Guide · US edition · Updated 2026-10-29

Moving Packing List: Room by Room (Printable)

Pack from the least-used room to the most-used room. Label every box on two sides with the room and a box number, and keep a box list (number, room, contents). If a box goes missing, you'll know exactly what was in it.

Pack first (3–4 weeks out)

☐ Guest room, storage, garage, attic
☐ Off-season clothes and holiday decorations
☐ Books, art, frames, extra linens
☐ Hobby supplies and keepsakes

Living room

☐ Wrap electronics; photograph cable setups before unplugging
☐ Put screws and small hardware in labeled bags taped to the furniture
☐ Roll rugs; protect lamp shades in their own boxes

Kitchen

☐ Pack rarely used dishes and appliances first
☐ Wrap glasses individually; pack plates on their edges
☐ Leave out one plate, cup and set of utensils per person until the last day
☐ Use up pantry food; don't move open liquids

Bedrooms

☐ Wardrobe boxes for hanging clothes
☐ Keep sheets for the first night in your open-first box
☐ Dresser drawers: ask your mover whether to empty them

Bathroom

☐ Pack toiletries in sealed bags
☐ Keep medications with you

Kids and pets

☐ A bag of favorite toys and comfort items travels with them (see moving with kids and pets)

Never put on the moving truck

☐ Passports, birth certificates, Social Security cards, closing or lease papers
☐ Jewelry, cash, laptops, hard drives
☐ Medications and medical devices
☐ Hazardous items movers can't take: propane, paint thinner, gasoline, aerosols (ask for the list)

Pack last

Your open-first box: what you need for the first 24 hours.

General information.

The Moving Day Binder includes a room-by-room packing plan and a 150-box inventory spreadsheet.

Moving Day Binder — $14

18-page moving binder: 8-week countdown, mover comparison and interstate rights, change-of-address checklist, packing plan and a 150-box inventory. Instant download: PDF + DOCX + XLSX.

Get the Moving Day Binder All 10 kits — $59