Moving & Packing Checklist

Good packing is mostly about pacing and labeling — starting early and staying organized prevents the last-minute scramble that makes moving day stressful.

6-8 weeks before

• Declutter first — donate, sell, or discard anything you won’t be bringing. Packing and moving less is the easiest way to make the whole process faster (see our Cleaning & Decluttering Tips).
• Gather packing supplies: boxes in a range of sizes, packing paper or bubble wrap, and heavy-duty tape.
• Start a “moving binder” or folder for receipts, lease documents, and your moving checklist.

4-6 weeks before

• Start packing items you use rarely — out-of-season clothing, decor, books, and extra kitchen items.
• Label every box with its destination room and a general description of contents — this alone saves enormous time when unpacking.
• Use a numbering system if you want to track contents in detail — number each box and keep a corresponding list.
• Set aside anything irreplaceable (documents, jewelry, family photos) to transport yourself rather than pack with movers.

2-3 weeks before

• Pack most of your home, leaving only daily essentials unpacked.
• Confirm your moving help — movers or friends/family — and the exact date and time.
• Start using up food in the fridge, freezer, and pantry so there’s less to transport or waste.
• Notify utility companies of your move-out and move-in dates for both addresses.

The week of the move

• Pack an “essentials box” for each household member — a change of clothes, toiletries, medications, phone chargers, and basic snacks — kept separate from everything else and loaded last, unpacked first.
• Disassemble furniture that needs it, and keep hardware in labeled bags taped to the piece it belongs to.
• Defrost the freezer the day before, if you’re bringing the refrigerator.
• Confirm parking arrangements for a moving truck at both locations, if needed.

Moving day

• Do a final walkthrough of every room, closet, cabinet, and drawer before leaving.
• Keep the essentials box and important documents with you, not on the moving truck.
• Take photos of the empty space before you hand back keys.

Packing tips that save time later

• Pack heavier items in smaller boxes so they stay manageable to carry
• Fill empty space in boxes with soft items (towels, linens) to prevent shifting
• Keep a small toolkit accessible for reassembling furniture at the new place
• Pack a box of basic cleaning supplies separately, since you’ll likely want to do a quick clean at the new place before unpacking everything else

For the deeper clean that a move often calls for — at either end — see our Move-In Cleaning Checklist and Move-Out Cleaning Checklist.