A Room by Room Packing Order So You Do Not Pack Essentials Too Early
Pack from the rooms you use least towards the rooms you use every day. That single rule is what stops people unpacking a box three times to find the can opener. Four weeks is comfortable for a three bedroom house and two weeks is achievable if you work most evenings.
The short answer
- Order: loft and garage, spare rooms, books and decor, dining, main bedrooms, bathrooms, kitchen last
- Label every carton with the destination room not the room it came from
- Keep one essentials box per person open until moving morning
- Leave five to seven days for the kitchen alone
- Photograph anything you will need to reassemble
The full packing order
Work down this table and the house stays livable to the last night.
| When | Room or category | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| 4 weeks out | Loft garage shed | Highest volume and the most to discard |
| 4 weeks out | Spare room and study | Files paperwork and anything archival |
| 3 weeks out | Books DVDs and ornaments | Small cartons only for books |
| 3 weeks out | Formal dining and good china | Fragile pack and mark clearly |
| 2 weeks out | Out of season clothes and bedding | Vacuum bags save real space |
| 2 weeks out | Living room decor and wall art | Keep one sofa and the TV usable |
| 1 week out | Main bedrooms | Leave one set of bedding out |
| 3 days out | Children's rooms | Toys last and let them choose what stays out |
| 2 days out | Bathrooms | Keep one wash bag per person |
| 1 to 2 days out | Kitchen | Leave kettle mugs and one pan per person |
| Morning | First night box and essentials | Travels in the car |
Labelling that actually helps
Write the destination room on two sides and the top of every carton. Add one line about the contents and mark fragile properly. Colour coded stickers matched to a sheet on each door in the new house means the crew put every box in the right place without asking.
- Destination room on two sides plus the lid
- Brief contents line such as kitchen pans and baking trays
- Number cartons per room so you know if one is missing
- OPEN FIRST on the essentials boxes
- Keep a simple list on your phone as you go
Packing the kitchen last and properly
Kitchens take longer than people expect because almost everything in them is fragile or awkward. Start with the back of the cupboards, the baking tins and anything used monthly, then work forward.
Plates travel on their edge like records rather than stacked flat. Glasses go upright in a cell divided carton. Keep a survival kit out: kettle, mugs, tea, a knife, a chopping board, one pan and a plate and bowl per person.
Children and pets
Pack children's rooms near the end and let each child keep a small bag of chosen items with them. For pets keep feeding bowls beds and litter trays out until the last morning and put them down first in the new house.
What to leave to the crew
Wardrobes go straight into portable wardrobe cartons on the day so leave hanging clothes alone. Beds sofas and large furniture are dismantled by the crew with the fixings bagged and taped to the frame. Mirrors artwork and televisions are worth letting the packers handle because the insurance position is simpler.
Frequently asked questions
What should I pack first when moving house?
The loft garage and shed. They hold the most volume, the least used items and the most things you will decide not to take.
How long does it take to pack a three bedroom house?
Around 25 to 35 hours spread over three or four weeks if you do it yourself. A professional crew packs the same house in one day.
What should I pack last?
The kitchen and the bathrooms followed by your first night box which travels in the car.
Should I label boxes with the old room or the new room?
Always the new room. The crew reads the label at the delivery end and that is where the time is saved.
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.