How to Pack for a Move
Packing is the part of moving that takes the longest and feels the most overwhelming. The good news: the people who pack well aren't doing it faster, they're doing it in the right order with the right supplies. This guide walks through both.
If you want a packing plan that adjusts to your apartment size and what you actually own, start a Dovetail plan — we break packing into manageable work blocks based on your space.
How early should I start packing?
Start four weeks before your move. Pack the rooms you use least first — guest rooms, storage closets, basements, attics. Save the kitchen, bedroom, and bathroom for the final two weeks. Pack a first-night box last, the day before moving.
What packing supplies do I actually need?
For a typical one-bedroom move:
- 15–25 banker boxes (for books, kitchen, dense items)
- 10–15 medium moving boxes (for general use)
- 5–10 large boxes (only for light, bulky items — pillows, bedding, lampshades)
- 2–3 wardrobe boxes (for hanging clothes)
- 3–4 rolls of packing tape (more than you think)
- 1 large roll of packing paper
- 1 roll of bubble wrap for fragile items
- Permanent markers, label stickers
- 6–10 moving blankets (rent or buy)
- 2 rolls of stretch wrap for furniture
Scale up by ~40% per additional bedroom. For a fast estimate based on your actual space, use our box estimator.
What's the best way to pack a kitchen?
Pack the kitchen second-to-last (only the first-night box comes later). Work from least-used to most-used: serving platters first, then pantry, then dishes, then small appliances, then daily cookware. Wrap each dish in packing paper, stand plates vertically (not stacked) in banker boxes, and label every box with both contents and "FRAGILE" if anything inside is breakable.
How do I pack fragile items?
The principle for fragile packing is: nothing should be able to move inside the box. Wrap each item individually in bubble wrap or paper, fill the box bottom with crumpled paper, place items snugly, and fill gaps with more paper. If you can shake the box and hear movement, repack it. For art, antiques, instruments, and wine — consider specialty packing or a specialty mover.
How do I pack clothes for a move?
Three options, ranked by what we recommend:
- Wardrobe boxes — for hanging clothes. Items go straight from closet to box, still on hangers. Best preservation, fastest unpack.
- Vacuum bags — for off-season clothes, bedding, and bulky items you don't need to unpack first. Saves significant volume.
- Trash bags or suitcases — for clothes in drawers. Trash bags tie around groups of hangers; suitcases are already designed to carry clothes.
Don't pack clothes in random boxes. They take up more space than necessary and arrive wrinkled.
What should go in a "first night" box?
Pack this box last and load it in your car, not the truck. It should contain everything you'd need if the truck arrived a day late:
- Sheets and pillows
- Towels and toiletries (toothbrush, soap, shampoo)
- One change of clothes per person
- Phone chargers and laptop
- Medications and prescriptions
- Important documents (lease, IDs, insurance)
- Basic kitchen (paper plates, plastic utensils, paper towels, coffee, mug)
- Toilet paper (you will not regret this)
Common packing mistakes to avoid
- Buying cheap XL boxes. They tear, sag, and break backs. Banker boxes hold dense items better; medium boxes are the workhorses.
- Not labeling. "Kitchen" on a box does almost nothing. "Kitchen — daily dishes" tells you what to unpack first.
- Packing books in large boxes. They become impossibly heavy. Books always go in banker boxes.
- Saving "miscellaneous" for last. Miscellaneous boxes are how things get lost. Be specific even if the category is small.
- Underestimating tape. Buy more.
For the full week-by-week version, see our moving checklist.
Frequently asked questions
How many boxes do I need for a one-bedroom apartment?
Plan on 30–45 boxes total: ~15–25 banker, ~10–15 medium, ~5 large. Scale up about 40% per additional bedroom.
Should I pack myself or hire packers?
Packers are worth it if you have more than two bedrooms, fragile or valuable items, or less than two weeks. For a small move with time, packing yourself saves $500–$1,500.
How long does packing actually take?
A studio is roughly 8–12 hours of packing. A one-bedroom is 15–20 hours. A two-bedroom is 25–35 hours. A house can take 40+ hours. Spread over weeks, this is manageable; compressed into a weekend, it's miserable.
How do I pack a flat-screen TV?
Use the original box if you saved it. If not, wrap the screen in a moving blanket, then in bubble wrap with the cushion side toward the screen, secure with painter's tape (never on the screen itself), and transport vertically — never flat. TVs survive moves when treated like the fragile electronics they are.
Can movers transport food and frozen items?
Most movers won't take perishables, opened liquids, or anything frozen. Plan to eat down your fridge and freezer the week before, donate unopened pantry items to a food bank, and transport the rest yourself in coolers. Sealed pantry goods are usually fine on the truck for a local move.
Want a packing plan that fits your space?
Generic guides are a start. Dovetail builds packing tasks scaled to your actual home size and broken into work blocks you can finish in one sitting.