Wondering What to Pack First When Moving? This Is the Only Moving Packing List You Need

Deciding what to pack first when moving can be daunting. Think about every nook and cranny, cabinet and closet, attic and storage space. Your house holds more than you think, and putting all of those items in boxes is going to be time-consuming. Even if you’ve determined how to pack for a move, you still have to commit to doing the work. You’ve got two options:

1. Work proactively, tackling section by section at a reasonable pace until it’s all done, or
2. Wait until the last minute, pull a few all-nighters, and stress yourself out to the max, trying to get through your entire moving packing checklist in a matter of days.

What’s that I hear? You want to go with the first option? Smart choice. 

And don’t think you’re alone in this thing. This article won’t just help you figure out what to pack first when moving to a new home. It also breaks down a moving packing list in chronological order, so you can figure out how to work more efficiently, which is especially helpful if you’re on a tight timeline and wondering how to pack for a move in a month or less. 

How Long Before Moving Out Should You Start Packing?

How soon should you start packing before moving to a new house? As soon as you’ve officially set the wheels in motion to move, that’s when the work should begin. This may sound like overkill, but chances are, if you’re selling your home, your realtor is going to ask you to clear out the clutter to stage your home for potential buyers.

On the other end of the spectrum, if you want to hurry up and get your place rented so you don’t have to continue showing it, decluttering can make your home more desirable. Regardless, this is a great time to get rid of the things you no longer want or need. 

But what about the stuff you still want to keep that needs to be kept out of sight? That’s where a PODS portable moving container comes into play. When you move with PODS, you have the freedom to start packing and loading as early as you want! Imagine packing up all those holiday decorations, winter clothes, and precious hand-me-downs and then having somewhere to put them that isn’t the hallway or the guest room. (Crazy! We know!) Beyond just giving you space to breathe while you figure out how to pack for a move, loading your things in a moving container as you pack them up also makes showing your house a whole lot easier (your real estate agent or landlord will thank you).

One month of storage is built into the cost of every PODS move, so you don’t have to rush through your moving and packing checklist.

What To Pack First When Moving — And What Can Wait Until the Last Minute

If you’ve decluttered your home, stocked up on moving supplies, and hired a professional moving company, you’re ready to start going through your moving packing list. But what’s the best order to pack in when moving? What rooms should you pack first? Here’s a play-by-play:

 

• Holiday decorations
• Gift-wrapping supplies
• Old baby clothes
• Unused furniture
• Sporting equipment
• Gardening tools

These items are perfect for the back section of your PODS moving container, too.

 

How To Pack Storage Items for a Move

Now that you’ve figured out what to pack first when moving, how exactly do you pack it — especially those oddly shaped holiday decorations? 

• They may be sitting in plastic containers now, but it’s better to pack items safely in boxes rather than loading those plastic bins straight into your portable moving container.
• Make sure fragile items are wrapped in bubble cushioning roll or tissue.
• When loading your box, fill any open spaces with extra padding. This can be done with more packing materials, or you could use something soft, like towels or linens.
• And packing those ornaments and string lights may be a cinch, but what about your large artificial Christmas tree? How do you pack that thing? You can either get a specialty storage bag or place it inside a rectangular box. If you’re going the box route, you’ll need to disassemble the tree, tamp down the branches, wrap each section with packing plastic, and place them inside a box (you may need more than one).

2. Move to Out-of-Season Clothes (4-5 Weeks Out)

Just like your seasonal holiday decor, your seasonal clothing is one of the top items in the packing order for moving and can be packed weeks before moving day. Unless your move is months and months away (or you’re moving to a different climate), think about the weather and pack up the pieces that you won’t need until the temperatures shift.

How to Pack Seasonal Clothing for a Move

• If you’re packing up a lot of bulky sweaters and puffy coats, use vacuum-sealed storage bags to take up less space in your boxes, suitcases, or drawers.
• Use small or medium-sized boxes to pack all clothing items. Putting them in a large box will make the box too heavy. Here are a few more clothing pack hacks, including instructions on how to roll your clothes (that’s right, no folding) so they take up the least amount of space inside your moving boxes.

Q: What should I pack for moving to a new house first? A: When determining what to pack first when moving, a good rule of thumb is to start with the attic, garage, basement, or other storage spaces. Then, you can move to the guest bedroom, office, and dining room. Finally, pack the more used rooms of the house, like the bedrooms, kitchen, and den.

3. Wrap Up the Fragile Items (3-4 Weeks Out)

If you’re in the middle of moving, you’re probably not throwing a dinner party, right? We don’t recommend packing up your everyday dishes just yet, but now is a great time to start carefully wrapping your fine china, crystal, silver, and other pieces that aren’t for daily use.

How to Pack Fragile Items for a Move

• Remember to label each fragile box clearly so anyone moving or handling the boxes knows to handle them carefully.
• If you’re loading fragile boxes into a PODS container, they should be in a snug space where they won’t be crushed from the top or sides.

How to pack to move without disrupting everyday life: Pack up the guest bedroom three weeks before your moving day.

4. Pack Up the Guest Bedroom (3 Weeks Out)

Guest bedrooms don’t get a lot of regular use, so chances are, you can pack up these rooms and any other rooms you’re not frequenting.

How To Pack Guest Bedroom Furniture for a Move

• Bonus points if you can go ahead and break down beds and wrap up dressers at this time, but you may be expecting some out-of-town packing help during this transition period between closing on your current home and moving into your new one.
• Speaking of wrapping up dressers, if you have empty guest bedroom dresser drawers, you may want to use them for added packing space. Remove the drawers and secure them with stretch wrap to keep things from falling out. Then, these drawers can be stored in your PODS moving container. Need more packing hacks? Check out the PODS Blog.
• If you’re able to move the guest bedroom rug, go ahead and roll it up, then secure it with plastic wrap. It may be tempting to stack rugs at the bottom of your container or moving truck, but this can be a very tricky situation to maneuver.

5. Box Up the Books, Artwork, and Decor (2-3 Weeks Out)

When it comes to what to pack first when moving, this one could be moved up to a higher spot, depending on how you’d be affected by sitting in a decor-less home until moving day. That’s because artwork and home decor are nice to look at, but they’re not vital to everyday life.

Pack these items up two to three weeks before your move date, or even earlier if you so choose. The same goes for the books lining your shelves. You can keep one or two out for entertainment, but the rest are ready for boxes.

How To Pack Books, Artwork, and Decor for a Move

• It’s tempting to load tons of books into one big box, but this makes for a very heavy package. Instead, pack like a pro by putting heavy items like books into smaller containers, so you can lift them more easily.
• If possible, disassemble large decor items like lamps or furniture with removable parts. Keep all screws, bolts, and small parts in a labeled plastic bag taped to the main item. This helps prevent damage and makes it easier to reassemble your decor in your new place.
• If you want to bring your houseplants with you to your new home, pack them in a sturdy box and line it with padding material like newspaper or bubble cushioning roll. Place each plant in its own box if possible, and fill any gaps with crumpled paper or packing peanuts to keep the plant stable.

6. Load Up the Linens (2 Weeks Out)

Keep one set of sheets for the beds people are sleeping in until the night before the move, but pack up the extra linens, towels, and blankets two weeks ahead of time.

How To Pack Linens for a Move

• If you have extra linens that aren’t needed during your packing timeline, you can use them as padding in other boxes.
• For bulkier bedding items, like comforters, use a large box or vacuum-sealed bag. If using a box, try to get as much air out of the comforter as possible by rolling it up rather than folding.

7. Tackle the Toy Box (1-2 Weeks Out)

For those with kids — or adults with intricate hobbies — now is the time to go through those toy boxes and storage bins to figure out what to pack first when moving and what can be sold, donated, or tossed. Your kids may balk at the idea of their toys being packed up, but you’d be surprised how much of their loot they actually won’t miss.

Also, here’s a secret parent-to-parent tip for how to pack to move: Pack up the toys while the kids are away. You’re the best decision-maker about what stays out and what’s destined for the portable storage container, but it’s tough to make those calls when a small pouty face is tugging on your heartstrings.

How To Pack Toys for a Move

• Once you’ve narrowed down the list of toys that are going to your new home, be sure to disassemble the larger ones or toys that are made of multiple parts before packing. That means toys like dollhouses, rocking horses, indoor playsets, and tents. This prevents them from getting damaged or breaking during the move.
• If you still have the original packaging for toys, use it to pack them. The original boxes are often designed to protect the toys and can be a great way to keep them secure.
• If your kids are going to want instant access to their toys after the move, here’s how to organize packing for a move: Sort the items into categories (action figures, dolls, building blocks, etc.) and label the box appropriately for easy locating.

How to organize packing for a move: Pack your clothing into medium-sized boxes, but set aside a few suitcases for the items you’ll need over the next week and immediately following moving day.

8. Store the Shoes, Jewelry, and Clothes (1 Week Out)

A week before the move, pack up your clothing, shoes, and jewelry. Set aside two suitcases or clear bins — one for the things you’ll need the week before your move and one for the clothing and toiletries you’ll need for the week after. You may have some overlap, but this is a good way to keep things organized.

Also, you’ve put a lot of thought into your moving packing list, but do you have a list of high-value items, like your jewelry? Moving is a great time to inventory these pieces, especially if they have a great deal of sentimental value or a cash value of at least a thousand dollars.

Take pictures of your valuables and upload them to a digital file storage system, like Google Drive or Dropbox, and create an accompanying spreadsheet or document that lists details about each item and its approximate value. This may be a good time to get your jewelry appraised, as well. That way, you’re covered if something happens during the move.

How To Pack Accessories for a Move

• Throwing shoes into boxes can cause bending and damage. Instead, wrap them in packing paper and place them in boxes, or put some bubble cushioning roll in between pairs for extra protection.
• To keep your jewelry organized and knot-free, hang bracelets on a carabiner to keep them together, and string necklaces through paper straws to prevent chain tangles. Smaller items, like earrings, can go inside a pill box or tackle box.
• Place smaller hats inside larger ones to save space and provide extra protection. For added cushioning, stuff the inside of the hats with tissue paper or bubble wrap so they maintain their shape (no one likes a squashed hat). If you have expensive hats, consider wrapping them in acid-free tissue paper or placing them in hat boxes before packing inside a larger box.

Q: What should you not pack when moving? A: Some jewelry will be fine in specialized jewelry packaging, but some pieces may be too precious to leave in storage. Keep smaller, irreplaceable items with you (instead of in a container or moving truck) during the moving process.

9. Leave the Kitchen for Last (2-3 Days Out)

Sure, if there are items in the kitchen you’re not using every day, go ahead and include them in your “what to pack first when moving” list. But often, the kitchen is the room people leave for last, since it’s being used right up until the moving day. 

Fair warning, though: This is not an easy room to pack. It’s imperative that you clean out the cabinets, declutter the drawers, and purge the pantry. Think about how much weight all of those canned goods will amount to if you choose to pack and move them all. Our advice? Donate to a food shelter instead. If you do want to move food to your new home, use plastic bags to prevent leaks and spills and load them upright in a cooler bag (if necessary).

How To Pack Kitchen Items for a Move

• Once the purging is done, fill a box with only the items you’ll need for the first few days in your new home. This could be a few dishes, cups, utensils, dish rags, soap, and that coffee maker for a much-needed shot of caffeine.
• The rest of the items can be packed in their own boxes; we recommend keeping a few categories together, like dishes, pots and pans, utensils and cooking tools, pantry items, and so on.
• Pack dishes, glassware, and stemware in boxes designed for fragile kitchen items. These often come with dividers or inserts that help protect individual pieces from breaking. Wrap each item in bubble wrap or packing paper, and use additional padding between items and around the edges of the box to prevent movement and potential breakage.

Q: What is the hardest room to pack when moving? A: The kitchen is typically the hardest room to pack when moving. It has a lot of items, and those items are tough to pack proactively because many are used daily (except for the fondue kit and punch bowl; go ahead and pack those now). The things you’ll need right up until moving day should go into an easy-to-access bag, so you have them readily available when you get to your new home.

10. Don’t Forget About the Items Your Movers Can’t Handle

We’ve talked about what to pack first when moving, how to pack for a move, and what can wait until the final moments, but it’s important to remember that some things can’t be packed at all. You may need a separate moving packing list dedicated to things that you’ll need to personally transport to your new home, because your movers may give you a list of prohibited items that they are not allowed to handle. This can range from hazardous items like propane and household cleaning supplies to high-value belongings that present a liability for the moving company. Here’s a list of common items that movers refuse to have in their care:

• Perishables
• Acid-based products
• Liquor
• Firearms
• Explosives
• Pets and plants
• Fueled lawn equipment
• Scuba gear

While we recommend properly disposing of perishable and hazardous products before you move, you may need to make alternative arrangements for some items.

Organize your moving packing checklist into a four-week schedule to expedite the process.