Packing is the part of moving that most people underestimate. A typical home holds far more than you realise until it’s all on the floor, and badly packed boxes are where most breakages happen. The good news is that packing well isn’t complicated. It just takes a plan, the right materials and enough time.
This guide walks you through the whole process: what to buy, when to start, how to pack each room, and how to label everything so moving day runs smoothly and unpacking doesn’t take weeks.
What you’ll need
Having the right materials before you start saves a lot of frustration. You don’t need anything fancy, but you do need enough of it.
| Material | What it’s for |
|---|---|
| Small boxes | Books, tins, crockery, tools and anything heavy |
| Large boxes | Linen, pillows, clothes and other light, bulky items |
| Packing tape and a dispenser | Sealing boxes quickly and securely, top and bottom |
| Bubble wrap | Glassware, ceramics, picture frames and screens |
| Packing paper | Wrapping plates and filling gaps inside boxes |
| Thick markers | Labelling boxes clearly on more than one side |
| Zip-lock bags | Screws and fittings from furniture you take apart |
We sell large boxes, small boxes, tape, tape dispensers, markers and bubble wrap, and deliver them before your move. See our packing supplies for prices.
When to start packing
The most common packing mistake is starting too late. Packing always takes longer than expected, and the last few days before a move are busy enough already. This timeline works for most households:
| When | What to pack |
|---|---|
| 4 weeks before | Spare rooms, the garage and shed, books, seasonal clothes, decorations |
| 3 weeks before | Rarely used kitchen items, games, hobby gear, artwork and frames |
| 2 weeks before | Most of the living room, spare linen, most clothes |
| 1 week before | Everyday kitchen items you can live without, the rest of the wardrobe |
| Day before | Final kitchen items, bathroom, bedding (keep tonight’s set out), essentials box |
Our moving checklist covers everything else that needs doing in those weeks, from redirecting mail to booking lifts.
The golden rules of packing
A few simple rules apply to every room in the house. Follow these and most of the common problems disappear:
- Heavy items in small boxes, light items in large boxes. A large box full of books is too heavy to lift safely and more likely to split.
- Fill every gap. Items that can move around inside a box are the ones that break. Use paper, towels or linen to fill the spaces.
- Tape the bottom properly. Run tape along the centre seam and across both edges, so the base can’t give way.
- Keep boxes to a weight you can lift comfortably. If you struggle to pick it up, it’s too heavy.
- One room per box. Mixing rooms makes unpacking much harder.
- Label as you go, not at the end, when you’ve forgotten what’s inside.
How to pack the kitchen
The kitchen takes longer to pack than any other room, because it’s full of fragile, oddly shaped and heavy things. Start with what you rarely use, such as serving platters and specialty appliances, and leave a small set of everyday items until the end.
- Plates: wrap each one in paper and stand them on their edges in the box, like records. They’re much stronger on edge than stacked flat.
- Glasses: wrap individually, stuff the inside with paper, and pack them upright with the heaviest at the bottom.
- Pots and pans: nest them together with paper between each one.
- Knives: wrap the blades in thick paper or cardboard and tape them, then mark the package clearly.
- Pantry: use up open packets before the move and seal anything that could leak in zip-lock bags.
- Small appliances: pack in their original boxes if you still have them, or wrap well in a box with plenty of padding.
Moving the fridge too? It needs a bit of preparation in the days beforehand. Our guide to moving a fridge safely explains defrosting, cleaning and how long to wait before switching it on again.
How to pack bedrooms and wardrobes
Bedrooms are usually the easiest rooms to pack, because most of what’s in them is soft and hard to break. Use large boxes for clothes, linen and pillows, and keep small boxes for books and the contents of bedside drawers.
- Keep hanging clothes on their hangers and bundle them together in a large bag, so they go straight back into the wardrobe.
- Empty chests of drawers before the move. Full drawers make furniture heavy and can damage the frame.
- Pack a separate bag with clothes for the first few days, so you don’t have to open every box to find them.
- Strip beds on the last morning and pack the bedding in a clearly labelled box that comes off the truck first.
Living room, books and electronics
The living room mixes heavy, fragile and valuable things, so it needs a little more care.
- Books: pack them flat or spine-down in small boxes. They get heavy very quickly.
- TVs: use the original box if you have one, or a dedicated TV box. A TV wrapped only in a blanket is easily damaged.
- Cables: photograph how everything is connected before you unplug it, and bag the cables with each device.
- Artwork and mirrors: protect the corners, wrap in bubble wrap and mark the box “fragile, this way up”.
- Lamps: remove bulbs and shades and pack them separately.
Bathroom, laundry and cleaning products
Leave the bathroom until the end, because you’ll use it right up until moving day. When you do pack it, seal liquids carefully: take lids off, put a piece of plastic wrap over the opening and screw the lid back on, then pack bottles upright in a zip-lock bag. Keep medicines with you rather than in a box on the truck.
Cleaning products, paint and anything flammable need special care, and some items simply shouldn’t go on a removal truck. If you’re unsure about anything, ask your removalist before moving day.
Garage, shed and outdoor items
The garage and shed are often the fullest spaces in a home and the last to be sorted, so start them early. It’s the best place to declutter, because so much of what’s stored there is never used.
- Drain fuel from mowers and other equipment before the move.
- Bundle long-handled tools together with tape.
- Clean outdoor furniture and let it dry, so dirt and moisture don’t travel with it.
- Pack small tools and hardware in small, sturdy boxes.
Clearing out a lot? Our rubbish removal service can take away what you don’t want to move.
A labelling system that makes unpacking easy
Good labelling saves time twice: on moving day, because the crew knows exactly where each box goes, and afterwards, because you can find what you need without opening everything.
- Write the room on the side of the box, not just the top. The sides stay visible when boxes are stacked.
- Add a short contents list, such as “Kitchen: kettle, mugs, tea, coffee”.
- Number your boxes and keep a simple list, so you know everything arrived.
- Use a colour per room if you like, with matching tape or stickers on each room’s door in the new home.
- Mark fragile boxes clearly on several sides, along with “this way up”.
The essentials box
Pack one box, or a suitcase, with everything you’ll need for the first night and morning. Keep it with you rather than on the truck.
- Phone chargers, medicines and important documents
- Toilet paper, hand soap, a towel and toiletries
- Kettle, mugs, tea or coffee, snacks and a few plates
- Bedding for the first night and a change of clothes
- Basic tools: a screwdriver, scissors and a box cutter
- Pet food and bowls, if you have pets. See moving house with pets.
Packing yourself or using packers
Packing yourself saves money but takes a lot of time. If time is short, our packers and movers service can pack the whole home or just the tricky rooms, like the kitchen. Packing is billed by the hour, with a 2-hour minimum, and packing materials are charged separately.
One thing worth knowing whichever way you go: if you pack a box yourself, damage caused by how it was packed generally isn’t covered by a removalist’s insurance. Our insurance page explains what is and isn’t covered. It’s one more reason to take your time, pack firmly and fill every gap.
On moving day
Have every box packed, sealed and stacked near the door before the crew arrives. Keep a clear path from each room to the front door, and set aside anything that isn’t going on the truck in a separate, clearly marked area. Walk the crew through the house when they arrive, pointing out anything fragile or valuable.
Ready for a price? Our instant quote takes about a minute, and our guide to what removalists cost in Melbourne explains how moves are priced.
