What to Pack in Your First Night Box
The first night box is the one carton that does not go in the van. It holds everything you will want between arriving and going to bed and it saves the hour most people spend hunting through the load at ten at night.
The short answer
- Pack one clear plastic crate per household plus a small bag per person
- It travels in your car not the removal vehicle
- Kettle mugs tea toilet roll and a phone charger are the non negotiables
- Make up the beds before you unpack anything else
- Label it OPEN FIRST on every side
Kitchen essentials
Enough to make a drink and feed everyone once without opening a single carton.
- Kettle mugs teabags coffee sugar and long life milk
- Bottled water
- A mug plate bowl knife fork and spoon per person
- One sharp knife a chopping board and a tin opener
- Kitchen roll bin bags and washing up liquid with a sponge
- Snacks and a simple meal or the local takeaway number
Bathroom and personal
Every adult wants a shower after a move so make that possible in the first ten minutes.
- Toilet roll for every bathroom
- Hand soap shower gel and shampoo
- A towel per person
- Toothbrush and toothpaste
- Medication and prescriptions
- A basic first aid kit
- Nappies wipes and anything the baby needs for 24 hours
Bedroom and comfort
Make the beds up as soon as the frames are in. Doing it at eleven at night when you are exhausted is the classic moving day mistake.
- One set of bedding per bed and a pillow each
- Pyjamas and a change of clothes for everyone
- Children's comforters and one favourite toy each
- Phone chargers for every phone
Tools and practical items
Half the jobs on the first evening need one of these and none of them are findable in a loaded van.
- Scissors and a box cutter
- Screwdriver and an Allen key set for beds
- Torch and spare batteries
- Extension lead
- Light bulbs because sellers often take them
- Cleaning spray and cloths
- Tape and a marker pen
Documents and valuables
This section stays with a person rather than in a crate. Keys, completion paperwork, passports, cards and the solicitor's number all travel in a bag you keep on you.
How to pack and label it
Use a clear lidded crate rather than a cardboard carton so you can see the contents and so it stacks safely in a car boot. Write OPEN FIRST on all four sides and the lid. For a larger family pack one crate per bathroom and kitchen plus a small rucksack per person.
Frequently asked questions
What should be in a first night box?
Kettle mugs tea toilet roll towels bedding pyjamas chargers medication a torch and basic tools. Anything you would hate to hunt for at midnight.
Should the first night box go in the removal van?
No. It travels in your own car so it is available the moment you arrive whatever time the van gets there.
How many first night boxes do I need?
One crate for the kitchen, one for each bathroom and a small bag per person works well for a family.
What is the first thing to do in a new house?
Take the meter readings, check the heating and hot water work, then make up the beds before anything else gets unpacked.
Planning a move?
BlueSky Removals gives fixed written prices after a free video or home survey. Call 0800 090 3125 or request a quote online.