Packing is the part of moving that most people underestimate. Not just how long it takes (much longer than expected), but also what to pack when. Start in the wrong order and you’ll find yourself rooting through boxes looking for the corkscrew the night before settlement, or realising your coffee machine is buried three layers deep under winter coats.
Here’s a sensible, practical packing order that makes moving day far less chaotic, whether you’re packing a studio flat or a five-bedroom family home.
The Golden Rule: Pack in Reverse Order of Need
The simplest framework for packing is to ask: when did I last use this? Items you haven’t touched in months or years get packed first. Things you use daily get packed last, ideally the night before or the morning of the move.
What to Pack First
Seasonal and rarely used items
Start with things that are already stored away: Christmas decorations, camping gear, sports equipment for out-of-season sports, spare bedding, formal wear, and anything in the attic or at the back of the wardrobe. These items are easy to pack without disrupting daily life and give you a sense of progress early on.
Books and media
Books are heavy and easy to pack, making them ideal for the first wave. Use small, sturdy boxes and don’t overfill them. The rule with book boxes is: if you can’t comfortably lift it with one hand, it’s too heavy. Pack books flat, not upright, to reduce spine damage.
Decorative items and artwork
Ornaments, picture frames, mirrors, and decorative pieces can come down early. They’re often the trickiest to pack well (lots of wrapping required) so getting to them while you’re not under time pressure makes sense. Use plenty of packing paper and mark these boxes clearly as fragile.
Spare rooms and storage spaces
If you have a spare bedroom, a home office you don’t use daily, or a dedicated storage room, clear these out first. Packing a room you’re not actively using frees up mental and physical space without any day-to-day inconvenience.
Garage, garden shed, and laundry
These areas are often full of bulky, awkward items that take time to sort and pack. Start early. Be ruthless about what’s worth taking and what should be sold, donated, or binned before the move.
The Middle Phase
Linen and spare towels
Keep one set of bed linen and a couple of towels per person out for use until moving day. Everything else can be packed mid-way through. Linen makes excellent padding material around fragile items, too.
Kitchen equipment you don’t use daily
Pack the fondue set, the pasta machine, the blender you haven’t touched since January, and the eight identical travel mugs. Keep out only the appliances and equipment you actually use in a typical week.
Books and media you’ve already read or watched
If you have a large physical media collection, pack everything you’ve finished with. Leave out only the handful of books or films you’re actively using.
What to Pack Last
The essentials box
This is the single most important thing to pack correctly. Your essentials box should be the last thing loaded onto the truck and the first thing unpacked. It should contain everything you’ll need for the first 24 to 48 hours in your new home:
- Kettle, tea, coffee, mugs
- Toilet paper (always more important than people remember)
- Phone chargers and laptop
- A change of clothes and basic toiletries
- Snacks and easy food for moving day
- Medications and anything urgent
- Kids’ comfort items or a few toys
- Bedding for the first night
Pack this box last, label it loudly, and keep it with you if possible rather than in the truck.
Bedding and towels in active use
Pack these the morning of the move or the night before. Strip the beds last and pack the bedding into bags or boxes that you can identify quickly at the other end.
Daily kitchen items
Pack the kettle, toaster, coffee machine, and the plates and cups you use every day on moving morning. Ideally, have a simple breakfast before packing the kitchen.
Toiletries and bathroom
Bathroom items are used right up to moving day. Pack everything except what you need for your morning routine on the day itself.
Labelling: The Step Most People Skip
Every box should have two pieces of information on it: the destination room and a brief description of contents. ‘Kitchen: pots and pans’ is far more useful than ‘Kitchen’ alone, especially when you’re looking for something specific three days after arriving.
Use a thick black marker and write on at least two sides of each box so it’s readable regardless of how it’s stacked.
When Packing Feels Like Too Much
If you’re working full time, have young kids, or are dealing with a large family home, packing can become genuinely overwhelming. Truck About’s packing services Christchurch are available as a full pack, a partial pack (fragile items only, for example), or just a pack-and-wrap service before the move. Our team brings all materials and works efficiently so you can focus on everything else.
For a full step-by-step moving checklist, visit our house moving checklist resource page.
