What To Pack First When Moving

Moving into a new home can be exciting. But if you don’t pack things in the right order, the moving process can quickly become a stressful experience.

Individuals busily plan for their move and think that everything is under control until it suddenly isn’t anymore and they find themselves drowning in labels, bubble wrap, packing boxes, and cardboard boxes.

As one of Seattle’s leading moving companies, the team here at On The Go Moving has years of packing experience and knows what to pack first when moving. Today, we’re sharing this knowledge with you! Expect to leave this blog post with a clear understanding of which rooms and items you should pack first, gathering packing materials, especially when moving to a new city.

Packing To Move Checklist

Many people search “packing to move where to start” when preparing for a move. One of the best ways to address this common concern is by making a packing list for moving and packing supplies, including a list of supplies. Here are some items that will help you decide where to start when packing to move:

Moving boxes in a variety of sizes to hold your belongings
Padding to secure more fragile items like glassware and electronics
Rolls of packing tape to seal boxes, packing paper, and secure padding
Knives and scissors to cleanly cut tape, especially for the unpacking phase
Markers to labeling boxes of similar items together
Resealable bags for smaller items and nonperishables
Handcarts to easily lift and move heavier items at once

How To Start Packing To Move

Knowing what to pack first can make or break the success of a move. Planning ahead will do wonders when figuring out what to pack first in preparation for a move. Start by taking inventory to make a checklist and determine where to start packing when moving. Labeling boxes and taking like items together at a time with a handcart is an efficient way to transport, load, and unload your items when the big day comes.

Giving yourself extra time before moving will also help you figure out what to start packing first. This can greatly reduce stress and frustration down the road as you decide what works best for you when figuring out how to start packing for a move.

Prep Work – Assemble Your Packing Supplies

Having the right packing supplies on hand and organized can make the packing process much easier. Before you start packing, assemble various sizes and strengths packing boxes, packing tape, and protective wrap such as bubble wrap, and taking the time to label boxes can make a big difference to you and your moving company. Having these materials assembled in advance of packing will give you an important head start in preparing to move to your new home. Keep reading for our packing tips!

First, Prepare Your Belongings For Packing

Often, the most difficult part about starting to pack for a move is the starting part.

It’s so difficult to know where the first place to start packing is and what to pack first. Before we get into what to pack first, let’s talk about how to begin.

1. Sort & Take Inventory Of Your Belongings

This step is so important to your success with your move.

Before you even think about beginning to pack, you should first take inventory of your belongings and sort everything. Before beginning to pack, you should know everything that’s in your possession.

A good way to begin is to get a notebook, pencil, and a cup of coffee ready and begin your inventory walk through your house.

2. Declutter The Items That You Won’t Be Bringing

We cannot stress this enough — before you begin packing, get rid of items that you don’t need. Why go through the trouble of packing countless unwanted items that you won’t need or use at your future home?

Rather than spending all that time cleaning, packing, and unpacking these items, find them a better home where they will be used to their potential. When you get rid of unwanted items such as old clothes, old furniture, unimportant knick-knacks, and other non-essential items, packing and moving get easier both before you go and when you get to your new place.

Declutter responsibly and sort your items into categories like, give away, sell, and donate.

3. Clean and Dust Items Before Packing

The next step is to clean and dust items before packing them.

You don’t want to be unpacking dirty, dusty items on the other side of your move so a quick way to prevent this is to give each item a quick wipe before packing it.

4. Find A Reliable Moving Service

Working with a moving service might not be the first thing on your mind when it comes to moving homes, but trust us; you’ll be glad that you decided to work with a moving service when the big day rolls around. Not only does it make the packing and moving process much easier, it helps to unpack efficiently in your new home or new location.

Moving services are experienced and equipped with the knowledge and tools to get each move accomplished efficiently. If you would like to work with a reliable moving service near you, contact On The Go Moving today.

People ask all the time, but where do I start when it comes to packing? That’s why we’re here.

First things first, create a moving checklist.

Write down categories, dates, and rooms that all need to be packed up and add them to your calendar. Moving checklists are so helpful when it comes to what you should do first when moving.

After you’ve created a realistic moving checklist, it’s time to jump into packing.

Here’s the order of what you should pack first.

1. Start The Packing In The Least Used Room

You don’t want to start packing boxes in the kitchen or with your child’s favorite toys.

Instead, start in the least used room and work your way to the more frequently used spaces after that.

Your least used room could be the garage, basem*nt, closets, a spare room – a guest room, or your attic. Determine which room in your house you use the least and start the packing process in there.

2. Pack Items That Are In Storage

Pack items that are already packed away and in storage.

These items are easy to pack because they haven’t yet been unpacked yet. If you have a storage unit or a storage room in your house, organize and pack these items first.

3. Pack The Most Difficult Room

Don’t save this room for last, you’ll be all tired out by the time you get to this room, and that might result in disorganized packing. This may mean the dining room and wrapping all of your fine china, rooms that have old furniture or lots of picture frames, hanging clothes, and rooms that contain a lot of knick-knacks, and other items.

Rather than saving the hardest for last, pack up the most difficult room towards the beginning of your packing timeline. Often this can be the bedroom or dining room; read how to pack clothes for moving here.

4. Pack Out Of Season Items Next

Do you have boxes filled with Christmas decor or your artificial trees that you store year-round? These items are only used seasonally and if it’s not the season for them, they should be packed first. Often holiday decorations and the like are already stored in packing paper since there are many fragile items. Make sure you use the right packing materials and inform your professional moving company of the contents of these boxes. Out-of-season clothes, holiday decorations, winter clothes (if in the summer), and other seasonally non-essential items can go into the moving boxes, and be some of the first things loaded onto the moving truck.

5. Pack Decor & Books

Items that are in your home purely for aesthetic purposes are good items to pack first when moving. This might include artwork, decor, books, magazines, and the like. These items are easy to pack first because chances are you won’t need them during the move or the weeks preceding it.

6. Pack Shoes & Jewelry

Leave out the pieces and pairs that you most often wear and pack the rest. There’s no need to wait until the last minute to pack shoes or jewelry that you use only occasionally.

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Work With A Reliable Moving Service Near You

Here at On The Go Moving, we want to help Seattle homeowners have the easiest move possible.

We are proud to serve Seattle and the surrounding areas and make it our goal to help all of our clients find the right moving service for their needs.

If you would like to hear more about the different moving plans that we offer or want to schedule a date to have our team of moving experts come help you with your move, give On The Go Moving a call today.

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As an AI developed by OpenAI with extensive programming in a wide array of subjects, including logistics, organization, and home management, I have a comprehensive understanding of the moving process. My training involved analyzing vast amounts of data, including expert articles, user experiences, and industry best practices related to moving and packing. This enables me to provide detailed, accurate, and up-to-date advice on the topic.

The article you've presented covers several key aspects of the moving process, emphasizing the importance of strategic packing. Let's delve into the concepts mentioned:

Moving Process: This involves transferring items from one location to another. It requires planning, organization, and often physical labor. The process can be complex, especially when moving to a new city, due to factors like distance, logistics, and adjusting to a new environment.
Packing Materials: Essential for protecting belongings during a move. These include:
- Moving Boxes: Available in various sizes, they are essential for organizing and protecting items.
- Padding: Used for fragile items. Common materials include bubble wrap and foam.
- Packing Tape: Strong adhesive tape secures boxes and padding.
- Packing Paper: Helps protect delicate items and fill voids in boxes.
- Markers and Labels: For identifying contents and destination rooms.
Decluttering: This involves sorting through belongings and deciding what to keep, sell, donate, or discard. It simplifies packing and reduces moving costs.
Inventory Management: Taking stock of items before packing ensures nothing is overlooked or forgotten.
Room-by-Room Packing Strategy: Prioritizing rooms based on their usage frequency helps in organizing the packing process. Less used rooms like the attic or basem*nt are often packed first.
Out-of-Season Items: These are packed early as they are unlikely to be needed immediately before or after the move.
Fragile and Difficult-to-Pack Items: These require special attention and packing techniques to ensure their safety.
Moving Services: Professional movers can significantly ease the moving process. They offer expertise in handling, transporting, and sometimes even packing belongings.
Preparation for Movers: This includes having everything packed, labeled, and ready for loading when the movers arrive.

Each of these concepts plays a vital role in ensuring a smooth and efficient moving process. By understanding and implementing these strategies, individuals can reduce the stress and complications often associated with moving.

What To Pack First When Moving | Important Packing Tips (2024)