The most time-consuming and tedious part of moving is the packing process. However, with some patience and careful planning, Packing for a move can be stress-free.
Here’s a quick packing checklist to make your next move a bit easier.
Before you start packing
With so much to be done, you cannot afford to procrastinate. Start packing several days or weeks in advance. Filling a couple of boxes every day from one or multiple rooms should be a good start. Give preference to items least used around the house.
Dispose or donate items you no longer need
- Go through your things in every room. Inspect every drawer, closet, and cabinet, noting which items need to go. Be honest about which furniture should be left behind.
- Donate, sell, toss? Classify the items you need to leave behind in any of the three categories. While you can make a mental note, we advise listing them in a notebook or tagging them with a sticky note.
- Dispose of items you wouldn’t buy again. If you had a chance at a do-over, would you purchase the item in question again? If you wouldn’t, then you don’t need it, and it should go.
- Donate. If you opt to donate sizable items like rugs and furniture, make plans with the organization in advance. Remember to keep the donation receipt as you can claim it in your taxes. Of course, we can help arrange your items for a Donation pickup
- Consider short-term storage. If committing to disposing valuables is scary right now, but you’re unsure if you need them, keep them in short-term storage and evaluate them later. The professionals at Gorilla Haulers can get you set up with storage options to meet your needs.
- Hire Gorilla Haulers. If you have too much going on, contact us for help. We are a professional moving company that’s ready to help you make that move you have been dreaming of! Our donation pickup and junk removal services are the perfect solution to dispose of unwanted items in your basement, garage, or attic before a big move.
Expert packing tips
Some easy packing guidelines to follow:
- Pack like items together – Items from the same room and that serve a similar function should go in the same boxes to make unpacking easier. Use towels, t-shirts, or bubble wrap to protect breakable items, and label these boxes as fragile to keep track of them.
- Pack light items at the top and the heaviest items at the bottom – this will protect the lighter items from damage and prevent the boxes from toppling over when moving.
- Avoid leaving space in boxes – leaving space in boxes allows the items to move around inside increasing the chances of damage. It’s better to fill these spaces with blankets, foam, or t-shirts to protect your items.
- Label every box with its destined room and a description of the items it contains – make clear labels on the side and top of every box. The room and general description of the contents are enough. Also, indicating ‘this end up’ or ‘fragile’ will help our professional movers protect your belongings from damage.
- Have a box of essentials – items like hammers, screwdrivers, drinks, snacks, toothbrushes, paper plates, cups, plastic utensils, medication, and first-aid kits should be in one box.
NOTE: this is not an all-inclusive list. Please call if you have any questions!
Gather packing materials
To be efficient in your move, start by getting all the necessary packing supplies. These include packing tape, packing paper, plastic wrap, markers or labels, tool sets, bubble wrap, baggies, and boxes.
When getting boxes, remember to gather assorted sizes and some specialty boxes to hold different items, including electronics, clothes, home office equipment, wall art, and mirrors. You can save on packing boxes by checking with your local grocery store, pharmacy, Home Depot, Lowes, or Wal-Mart.
Note: when getting free moving boxes, ensure they are sturdy enough to hold your valuables.
How to pack for a move: Room by Room
Now that you understand the basic packing rules let’s dive into a comprehensive room-by-room packing list.
How to pack the kitchen
- Pack the kitchen last – you may tuck away some less frequently used items, but forks, spoons, cups, and plates will likely be used right up until moving day. Pack these last.
- Defrost your refrigerator – clean and defrost your fridge 48 hours before your move.
- Pack liquids together – it’s easy for liquids to damage your valuables during a move. To avoid this, seal the bottles with plastic wrap and pack them in Ziploc bags and plastic bins instead of cardboard boxes. This way, you don’t have to worry about spills leaking onto other items.
- Pack stemware and glasses in sectioned boxes – this is the simplest and most secure transport method for such delicate items.
- Organize dishes – packing dishes for a move isn’t as difficult as you think. Just ensure you wrap them in a layer of bubble wrap or paper towels and avoid overpacking the boxes. Overpacking makes it hard to handle the boxes and increases the chances of damage.
- Pack small appliances – remove any loose components or blades and tape the cords around the different appliances. Be sure to pack any extra parts together and include their manuals.
- Pack dry and refrigerated goods – for dry goods, use bubble wrap to keep them from moving around. You can keep refrigerated goods in coolers.
How to pack the dining room
- Roll up your rugs – use a rope or plastic to secure it
- Disassemble furniture – the easiest DIY method to disassemble your pieces of furniture is to remove the legs of dining chairs and the dining room table. Wrap the legs in bubble wrap for extra protection and store the screws and bolds in well-labeled resealable plastic bags or trash bags. Tape these bags to the bottom of their respective boxed furniture.
- Get appropriate boxes for your art – mirrors, large vases, statues, or valuable paintings will not fit in regular moving boxes. Luckily, our experienced movers will have these on hand if you request them.
- Disassemble lamps – remove bulbs from lamps. Wrap the light bulbs and bases separately in bubble wrap.
How to pack the living room or den
- Secure electronics – for computers and TVs, unscrew the base and wrap them in a blanket to protect the screen. Tape the base and screws to the back of your TV.
- Pack furniture – wrap your furniture with blankets to avoid damage and dirt. It also helps to remove the legs of your chairs and couch to maneuver them more easily into your new home.
- Organize electronic components – tape the power cable, remote control, auxiliary audio cables, or HDMI to their respective electronics.
- Handle mirrors and artwork with care – you can wrap them in bubble wrap, blankets, or customizable boxes.
- Pack your DVDs, books, and CDs in separate boxes – ensure the boxes aren’t too heavy to avoid damage to the contents and the box breaking.
How to pack your bedroom
- Pack the guest bedroom first, then the kids, then yours – you can pack the guest bedroom completely. Pack anything you do not regularly use for bedrooms that will be set up again after the move.
- Disassemble furniture – do this like you would for any other room
- Wash dirty clothes before packing – this ensures you don’t have pending chores after completing a tiring move. You can pack the clothes in wardrobe boxes, leaving the hangers on.
- Organize jewelry – put your valuables in one container.
- Pack the mattresses – pack them in bed bags to keep them protected from dust and debris during the move
How to pack your bathroom
- Pack your toiletries together – This ensures you can find them all once you are in your new home. Typically, the bathroom is the first room you unpack.
- Organize your towels – You should pack toilet paper, towels, soap, and other essentials in a box for each bathroom
FAQ
How long does it take to pack a house?
This depends on the size of your home and your belongings as well as who’s doing it. If you are doing it yourself:
- One-bedroom home – 1 to 2 days
- Two-bedroom home – 2-3 days
- Three-bedroom home – 3-5 days
- Four-bedroom home – 4-6 days
But when you enlist the packing and moving services of Gorilla Haulers, it’ll take a couple of hours to pack, move, and unpack in your new home. We understand you may be strapped for time, so we try to complete everything within your schedule.
What items can Gorilla Haulers not pack when moving?
Gorilla Haulers have a moving checklist of hazardous items they cannot move. These include:
- Oxygen bottles
- Gasoline
- Lighter fluid
- Propane cylinders
- Nail polish remover
- Matches
- Fireworks
- Paint and paint thinners
Explosive materials, corrosive chemicals, flammable materials, and hazardous materials shouldn’t be packed.
What is the last thing you should pack when moving?
We recommend toys and pet food be among the last things you should pack. This is because your pet still needs care during packing and moving. If you have kids, ensure their favorite toys and other items are packed last.
Does Gorilla Haulers offer packing services?
Yes, Gorilla Haulers has a team of trained professionals who’ll pack and label your valuable items with care. We’re organized, neat, and detailed oriented to avoid mixing up contents and breaking fragile items.
Should I empty the drawers before moving my dresser?
Dressers are solidly built, so you may have to empty them. Remove and pack different belongings separately. Soft items like clothing, sheets, pillows, and towels can remain in the drawers. However, ensure the drawers aren’t overstuffed.
Ready to move? Call Gorilla Haulers!
Packing and moving is stressful and tedious. Luckily, Gorilla Haulers has a team of experienced professionals to guarantee a wonderful excellent experience.
We’ll even handle Junk removal and donate or recycle unwanted items in an environmentally friendly manner.
Give us a call today or fill out the contact form for your free estimate