How to Pack a House for Moving

Gather the right materials first

Sturdy boxes in a few sizes, packing tape, markers, bubble wrap or packing paper, and furniture blankets cover most of a household. Dish barrels and wardrobe boxes are worth it for kitchens and closets.

Do not overfill big boxes. A large box of books is a box nobody wants to lift—put heavy items in small boxes and light, bulky items in large ones.

Pack room by room

Finish one room before starting the next. Mixed-room boxes make unpacking twice as slow and lose things.

Start with rooms you use least and finish with the kitchen, which is the slowest room in the house. Keep a short list per box on the label—a contents note beats guessing every time.

Protect fragile items properly

• Wrap each piece individually; do not nest glassware unwrapped
• Cushion the bottom of the box, fill empty space on top so nothing shifts
• Stand plates on edge like records—stacked flat, they break
• Pack dishes and glasses in dish barrels or double-boxed for long moves
• Tape lampshades loosely and pack them upright, never under anything heavy

Furniture and electronics

Empty every dresser and desk; drawers do not survive a carry down stairs with weight in them. Bag and tape hardware to the furniture it belongs to.

For TVs and computers, original boxes are ideal. Without them, wrap screens in blankets, keep them upright, and load them flat against a padded surface—not on their face.

Label like a professional

• Room name on the top and on a side, so labels are readable when boxes are stacked
• A short contents note: “pots, utensils, coffee gear” beats “kitchen 3”
• Mark fragile boxes on multiple sides
• Number boxes and keep a simple list if you have more than a couple dozen

Pack an essentials box

One box or bag travels with you, not on the truck: medications, chargers, toiletries, a change of clothes, basic tools, toilet paper, paper towels, snacks, and water. On a Texas summer move, add extra water for everyone in the household.

What not to pack on the truck

Keep documents, jewelry, cash, prescriptions, and irreplaceable items with you. Fuel, propane, aerosols, and other flammables should not go in a moving truck at all—use them up, give them away, or dispose of them safely.