How to Pack for a Move

Most customers underestimate packing by 2-3 weeks. Boxes look small until you're filling them. Then you discover the under-sink cleaning supplies are five boxes, not one. The garage takes a full weekend, not an afternoon. The books are six boxes per shelf.

8 weeks out — declutter and decide. - Walk every room. Decide what's moving, what's donating, what's trashing, what's selling. - Use the "haven't touched it in a year" rule for clothes, kitchen gadgets, garage tools, decor. - Schedule donation pickup (Goodwill, Salvation Army, local charities — all have pickup) and bulk trash pickup with your city. - This is the highest-leverage week. Every box you don't pack is one you don't move, unpack, or store.

6 weeks out — order materials. - Boxes, paper, tape, mattress bags, dish packs, wardrobe boxes, mirror packs. - Cheaper to order online in bulk than to buy at U-Haul or Home Depot weekly. See materials section below.

4-6 weeks out — pack non-essentials. - Off-season clothes (winter coats in July, summer in January). - Decorative items, picture frames, books, china you don't use. - Garage tools that aren't seasonal. - Anything in storage closets.

2-3 weeks out — pack secondary rooms. - Guest rooms, formal dining, home office archives. - Linen closets, bathroom storage. - Holiday decorations.

1 week out — pack the rooms you live in. - Kitchen except the 5-day essentials. - Master bedroom except the 5-day clothes. - Daily-use bathrooms except 5-day toiletries.

Last 2 days — the essentials boxes. - One box per person: 5 days of clothes, prescription meds, chargers, phone, laptop. - One "first-night" box: coffee maker, mugs, paper plates, plastic utensils, dish soap, paper towels, trash bags, toilet paper, shower curtain, towels, sheets for one bed per person. - These boxes ride in the car, not the truck.

Most "moving supplies" lists overcount specialty items and undercount basic boxes. Here's the real list for a typical 3-bedroom Texas household, with real 2026 prices.

Boxes (the bulk of the budget). - Small (1.5 cu ft, ~16x12x12): 40-50 boxes. Books, dishes, glasses, electronics, anything dense. $1.50-2 each new, $0.50-1 used. - Medium (3 cu ft, ~18x16x18): 30-40 boxes. Kitchen gadgets, pots/pans, decor, smaller appliances, mid-weight bedroom items. $2-3 each new. - Large (4.5 cu ft, ~24x18x18): 15-25 boxes. Pillows, blankets, lampshades, light decor, kid toys. $3-4 each new. - Extra-large (6 cu ft, ~24x20x21): 5-10 boxes. Comforters, big stuffed toys, lampshades. $4-5 each new. Avoid for dense items — too heavy to lift safely when full. - Total box budget: $150-280 new. Used boxes from U-Haul Customer Connect, Facebook Marketplace, or Craigslist save 40-60%.

Specialty boxes. - Dish packs (double-walled, partitioned): 2-3 boxes for breakable kitchen. $10-15 each. - Wardrobe boxes (with hanging bar): 3-5 boxes for hanging clothes. $15-20 each. Can be rented from movers — way cheaper. - Mirror/picture boxes (telescoping flat): 3-6 boxes depending on art collection. $10-18 each. - Mattress bags: 1 per mattress. $5-12 each. Required for any mattress moved. - TV boxes: 1 per flat-screen TV. $15-30 each. Or save the original carton — best protection.

Wrapping + protection. - Packing paper (newsprint, unprinted): 2-3 bundles of 10 lbs each. Wraps dishes, glasses, decor. $25-40 per bundle. - Bubble wrap (small bubble for electronics, large for fragile): 1 roll small + 1 roll large. $15-25 each. - Stretch wrap (the clear plastic film for furniture): 1 roll (1500ft). $15-25. - Furniture pads / moving blankets: 6-12 pads. Rent from movers — buying isn't worth it.

Tape + tools. - Packing tape: 6-10 rolls of 2"x55yds. $15-30 total. Don't cheap out — bargain tape splits. - Tape gun (one-handed dispenser): $8-15. Pays for itself in time saved. - Sharpies (heavy black markers): 3-4. $5-8. For labeling — see labeling section. - Box cutter / razor knife: $5-10. For breaking down boxes and unboxing at destination.

Total typical DIY materials cost for a 3BR home: $200-450 depending on whether you buy new or hunt used boxes, and how many specialty boxes you need.

Different rooms need different techniques. Here's what we do at every room type.

Kitchen (the hardest room). - Pack dishes vertically in dish packs, like records in a sleeve. Stacked horizontally they break under their own weight. Wrap each dish in 2-3 sheets of packing paper, edge-stand in the box. - Glasses go upside-down in cell-divider dish packs. Stuff paper inside each glass. - Pots/pans nest 3-4 deep with paper between. The lids go on top of the nest, not inside. - Knives wrapped individually in paper, then sealed in a labeled small box. Tape the handle to the outside of the box so it's visible. Crews have hurt themselves on un-flagged knives in unmarked boxes. - Spices/dry goods: throw out anything you haven't used in a year. Pack the rest in a small "kitchen essentials" box with paper towels in the bottom in case anything leaks. - Liquids (oils, sauces, vinegars): tape the lid shut, double-bag in zip-locks, pack upright with paper around.

Bedrooms. - Hanging clothes: wardrobe boxes are non-negotiable for the master closet. Trying to fold and unfold a real wardrobe costs 4+ hours at destination. - Folded clothes: small boxes work, but dresser drawers usually move better if you leave clothes in them. The crew shrink-wraps the dresser shut. Saves boxes, saves time. - Bedding: large or extra-large boxes. Sheets, comforters, pillows fit fine — they're light, so big boxes are okay here. - Jewelry + valuables: don't put in the truck. Keep with you in the car. The standard mover insurance specifically excludes "items of extraordinary value" — jewelry, cash, family heirlooms. We'll insure them up if you declare them, but personally we recommend you transport.

Bathrooms. - Toiletries: dump anything expired. The rest into a labeled small box with paper towels lining the bottom. - Shampoo/conditioner bottles: tape lids, double-bag, pack upright. - Medications: keep with you, not in the truck. Especially prescription medications — these can't be replaced same-day at destination. - Towels: become packing material. Wrap any fragile bathroom decor in towels instead of using paper.

Living room. - Books: small boxes only. Never large. A large box of books weighs 70-100 lbs and ruins someone's back. Crews refuse to lift them. - Photo frames + wall art: stand vertically in mirror boxes with paper between. Glass-front frames get bubble wrap before going in. - Lamps: bases in medium boxes wrapped in paper. Shades in their own extra-large box, nested in tissue paper (not packing paper — packing paper bleeds onto delicate shades). Don't pack shades inside the base box — they always get crushed. - Electronics: original boxes if you saved them. Otherwise small box with the cables/remotes/manuals in a zip-lock taped to the box exterior.

Garage + outdoor. - Power tools: original cases if possible. Pack with batteries removed (or terminals taped) so they don't short. - Gas-powered tools (mowers, blowers, edgers): drain fuel before moving. Crews can't move fueled equipment by federal law. Drain the tank, run the engine until it stops, then move. - Yard equipment: stand in a wardrobe box if tall, or palletize with stretch wrap if short. - Liquids in the garage (paint, solvents, fertilizer, pesticide, propane, gasoline): the do-not-load list. Crews can't transport these. Plan to use them up, give them away, or take to hazardous waste disposal.

Fragile items break for two reasons: shock (crew drops or jolts the box) or compression (something heavy on top during transit). Professional packing addresses both.

Wrap thoroughness. Most DIY packers use 1 sheet of paper per fragile item. Pros use 2-4 sheets, completely enclosing the item with no exposed surface. The extra paper takes 15 minutes per kitchen and saves $200+ in damage claims.

Cushioning layers. Every fragile box has: - A bottom layer of crumpled paper (2-3 inches thick) - Items packed in tight rows with paper between each - Paper packed into every void inside, between, and around items - A top layer of crumpled paper (2-3 inches thick) - The shake test: close the box, gently shake. If anything moves or shifts, add more paper.

Box weight discipline. Heavy items in small boxes, light items in large boxes. A small box should weigh 30-50 lbs max. A large box should weigh 30-50 lbs max. Sounds counterintuitive — but the reason is the dimensional ratio. A 50-lb large box has weight per square inch spread over a big footprint, so it doesn't crush whatever's below it on the truck. A 70-lb small box of books concentrates the weight in a tiny footprint and crushes everything beneath it.

Stacking-direction labels. Mark fragile boxes "TOP LOAD ONLY" and "FRAGILE" with arrows pointing up. Crews load TOP LOAD boxes last and on top of the stack. Boxes without this label can end up anywhere.

The one-piece protection rule for high-value art. Anything worth $500+ gets its own box and its own treatment. Don't pack a $2,000 painting in a generic mirror box with 3 other pieces. Custom-cut foam, individual bubble wrap layer, individual cardboard inserts, and a dedicated mirror box. Or have us custom-crate it — wood-frame box built around the piece. We do this routinely for piano artwork, antique mirrors, and gallery pieces.

Specific item techniques: - TVs: original box if possible. Otherwise wrap the screen in a soft cloth (not paper — paper scratches anti-glare coatings), then bubble wrap, then a TV box. Pack vertically, never flat. - Lamps with delicate shades: shade in its own labeled box with tissue paper voids. Base in a separate box. They reunite at destination. - China + crystal: dish packs with cell dividers. Each piece wrapped individually in paper. Glasses upside-down with paper stuffed inside. - Picture frames: vertical in mirror box, paper between. Glass-front frames get an extra bubble wrap layer. - Mirrors: telescoping mirror box. Tape an "X" across the glass with painter's tape to absorb shock if it cracks. - Wine collections: wine-shipper boxes (foam cell dividers). Climate-controlled transit. We don't move bourbon or beer collections during Texas summer if the truck will sit — heat ruins them.

Most "specialty items" are best handled by us — that's what our specialty crew exists for. But if you're prepping the area, here's what makes it move-day-ready.

Pianos. Don't disassemble. Don't remove legs. Don't try to roll. Don't wrap. We bring our own dollies, blankets, and stair-climbers. What you do: clear the path from the piano to the truck (no rugs, no furniture, no kids' toys), measure doorways the piano needs to pass through, and tell us the day before about any stairs or tight turns.

Gun safes. Empty the safe (we don't transport firearms or ammunition — federal liability). Disconnect from any electrical or wall anchors. Verify the safe's exact weight (printed on the door interior or in the manual). For safes over 600 lbs, we'll send a 3-4 person rigging crew with a specialty dolly. Verify the destination floor can support the weight before move day — second-floor gun safes are often refused at destination because the floor joists aren't rated for the load.

Hot tubs. Drain completely 48 hours before move day — water adds 600+ lbs and the tub flexes when carried with water inside, leading to shell cracks. Disconnect electrical, gas (if applicable), and water supply. Cap the lines. Don't try to disconnect the cover lifter — we handle that.

Pool tables. Slate-bed pool tables must be professionally disassembled before moving. The slate alone is 600-800 lbs across 3 panels, and reassembly requires re-leveling at destination (the table won't play correctly otherwise). DIY pool table moves end in cracked slate 30% of the time. Quote the disassembly + reassembly into the move from the start.

Pinball / arcade machines. Original packaging if available. Otherwise the bumper-rail glass comes out, gets bubble-wrapped flat, and rides separately. The main cabinet rides upright with straps. Don't tip on its side — the backplane wiring will come loose.

Aquariums. Empty 5+ days before move. Save 30% of the tank water in 5-gal buckets for fish transport. Filter media stays wet — packed in a labeled bag. Hard decor packed in newspaper. Live rock and live coral don't ride in the moving truck — they ride in coolers with you for any move over 4 hours.

Treadmills / Pelotons. Treadmills fold up — see your manual. Most belts can be locked with the safety clip. Pelotons — leave bike intact, the crew straps to a dolly with handlebars vertical. Original packaging is the gold standard if you saved it.

Every professional moving company has a labeling system. Most DIY packers don't. The system has three elements: room, contents, fragile flag.

1. Room destination (the most important label).

Write the destination room on every box. Not the origin room. If a box of kitchen items at origin is going to the dining room at destination, label it "Dining Room" — that's where it goes on move day.

Use 3 specific labels per room: - Master Bedroom, Kids Bedroom 1, Kids Bedroom 2 (named: "Maya's Room") - Kitchen, Pantry, Dining Room - Living Room, Family Room, Office - Garage, Storage

Write the destination room on three sides of the box — both long sides + the top. So no matter how the box is stacked, the room is visible.

2. Contents summary.

Below the room label, list 3-5 keywords describing the contents. Not "Kitchen Stuff" — that's useless at destination. Better: "Plates, Bowls, Coffee Mugs, Silverware Tray." When you're unpacking and need that specific item first, you can find it without opening every box.

3. Fragile + special-handling flags.

In big letters at the top: FRAGILE, TOP LOAD, or THIS SIDE UP with an arrow. Use color (red Sharpie for fragile, blue for top-load) so the crew can spot at a glance.

Number every box so you can confirm at destination that everything arrived. We use the inventory sheet at destination to check off every numbered box. A 3BR move is typically 60-90 boxes; a 4BR is 100-130. You won't notice if box 47 is missing unless you've numbered.

Per-room color codes (optional but powerful). Buy colored painter's tape — one color per destination room. Stick a strip on every box for that room. Crews see the color from across the truck and know exactly where to take the box. Cuts unloading time 40%+ on larger moves.

Don't use cryptic codes. "K-1" on a box is useless to a crew member who's never seen your labeling system. Write the actual room name. Boxes get carried, sometimes by different people, sometimes for 50 feet at a time. Plain English wins.

Patterns we see in 2,000+ moves a year. Each of these is preventable; each costs hundreds of dollars when it happens.

Mistake 1: Starting too late. Customers start packing 1 week out for a 3BR home. Result: rushed packing on move-day morning, unmarked boxes, broken items, 1-2 hours of additional crew time billed at $200/hr. Real cost: $400-1,200.

Mistake 2: Underestimating books. "I don't have that many books." Then they pull every book off every shelf and discover 12 boxes' worth. Books are the densest household item — 70 lbs per cubic foot. Always small boxes only. Crews refuse large book boxes.

Mistake 3: Packing liquids loose. Shampoo, dish soap, motor oil, paint. The bottle leaks during transit. Soaks 4 other boxes around it. Tape lids + double-bag in zip-locks for every liquid. Always.

Mistake 4: Saving "important" boxes for last and then losing them in the chaos. The valuables box, the medication box, the laptop box — they end up in the truck because they were packed last with no special identification. Then no one can find them at destination. Put these in the car, not the truck.

Mistake 5: Not declaring high-value items. Federal regulation requires customer declaration of any single item worth more than $100/lb. Declared items get full coverage; undeclared items get the $0.60/lb default. A 50-lb painting worth $5,000 gets covered for $30 if undeclared. Declare anything art, electronics over $1,000, jewelry, collections.

Mistake 6: Packing the do-not-load items. Gas, propane, paint thinner, fireworks, ammunition, pesticides, household cleaners with bleach. Federal Hazmat regulation prohibits movers from transporting any of these. If discovered at load, the crew has to leave them behind — and you have a hazmat disposal problem during your move. Use them up, give them away, or dispose of through your city's hazardous waste program in the weeks before the move.

Mistake 7: Trying to disassemble what we'll disassemble. Customers take apart the bed frame, the dining table, the entertainment center — to "save time." Result: bag of screws gets lost, parts get scratched without protection. We're going to disassemble these on move day with the right tools and a bag for hardware. Leave them alone.

Mistake 8: Skipping the inventory walk-through. At pickup, the crew lists every item and noted condition on the inventory sheet. Customer needs to sign it. Read it before signing. "Sofa, brown, scratched left arm" is your protection if the arm gets further damaged. Don't sign blank or vague inventories.

Mistake 9: Not photographing electronics' back-cable layout. Disassembling a complex AV setup at origin and reassembling at destination is hours of work if you don't have photos. Take pictures of the back of the TV, sound system, computer, and any A/V receiver before you unplug anything.

Mistake 10: Tipping at the end without knowing the standard. Crew tips are appreciated, not required. Standard: $20-50 per crew member for a standard local move, $50-100 per crew member for a long-distance move or specialty heavy lift. Pre-arranged with cash in marked envelopes is more thoughtful than "let me grab my wallet" at the end.

Professional packing isn't always worth it. Sometimes it is. The decision depends on your time, the value of your stuff, and your tolerance for the work.

Typical professional packing cost for a 3BR Texas home: $1,200-2,400. Crew of 2-3 for 1 day, plus materials.

Hidden cost of DIY packing: - Your time: 40-60 hours total for a 3BR. At $50/hr (a conservative skilled-trade rate), that's $2,000-3,000 of your time. - Materials: $200-450 in boxes, paper, tape if buying new. - Damage from inexperienced packing: typically 1-3% of household value. On a $80K household contents, that's $800-2,400 in damage on a typical DIY move. - Insurance gap: DIY-packed items are subject to standard $0.60/lb coverage. Professional-packed items are fully covered.

When DIY makes sense: - You enjoy organizing and have the time. - Your stuff is mostly low-value, replaceable items. - You're moving local (under 100 miles) and any damage is minimal driving anyway. - You have a couple of friends who'll help and you're feeding them lunch.

When professional packing makes sense: - You have less than 4 weeks before move day. - You have a household with significant art, antiques, electronics, or fine china. - You're moving long-distance — every breakage point is amplified by miles + transit time. - Your time is worth more than $50/hr. - You've moved DIY before and hated it.

The hybrid approach (our most popular): - We pack the kitchen + fragile rooms. Kitchen is the hardest and most damage-prone. Fragile decor needs technique most DIYers don't have. - You pack everything else. Clothes, books, garage, decor that's not glass. - Result: 60% of the professional-pack cost, 90% of the damage protection.