Moving Out Packing List: What You Actually Need to Pack and Organize

People usually do not realize how much stuff they actually own. If you do not make a list you will probably forget the things pack things that you do not need or find out that something is missing after the moving truck has already left.

Making a packing list is really helpful if something gets broken or lost during the move. This is because movers usually only give you $0.60 per pound, for each item if it gets damaged and that is not enough to replace things. Documenting what you pack improves your ability to file claims or justify the need for Full Value Protection.

You should start making your moving list 4 to 6 weeks before the day you actually move. Making this moving list does take some time at the beginning. It really helps you avoid feeling panicked, when your moving day is getting close.

How to Build Your Packing List

Follow these steps to create a working inventory:

Step 1: Walk through each room with a notebook or phone app.

Step 2: Write down major furniture pieces and their condition

Step 3: List items by category (fragile, heavy, essential, donate)

Step 4: Take photos of valuable items and electronics

Step 5: Note serial numbers for appliances and equipment

Step 6: Update the list as you pack each box. This way you will know what is in each of the boxes. You should update the list for every box that you pack.

Step 7: Share digital copies with your moving company for accurate quotes

There are apps that can help you – Sortly, Moving Inventory List (iOS), or Encircle streamline this process. They let you take photos of the items, add descriptions, and then generate reports that you can give to movers or insurance companies.

Essential Documents and Valuables You Should Never Pack in the Truck

There are some important things that you should never put in the moving truck. These are the documents and valuables.

• Birth certificates, passports, and social security cards
• Medical records and prescriptions
• Financial documents like tax returns and insurance policies
• Jewelry, cash, and irreplaceable family heirlooms
• Laptop computers and external hard drives
• Other valuables that are very important to you. You should always keep them safe.

Movers are not responsible for things that get lost or damaged, like money or jewelry or important papers. You should keep these things in a bag or box that you can see is yours. Keep it in your own car.

Room-by-Room Packing Categories

Breaking the list into rooms makes the moving process a lot easier to handle. Some people think that packing things by category is a way to do it especially when you are moving a lot of stuff.

Kitchen and Dining

This room is the one that takes the time. When you pack dishes you should use packing paper or bubble wrap to keep them safe. It is an idea to wrap each glass separately so they do not break. One thing to remember is to never use newspaper to wrap dishes because the ink, from the newspaper will get on the dishes.

You should empty the refrigerator at 24 hours before the move so the refrigerator can defrost.

Bedrooms and Closets

When you are moving your stuff, you should use wardrobe boxes for the things that you hang up. This way your clothes will not get all wrinkled. If you are just moving a short distance like less, than 50 miles you can use big strong garbage bags. Just be careful because these bags can tear easily.

When you are getting ready to move you should remove the bedding. Wash it before you pack it. Mattresses need to have covers on them so they stay clean when they are in the truck. Some moving companies will give you these covers for free. Others will charge you money for the mattress covers it can be $15 to $30 dollars, for each mattress.

Bathrooms

You should put the shampoo the conditioner and the liquid soap, in sealed plastic bags. Then put these bags inside boxes. The medicines are important so they should be packed separately and kept where you can get to them easily. This way the medicines will be easy to find.

Towels and linens are really helpful when you are packing things up. They can fill in the spaces in boxes. They work well as padding to protect things that can break easily.

Living Areas and Electronics

When you are moving your TVs and gaming consoles it is an idea to use the original boxes if you still have them. If you do not have the boxes you can use heavy blankets to protect them and make sure to mark the boxes as fragile, so they are handled with care.

Before you start unplugging anything take some photos of how all the cables are set up. This will help you remember how to connect everything later. It is also an idea to label each cable with colored tape or tags that match the port it connects to on your TVs and gaming consoles.

When you are packing books remember that they are heavy. You should use boxes and never fill these boxes completely. This is because a box of books should not weigh than 40-50 pounds. If it is too heavy it can cause injuries and the box might break.

Garage and Outdoor Equipment

We often forget about our tools, lawn equipment and sports gear until it is too late. When it comes to lawn equipment, like mowers and trimmers we need to drain the gas from these lawn equipment following the instructions that the manufacturer of these lawn equipment provides. It is also useful to coil hoses and cords, from our lawn equipment and sports gear neatly so they do not get damaged.

Label boxes with “Garage” so they don’t end up inside your new home. Take photos of furniture assembly and keep hardware in labeled bags taped to the furniture.

Items That Require Extra Planning

Plants

Long-distance movers just do not want to take the risk of damaging your plants or breaking the rules that the United States Department of Agriculture has. They do not want any bugs or diseases to spread to places. Some states also say that you cannot bring kinds of plants into their state. This is to prevent any pests from spreading and causing trouble.

For local moves, pack plants in open boxes with newspaper padding. Water them a day before moving.

Artwork and Fragile Items

You should put these things in bubble wrap. Then you need to use boxes that have mirrors or are made just for these things. Make sure you write what these things are inside on every side of the box. If the items are really big you might need to get a professional to make a box. This can cost, between $50 and $200 for each of these things.

Pianos and Antiques

These need specialists. Regular movers often subcontract piano moves, which can complicate liability if damage occurs. Ask whether piano moving is done in-house or subcontracted.

Final Checklist Before Loading Day

Pack the essentials box last so it is the thing, off the truck. You should keep the essentials box in your vehicle at all times.

Your packing list is not done yet until you have finished these things:

• All boxes labeled with contents and destination room
• Fragile items marked on multiple sides
• Utilities scheduled for disconnection and connection
• Address change filed with USPS
• Important documents in your personal vehicle

If something gets lost when you are moving you need to file a claim away. The moving company needs a report, about what happened within nine months which’s what the federal government says they have to do this is according to the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration.

You should use the list of things you packed and the photos you took as proof of what happened. Filing a claim can take a time often several weeks and you will probably have to keep calling the moving company to check on what is going on with your Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration claim.

Moving requires organization and realistic expectations about what can go wrong.

Conclusion

With our checklist, tools, and a little planning, you can simplify your move and avoid common pitfalls. Use this guide as a reference for what to pack, what to organize, and how to manage your move from start to finish.

If you need help, call A Plus Moving managers at (800) 919-6332 and book your moving date. Our company offers both basic moving services and full-service moving.

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