Packing timeline for moving – a personalized packing calendar

Time management is of paramount importance in any project – especially in large-scale and complicated undertakings, such as packing for a house move. Procrastinate too much and the last couple of days before your move will be utter chaos; pack up too much too early and you’ll find yourself rummaging through moving boxes to find an item you need.

To avoid such frustrating situations, you need to know what to pack when for moving and follow an efficient packing order so you can complete the Herculean task in time but also have access to the things you might need in the days prior to your move.

The best solution is to create a packing timeline – a customized packing calendar that includes all the packing tasks you need to finish before moving day together with appropriate timeframes for their completion. A well-organized packing timeline for moving will keep you on track throughout the relocation process and will ensure that you’re completely ready for your big adventure come moving day.

Here is what you need to know when making your personal moving packing checklist:

When to start packing for a move

As a rule of thumb, you should start preparing for your move as soon as it is confirmed. This doesn’t mean that you need to start boxing up your belongings several months in advance, of course – it means that you need to plan the packing process well ahead of time, so you can complete the job in a safe, efficient, and timely manner (and work at your own pace):

8 weeks before moving day

• Sort out your belongings and decide which of them you’re going to take to your new home (See also: How to declutter your home before moving; How to decide what to take when moving to a new home);
• Make a detailed inventory of the items you have for moving (See also: How to make a moving inventory);
• Decide what to do with the rest of your stuff – sell, donate, or throw away everything you don’t need or don’t like anymore (See also: How to get rid of unwanted items when moving)

6 weeks before moving day

• Create a packing calendar – Allocate a few days to pack rarely used items, designate a week to deal with the storage areas in your home, create a room-by-room packing checklist (assign several days per room – keep in mind that packing the kitchen or the children’s room will take much longer than packing the guest room, for example), leave plenty of time for packing fragile items, save the last week before your move for packing essentials, allow a little wiggle room in your timeline to compensate for unexpected delays, and make your packing schedule as organized and efficient as possible. It is a good idea to break up major packing tasks into easily achievable mini-goals with specific (and realistic) deadlines so you can keep better track of your progress and stay motivated throughout the entire packing process (as each completed task will give you a sense of achievement and self-confidence);
• Gather packing materials – Sit down and make a list of all the things you will need in order to ensure the safety of your belongings during transit – moving boxes, packing paper, bubble wrap, packing tape, etc. See if you can get any of the necessary packing supplies for free or use some of your household items as moving containers and wrapping or cushioning materials, but be sure to buy quality packing supplies for your more delicate and more expensive possessions (See also: Where to get free moving boxes; What packing materials for moving you already own)
• Make sure you know where to start packing for a move and what to pack first – It’s best to start packing from the least frequently used areas of the home (attics, basements, garages, guest rooms, etc.) and to box up your rarely used and non-essential items first (holiday decorations, out-of-season clothes, specialized tools and equipment, collectibles, extra supplies, etc.). You can find more detailed information on what to pack first for moving here;
• Set aside the items that are to be packed last – essentials that will go into your “first-night box”, documents, valuables, and all the things you’re going to need during the last couple of days before your move and on Moving day itself (See also: What to pack last when moving house).

What to pack when for moving

Here is an exemplary moving packing timeline you can easily modify to fit your own needs and circumstances in order to bring order to the packing chaos prior to your move:

4 weeks before moving day

Pre-pack seasonal and rarely used items:

• Keepsakes and memorabilia;
• Collectibles;
• Spare linens, towels, toiletries, and other extra supplies you wish to take along;
• Specialized tools and equipment you won’t have the chance to use before moving day;
• Out-of-season clothes, shoes, and accessories, holiday decorations, and other unseasonal items.

3 weeks before moving day

Pack everything you’re not going to use in the time left until moving day:

• Home décor;
• Books;
• Office supplies;
• Hobby materials;
• Kitchen items you use rarely or only on special occasions.

2 weeks before moving day

Box up everything you can do without for a couple of weeks:

• Most of your kitchenware;
• Fragile items (packing breakables requires a lot of time and effort, so you need to take care of your delicate items as early as possible – while you still have plenty of time and energy to dedicate to the task);
• Jewelry and accessories;
• Clothes and shoes you’re not going to wear before your move;
• Games and toys (apart from a few favorites that need to stay out of the boxes until the last day before the move).

1 week before moving day

Make sure all the items you intend to take to your new home are ready to go:

• Electronics (except for the devices that will travel with you – phones, tablets, laptops, music players, cameras, etc.);
• Clothes and shoes – leave out the clothes and shoes your family members will need during the next several days, the ones that will be packed in your survival kit, and the clothing you will wear on Moving day, and pack all your other garments and footwear;
• Kitchen items – box up everything but the essentials that will go into your first-night box (plastic utensils will have to do for the last several days before your move);
• Bathroom items (except for the medicines and toiletries you use on a daily basis);
• Any miscellaneous items that are still out of the boxes.

2 days before moving day

Pack up the last of your items:

• Furniture pieces, household appliances, and other furnishings (curtains, area rugs, etc.);
• Documents and other valuables that will travel with you;
• Your essentials box.

Moving day

The only things that should be packed on the big day itself are the things you used during the previous night and on the morning of your move:

• Bed and bedding;
• Toiletries and medicines;
• Cleaning supplies;
• Snacks and drinks.

Make sure you follow the golden rules of packing throughout the entire process and don’t forget to triple-check for forgotten items before the moving truck departs from your home.

One final piece of advice: In order to stay on top of things all the time and ensure the success of your packing endeavor, be sure to frequently consult your packing checklist for moving and assess your packing progress – if you find out that you’ve fallen behind schedule, you need to double your packing efforts or ask for help:

1. Ask your good friends to give you a hand – organize a packing party so you can have some fun with your pals and get ahead with your packing at the same time;
2. Hire professional packers to take care of your items and complete the job in the safest, fastest, and most efficient way possible.

Good luck with your move!