Packing for a move: the complete guide

Count on 8 to 12 boxes per room. An average family home quickly needs 40 to 60 boxes. What you need:

• Sturdy boxes in 2 sizes (small for heavy, large for light)
• Packing paper or bubble wrap for fragile and filler
• Moving blankets, stretch wrap and furniture covers for large items
• Tape, markers and coloured stickers for labelling

Tip: get 20% extra materials — running short is exactly why packing stalls. Spare boxes are never a problem.

Finish one room completely before starting the next. Never mix contents from different rooms. The order:

• Start with what you rarely use: attic, basement, guest room, seasonal items
• Work toward core rooms: bedroom, hobby room, living room
• End with kitchen and bathroom — you need them until the last minute

Tip: one-room-at-a-time makes unpacking in your new home 3x faster — you know exactly which box goes where.

Heavy items in small boxes, light items in large ones — a big box of books becomes impossible to lift. Rules:

• Heavy at the bottom, light on top
• Fill empty space with crumpled paper, towels or cushions — nothing shifts
• Fill boxes fully but not insanely heavy

Tip: a box you can't lift comfortably is too heavy. The Dutch Arbo lifting norm of 25 kilos per person is a good limit — above that the risk of back problems and broken boxes gets too high.

Write on top AND side which room the box belongs to and what's in it. Smart systematics:

• Colour per room: each room its own tape or sticker colour
• Put the same colour on doors in your new home — helpers instantly see where boxes go
• Number all boxes and keep a short content list
• Mark 'fragile' clearly on multiple sides

Tip: a content list in Google Sheets or Notes on your phone works perfectly — invaluable if you later need to find something in storage.

Plates on their edge (not flat), glasses individually in paper, fragile items separate. Technique:

• Wrap each piece individually in packing paper
• Fill boxes well so nothing shifts
• Bonus trick: slip glasses and vases into a couple of socks for extra cushioning
• Use small, sturdy boxes — crockery gets heavy fast

Tip: for detailed technique per item type, see our specific guide on packing dishes and glassware.

Books in small boxes, clothes hung or rolled. Smart techniques:

• Books in a wheeled suitcase — save your back and roll them to the van
• Clothing on hangers in wardrobe box (crease-free) or rolled in large box
• Garment cover or bin bag over a group of hangers — dust-free and tied together
• Never books spine-up — it sags the binding

Tip: more on packing books and packing clothes in our specific guides — with technique photos.

Disassemble where possible, protect corners, never tape directly on furniture. Practical:

• Screws per furniture piece in a labelled bag taped to that item
• Photos of assembly before unscrewing — helps when putting back together
• Moving blanket + stretch wrap for corners and scratch-prone parts
• Heavy pieces? Never lift alone — always with 2-3 people

Tip: more on moving heavy furniture and specifically for fragile furniture (antique, glass, marble, design) in separate guides.

Use the original box if you have it — made for the device. Otherwise: blanket + wrap + 'fragile' label. Practical:

• Before disconnecting: photograph the cables at the back
• Keep cords and accessories with the device (labelled bag)
• Mirrors and paintings: cardboard front and back, transport upright
• Never tape on painted surfaces — leaves marks

Tip: specific guides for packing electronics (TV, audio) and moving appliances (fridge, washing machine) — with complete step-by-step.

Roughly count on 8 to 12 boxes per room. For property types:

• Small apartment (studio, 2-room): 30-40 boxes
• Medium home (3-bedroom): 45-70 boxes
• Spacious family home (4+ bedrooms): 60-90 boxes

Tip: always take ~20% extra. Want to know how much storage space in m³ you need? See our separate guide with rules of thumb per property type.

For non-fragile items, fine. Just note that newspaper ink can rub off on light crockery, white textiles or delicate surfaces — for those, use clean packing paper or bubble wrap instead. Newspaper is ideal as cheap filler for empty space in the box.

Start with what you don't need daily: seasonal clothing, books, decorations and everything in the attic, basement or storage room. You can pack those weeks ahead. The kitchen, bathroom and your everyday items are packed last and unpacked first in your new home.

At Inbox Storage: only items packed according to our packing instructions qualify for cover in the event of damage. What that means:

• Pack fragile items really well (paper, wrap, filler)
• Report particularly valuable or large pieces in advance
• Unsure? Check our packing instructions or just ask us

Tip: more on coverage and options in our separate guide on insurance during a move — what's covered, what's not, and how to fill gaps.