emotional transition to your new home rather than the physical exhaustion of the day.
At EverSafe Moving Co., we treat your belongings with the respect they deserve. We have conducted thousands of moves, and we know how to get you to the finish line safely.
You do not have to carry this burden alone. Contact EverSafe Moving Co. today for a quote, and let us make your next move your best move.