Moving Preparation Timeline

Your moving timeline

Congratulations, you’re moving! All you have to do now is pack your entire life into a few boxes, move them into another house without breaking your sanity, back, or that glass Faberge egg your mother-in-law gave you 10 years ago—no biggie. Lucky for you, we came up with this moving and packing guideline for the entire month up to moving day. Happy packing!

1 month before move

Get the nonessentials out of the way. These items could be quite important, but aren’t necessary for everyday use, or at least for the next four weeks.

Pictures, wall decorations, photo albums, and scrapbooks

Pack these items first. They will make your house a home, but won’t make your move any easier if you wait to pack them at the last minute.

Storage closets

The good news: most of these items may already be in boxes. Chances are, you haven’t opened them in a while anyways. If you find things in the closet that you realize you don’t need anymore, throw it out along the way to de-clutter.

Books and cookbooks

You probably wont have time to do much reading in the next month anyways. You can also find any recipes you need online, but you probably wont be cooking much either.

Offseason clothes

Organize, box, and keep any offseason clothes you want, and also throw out any clothes you find you don’t need anymore along the way.

3 weeks before move

Still focusing on packing the nonessentials, but a little more difficult to pack away.

Table linens and fine china

We’ve already noted you probably won’t be doing much cooking in the next month, that means you probably won’t be entertaining either. Pack carefully.

Vases, decorative bowls, and fragile items

These items take time to pack, since you will need to wrap and bundle to avoid breakage. Start now, you’ll thank us later.

DVDs, CDs, and video games

You can keep a few key items out of the box in case you get bored at night, as your house slowly starts to transform into a massive pile of boxes, but chances are Netflix and cable will be sufficient. Your children may say it’s ‘so last decade,’ but playing outside is a thing too.

Coat Closet

Keep one coat and accessory set (gloves, hats, scarves, and sunglasses) per person available if needed, and put the rest in boxes.

Board games, puzzles, and toys

Keep your children’s favorites out so they stay preoccupied, and pack the rest up.

Craft and sewing supplies

You most likely won’t have time to knit at this point either, so pack it up and save the sewing for the curtains in your new home.

2 weeks before move

You’re halfway there! Starting week two off by packing more essential, everyday items that will be hard to say goodbye to, but worth it come moving day.

Clothes closets

Pack anything you don’t wear on a regular occasion, like: dress clothes, suits, accessories, dress shoes, purses all can go away.

Linen closet

One set of sheets and towels can stay out, you will be living there for another two weeks after all. Also, leave out some old blankets for padding if you have any.

Kitchen

It’s time to empty the kitchen (let’s face it, you probably haven’t been cooking much anyways). Keep a small amount of utensils and dishes, and box up the casserole dishes, serving platters, pots, and pans.

Office supplies

Keep out some pens and pencils for the move, but pack the rest along with your envelopes, staplers, hole punchers, legal pads, and the like.

Toiletries

Keep essentials out such as shampoo, toothpaste, and toothbrushes, but box up everything else.

Jewelry

You can keep key items that you’ll wear over the next two weeks, but put away everything else.

Knickknacks

Now is your chance to pack any of those nonessentials from the weeks before that you decided to leave out.

1 week before move

Now come the truly essential items. This is the point where your home starts to look barren (and a little chaotic).

Clothes

Start by packing a suitcase with any clothing items you’ll need in the next week and during your time packing/unpacking.

Kitchen

Time to switch to paper plates and plastic utensils, and the best part of moving—takeout. Pack all utensils and the rest of your kitchenware away.

Medicine and remedies

Keep an emergency supply and daily medications out, but pack the rest.

Electronics

Say goodbye to your TV, video game systems, and other electronics (at least for the next week). Use laptops, tablets and smartphones for entertainment as needed.

Toys

Have your children choose one set of toys to keep for the week, and pack the rest. Make sure to keep a small box for them to keep their toys in for transport on moving day.

Miscellaneous

Believe us when we say you’ll find a lot of miscellaneous items the more you pack up your home. Don’t sweat it, just pack as you find them.

2 days before move

We’re getting into the nitty-gritty now, but don’t worry, you’re almost done. Just think about that delicious, first home-cooked meal in your new home—it will all be worth it.

Curtains and drapes

Wash and pack away. Don’t forget rods and other items that go along with the curtains and keep them in a container so they don’t get lost in the move.

Clothes

Run your last few items through the washer and dryer. Choose two outfits for the next two days, and pack up everything else. Set aside a hamper or bag for dirty clothes so you can wash them as soon as you move.

Laundry supplies

Pack up things like detergents and dryer sheets, but keep what you need for your final washes.

Food

Anything that you’re not going to eat in the next two days can go in the box. Pack the non-perishable items and cooking/baking supplies. If you’re not bringing perishables to your new home in a cooler, then give it away or trash.

Moving day

You made it! Let’s get through the last of the items and get you into your new home.

Food

By now, food should be boxed up, in a cooler, eaten, or given away. #NoCrumbLeftBehind

Sheets, blankets, and towels

Wash these as soon as you wake, and pack them as they come out of the dryer. You can also use these items as padding for furniture and other items. Speaking of which….

Furniture

It will be a pain, but disassemble your furniture and load it up. Wrap cloth or leather chairs with bubble wrap or furniture wrap (available at hardware stores)

Cleaning supplies

Clean for your house’s new residents then pack in a caddy or bucket and take them with you.

Clothes

Put whatever is not on your back in a box and load. If you can’t do another load of laundry now, this is where that hamper/bag comes in.

Miscellaneous

Leave a few smaller boxes unsealed, ready to toss random, assorted items in as you find them.

That’s it!

You’re ready to move – and with SureMove, we handle the driving. Trust us, that was the hardest part—unpacking and decorating your new home is much more enjoyable.