How to pack like a pro

Packing is the one part of a move you fully control — and the part most people start too late. If you begin about six weeks out, following a week-by-week checklist, moving week becomes assembly instead of chaos.

Work room by room, least used first

Start with storage areas, the guest room, and off-season clothes — the things you won't miss for a month. Keep daily-use items where they are until the final week, and pack the kitchen and bedroom last. One room at a time keeps the house livable and gives you visible progress.

The supplies that actually matter

• Boxes in two or three uniform sizes — heavy things in small boxes, light things in large ones
• Packing paper rather than newspaper, so ink never transfers onto dishes
• Good tape and a dispenser — cheap tape fails exactly when a box is heaviest
• A marker per room, so labeling never waits

Resist collecting random supermarket boxes: mismatched sizes stack badly and crush easily.

Label for unpacking, not packing

“Kitchen” tells you where a box goes; “Kitchen — pots, everyday plates” tells you what's inside and whether to open it first. Number the boxes per room and keep a simple list — if a box goes missing, you'll know exactly what was in it.

Pack an essentials box

Set aside one box that travels with you: chargers, toiletries, medications, basic tools, a change of clothes, and snacks for the first night. It's the difference between a calm first evening and digging through ten sealed boxes for a toothbrush.

Packed well, your boxes protect your things and your move day stays on schedule — which is exactly what your crew needs to keep the price at the estimate.