Room-by-Room Packing Guide for Your Move

Packing an entire home feels overwhelming when you look at it all at once. The trick is to break it down room by room and tackle one space at a time. Here's exactly how to pack each room in your home.

Kitchen

The kitchen is the hardest room to pack and usually takes the longest. Start here — at least a week before moving day.

Dishes and glasses: Wrap each piece individually in packing paper. Pack plates vertically (like records) and glasses nested with paper between them. Use dish pack boxes if available.
Pots and pans: Stack with paper between them. Put lids in a separate box or wrap them on top.
Small appliances: Use original boxes if you have them. Otherwise, wrap in bubble wrap and pack in medium boxes.
Food: Use up perishables in the weeks before the move. Pack dry goods and canned items in small boxes (they're heavy). Toss anything expired.
Knives: Use blade guards or wrap in several layers of paper, then tape. Label "SHARP" clearly.

Bedrooms

Clothes: Use wardrobe boxes for hanging items — transfer straight from the closet. Folded clothes can stay in dresser drawers (wrap the dresser in stretch wrap to keep drawers shut).
Bedding: Use large garbage bags or vacuum bags. Linens make great padding for fragile items too.
Mattress: Use a mattress bag (available at any moving supply store). Never move a mattress without one — it picks up dirt and moisture.
Jewelry and valuables: Pack these yourself and keep them with you — not on the truck.

Bathroom

Toiletries: Put caps in zip-lock bags to prevent leaks, or use stretch wrap over bottle openings under the cap.
Medicines: Pack in a clearly labeled box and keep it accessible. Take essential medications in your car, not the truck.
Cleaning supplies: Check which items are flammable or pressurized — movers can't transport these. Dispose of or transport yourself.
Towels: Use them as packing material for fragile items throughout the house.

Living Room

TV: Original box is ideal. If not, wrap the screen in a soft blanket and then bubble wrap. Never lay a flat-screen TV flat — transport upright.
Electronics: Take photos of cable setups before disconnecting. Put cables, remotes, and small parts in labeled zip-lock bags taped to the device.
Books: Small boxes only. A large box full of books is too heavy to lift safely. Pack spine-down to protect pages.
Artwork and mirrors: Wrap in bubble wrap, then use picture boxes or create a cardboard sandwich. Mark "FRAGILE — THIS SIDE UP" clearly.
Lamps: Remove shades and bulbs. Pack shades in their own box (they crush easily). Wrap bases in blankets.

Garage and Storage Areas

Tools: Small boxes for hand tools. Wrap sharp edges with paper or cloth.
Hazardous materials: Movers can't transport paint, gasoline, propane, pesticides, or other hazardous items. Dispose of or move yourself.
Seasonal items: Pack these first since you won't need them before the move.
Lawn equipment: Drain fuel from mowers and gas-powered tools before transport.

General Packing Rules

Heavy items in small boxes, light items in large boxes
Fill every box completely — half-empty boxes collapse when stacked
Label every box with room AND contents
Use packing paper, not newspaper (ink transfers)
Tape boxes on top and bottom with packing tape, not masking tape