How to Pack for a Move: The Complete 2026 Guide
Packing is the part of moving that most people underestimate. It usually takes longer than you expect, and it's where most of the stress comes from. The good news is that it's easy to get right if you start early, follow a system, and avoid a few common mistakes.
This guide covers how to pack for a move in the UK: what to buy, what order to pack in, how to protect fragile items, and how to be ready on moving day. It also explains how good packing can save you money, because most London removals are charged by the hour.
Why Packing Properly Saves You Money
If your removal is charged hourly, every minute the team spends waiting for you to finish packing is a minute you pay for. A move where everything is boxed, labelled and ready by the door is faster, cheaper and safer than one where the team has to wait while you wrap the last few things.
Good packing also protects your belongings. Most damage in a move comes from poorly packed boxes, not from the journey itself.
How Early Should You Start Packing?
A rough timeline for an average flat or house:
| When | What to do |
|---|---|
| 4 weeks before | Declutter, collect boxes and supplies, start packing items you rarely use |
| 3 weeks before | Pack books, out-of-season clothes, spare linen, decorations |
| 2 weeks before | Pack most of the living areas, spare room and storage areas |
| 1 week before | Pack the kitchen, bathrooms and remaining rooms, keeping only the essentials out |
| 2-3 days before | Pack almost everything, and prepare the essentials box |
| The day before | Defrost the freezer, disconnect appliances, finish last-minute packing |
| Moving day | Final checks, meter readings, and keys |
A one-bedroom flat can be packed in a week or two. A family house is better started 3-4 weeks ahead. If you're busy or have limited time, start earlier and do a little each day.
Step 1: Declutter Before You Pack
Every item you pack, move and unpack costs time and effort. Before you start, go through each room and sort things into four piles:
- Keep: things you use and want in the new home
- Sell: items in good condition that you don't need
- Donate: items for charity shops
- Dispose: items that are broken or unusable
For larger items such as old sofas or wardrobes, check whether your council offers bulky waste collection. Arrange it well ahead of your move date.
Step 2: Get the Right Packing Supplies
You don't need much, but the right supplies make a big difference.
Essentials:
- Strong cardboard boxes in different sizes
- Packing tape and a tape dispenser
- Bubble wrap or packing paper for fragile items
- Marker pens, or coloured labels for each room
- Scissors or a box cutter
- Furniture blankets, or old towels and bedding, for padding
- Mattress covers and sofa covers
- Zip-lock bags for screws, fixings and small parts
Box sizes:
- Small boxes for books, tools, tins and other heavy items
- Medium boxes for kitchenware, shoes, toys and general items
- Large boxes for light, bulky items such as duvets, pillows and cushions
- Wardrobe boxes for hanging clothes, if you want to move them without folding
A note on free boxes: supermarkets and shops sometimes give away boxes, but they're often weak, damp or dirty. For anything fragile or heavy, buy proper new boxes. Free ones are fine for light items, but check them first.
Step 3: Pack Room by Room
Pack one room at a time and finish it before moving on. Mixing items from different rooms in one box makes unpacking harder.
Start with the rooms you use least:
- Spare bedroom
- Loft, garage or shed
- Living room
- Dining room
- Kitchen
- Bedrooms
- Bathroom
- Anything left over
Leave the items you need every day until last.
Packing Tips for Each Room
Kitchen
The kitchen takes the longest, so start it early.
- Pack rarely-used items first: serving dishes, special-occasion glasses, spare cookware
- Wrap plates individually and pack them vertically, on their edge, as if they were records. They're much less likely to break than when stacked flat
- Use plenty of padding at the bottom and top of each box
- Wrap glasses and cups separately, and stuff them with paper
- Tape knives securely, and wrap them in cloth or card
- Empty and clean the fridge-freezer, and defrost it at least 24 hours before the move
- Don't move open food, liquids or anything that could spill. Use it up beforehand
Living Room
- Take photos of how your TV and electronics are connected, so you can set them up quickly at the other end
- Wrap the TV screen in a blanket or bubble wrap, and keep it upright
- Pack books in small boxes. A large box of books is too heavy to lift safely
- Remove lampshades and wrap them separately
- Roll up rugs and tie them securely
Bedrooms
- Use wardrobe boxes for hanging clothes, or leave them on hangers in a bag
- Pack folded clothes in medium boxes
- Keep the bedding for your first night in a separate bag
- Protect mattresses with a mattress cover
- Empty drawers of fragile or heavy items before moving, but light clothing can usually stay in the drawers for short moves. Ask us if you're not sure
Bathroom
- Check that all lids are tightly closed, and tape them if needed
- Put toiletries in a zip-lock bag or a plastic box, in case of leaks
- Keep your toothbrush, towels and toilet roll in your essentials box
- Throw away anything that's nearly empty or expired
Children's Rooms
- Let children keep a small bag of favourite toys and comfort items with them
- Pack everything else by category
- Do their rooms last in the old home, and first in the new one, so they feel settled quickly
Garage, Shed and Loft
- Drain petrol and oil from lawnmowers and other tools
- Remove batteries from tools
- Pack hand tools in small, sturdy boxes
- Garden furniture can often be moved as it is, but clean it first
- Be realistic about what you really need to keep
How to Pack Fragile Items
Fragile items need extra care, but the principle is simple: cushion, support, fill every gap.
- Wrap each item individually in packing paper or bubble wrap
- Put a layer of padding at the bottom of the box
- Pack heavier items at the bottom and lighter ones on top
- Fill every gap with crumpled paper, towels or clothes, so nothing can move
- Close the box and give it a gentle shake. If anything moves or rattles, add more padding
- Label it "FRAGILE" on the top and on at least two sides
Mirrors and pictures: tape an X across glass, wrap in bubble wrap or a blanket, and pack on their edge. Don't lay them flat.
Which Items Should You Not Pack in Boxes?
Some things shouldn't go in a removal van, or need to travel with you:
- Valuables: jewellery, cash, passports, and important documents
- Prescription medicines
- Laptops, phones and chargers
- Keys to both properties
- Hazardous items: paint, gas bottles, petrol, bleach, aerosols, fireworks, and similar flammable or corrosive items
- Perishable food and plants, which can suffer in transit
- Anything you'll need on the first night
Check with your removal company if you're unsure about a specific item.
Step 4: Label Everything Clearly
Good labelling is the difference between a smooth unpack and a chaotic one.
Label each box on the top and on at least one side with:
- The room it's going to in the new home (not the room it came from)
- A short description of the contents
- "FRAGILE" or "THIS WAY UP" where needed
- A number, if you want to keep a list
Colour-coding tip: use a different coloured sticker or tape for each room. The team can then put the boxes straight into the right rooms without needing to read every label.
Step 5: Prepare an Essentials Box
Pack one box, or a bag, with everything you'll need for the first night and the next morning. Keep it with you or put it at the front of the van.
What to include:
- Kettle, mugs, tea, coffee, and milk
- Snacks, and a few basic foods
- Toilet roll, soap and towels
- Toothbrush and toiletries
- Bedding and pyjamas
- Phone chargers and adaptors
- Medication
- Basic tools: screwdriver, scissors, tape
- Cleaning basics
- Important documents
You'll be glad of it after a long day.
Step 6: Disassemble and Prepare Furniture
- Take apart large furniture such as beds, wardrobes and tables, where possible, to make it easier to carry and to fit in the van
- Keep all screws and fittings in labelled zip-lock bags, and tape them to the furniture they belong to
- Take photos as you go, so reassembly is easier
- Empty drawers and cupboards of heavy or fragile items
- Measure large items and doorways in your new home, to check that everything fits
If you don't want to take things apart yourself, tell us when booking. Let us know which items need dismantling and reassembling, and we can plan the time for it.
Step 7: Prepare Appliances
- Washing machine: disconnect it, drain the water, and secure the drum if you have the transit bolts
- Fridge-freezer: empty it, defrost it, and dry it at least 24 hours before the move
- Cooker: if it's gas, have a qualified professional disconnect it
- Dishwasher: drain the water and secure the hoses
Keep the instruction manuals and transit bolts, if you have them.
Common Packing Mistakes to Avoid
1. Starting too late. Packing always takes longer than you think. Start earlier than feels necessary.
2. Overfilling boxes. A box that's too heavy can break, or injure someone. If you can't lift it comfortably, it's too heavy.
3. Using boxes that are too big for heavy items. Books, tools and tins go in small boxes.
4. Packing items loosely. Gaps let items move and break. Fill every space.
5. Not labelling. Unlabelled boxes mean hours of searching on the other side.
6. Leaving the kitchen until last. It takes much longer than you expect.
7. Forgetting the essentials box. You'll want a cup of tea on the first night.
8. Packing things you don't need. Declutter first, so you don't pay to move things you'll throw away.
Moving Day: Final Checklist
Before the team arrives:
- Everything is packed, taped and labelled
- Furniture is disassembled, with fittings bagged and labelled
- Appliances are disconnected, drained and dry
- Boxes are stacked near the door, with the heaviest and largest items easiest to reach
- Parking is arranged, with a suspension if needed
- The route to the van is clear, with doors propped open
- You've taken meter readings at both properties
- Valuables, documents and the essentials box are with you
- You have the keys and know where to hand them over
- You've checked every cupboard, drawer, loft and garden for anything left behind
Should You Pack Yourself or Get Help?
Pack yourself if:
- You have time and are happy to do it
- You want to keep costs down
- You have a smaller move, such as a flat or studio
Get help if:
- You're short on time or moving at short notice
- You have a lot of fragile or valuable items
- You have mobility or health issues that make packing hard
Whichever you choose, tell your removal company early so they can plan the time properly.
Ready to Move?
London Express Removals provides man and van and removal services across London, with transparent hourly pricing, same-day availability, and a team that knows how to move your belongings safely. The better you're prepared, the faster and cheaper your move will be.