What to Pack First When Moving House: An 8-Step Guide

Facing a stack of boxes and still not sure what should go in first?

Packing order decides whether moving day feels controlled or chaotic. Start in the wrong places and you end up reopening sealed boxes for a phone charger, a saucepan, or tomorrow's work clothes. Start in the right order and each box supports the next step, from loading the truck to getting through the first night in the new house.

The smartest approach is to pack by use, not by room alone. Low-use storage areas usually go first. Daily-life items stay accessible until late in the process. That order reduces disruption, keeps labels meaningful, and gives your removalist a cleaner load plan with fewer last-minute reshuffles at the truck.

It also makes coordination with a professional team far easier. When boxes are packed in sequence, a removalist such as Emmanuel Transport can stage the load more efficiently, protect priority items, and place the right cartons within reach at delivery instead of burying them behind furniture. Good packing is not just about fitting things into boxes. It is about making the move easier to load, unload, and live through.

If you need a practical system for packing boxes for moving without creating box chaos later, focus on sequence before speed. On The Move's packing tips cover useful packing basics, but the order matters just as much as the materials. The eight priorities below are arranged to protect access, reduce handling problems, and help your move run with less stress from the first box packed to the first box opened.

Table of Contents

• 1. Essentials Box First Night Kit
  • What actually belongs in it
• 2. Important Documents and Valuables Folder
  • Keep this category boring and controlled
• 3. Kitchen Items and Dining Essentials
  • Pack by frequency, not by cupboard
• 4. Bedroom Furniture and Bedding
  • Dismantle with the reassembly in mind
• 5. Books, Media, and Heavy Items
  • Use small boxes and keep the load predictable
• 6. Clothing and Wardrobe Items
  • Sort by wear pattern, not by person alone
• 7. Electronics and Technology Equipment
  • Disconnect with documentation
• 8. Fragile and Antique Items
  • Protect condition, not just transportability
• Top 8 Packing Priorities
• Your Next Chapter, Moved with Confidence

1. Essentials Box First Night Kit

This box gets packed last, but it needs to be planned first. That's the trade-off people miss when asking what to pack first when moving house. You don't want to assemble it in a panic on moving morning while your toothbrush, charger, medication, and kettle are all in different rooms.

Australian moving guidance treats the essentials box as an end-stage milestone. PODS recommends preparing it one day out and keeping only what you'll need for the first few days, such as toiletries, a change of clothes, chargers, snacks, bottled water, basic tools, and disposable cups or plates (PODS guide to what to pack first). For a Perth move, that usually means one shared household box plus a personal overnight bag for each adult.

A family moving from Mount Hawthorn to Victoria Park might keep children's night clothes, medicine, wipes, chargers, tea bags, and a screwdriver set in one bright plastic tub. A student moving into a small apartment might need less. Phone charger, towel, fresh clothes, toiletries, laptop, medications, and a mug will do.

What actually belongs in it

Don't turn this into a “just in case” box. If it becomes a mini version of your whole house, it stops being useful.

• Daily-use basics only: toiletries, medications, chargers, glasses, wallet, keys, and one change of clothes.
• First-night kitchen gear: bottled water, snacks, disposable plates or cups, and one simple prep item such as a mug or knife.
• Set-up tools: a screwdriver, tape, scissors, and a small torch save time when you need to assemble a bed or open boxes after dark.

Practical rule: Label it OPEN FIRST and ask your removalist to load it last so you can reach it as soon as the truck doors open.

If you're using professional packers, keep this box out of the main packing stream and point it out clearly. Emmanuel Transport also shares practical advice on packing boxes for moving, which fits well with this approach of separating immediate-use items from everything else.

2. Important Documents and Valuables Folder

Some things should never go on the truck. That includes passports, birth certificates, insurance records, property papers, spare keys, jewellery, and any small item that would be hard to replace or impossible to value properly after the fact.

I treat this as a transport category, not a packing category. If it fits in a folder, lock box, or small safe and you'd be anxious if it disappeared for a few hours, carry it yourself. That applies whether you're moving house, relocating a home office, or shifting a small business across Perth.

A homeowner selling one property and settling into another should keep title documents, mortgage paperwork, IDs, and bank records together. A business owner should separate contracts, licences, tax records, seals, and device backup drives. A collector should keep provenance papers with the item they relate to, but transport the paperwork personally if the object is travelling with the movers.

Keep this category boring and controlled

The best setup is simple. Use one secure container, create a short inventory, and decide in advance who is responsible for it on moving day.

• Use one dedicated container: a zip folder, locking briefcase, or small fire-resistant safe works better than several envelopes.
• Back up key papers digitally: scanned copies won't replace originals, but they do help if you need quick access during the move.
• Tell your movers what's excluded: that avoids confusion when the team is working quickly through packed rooms.

Keep valuables with you from the moment packing starts. Don't leave them in a half-packed drawer where they can be overlooked.

This is one area where over-organisation pays off. A clearly marked valuables folder removes a lot of low-grade moving stress because you're not wondering where the passports ended up when the truck has already left.

3. Kitchen Items and Dining Essentials

The kitchen fools people. It looks manageable until you start opening cupboards. Then you remember the glasses, odd-shaped appliances, pantry stock, sharp tools, ceramics, platters, oils, spices, and that one drawer full of things nobody can categorise.

That's why the kitchen should be tackled early in phases, not saved for the final night. Keep only daily-use basics out. Everything else can go. Australian guidance consistently points to non-essential kitchen items as better early packing candidates than high-frequency items you'll still need right before the move.

Pack by frequency, not by cupboard

Start with the items you use least. Serving platters, duplicate utensils, specialty baking gear, extra mugs, seasonal entertaining pieces, and appliances that live at the back of cupboards should leave first. Leave yourself one pan, one pot, a small set of plates, a few glasses, and basic cutlery until the end.

A home chef moving within Perth might pack the stand mixer, cake tins, spare chopping boards, and wine glasses well ahead of time. An apartment mover with a compact kitchen might clear half the cupboards in one session just by boxing duplicate crockery and occasional-use appliances.

• Wrap plates individually: packing paper works well, and tea towels can add padding for sturdy items.
• Pack glasses upright: don't stack them inside one another if you can avoid it.
• Use smaller boxes for dense gear: cookware gets heavy fast and is harder to handle when packed in large cartons.

If a removalist is loading your truck in sequence, tell them which kitchen boxes contain breakables and which contain dense, stable goods. That lets them place heavier cartons lower and reserve better-protected spots for delicate items.

Most kitchen damage happens because people mix heavy cookware with fragile glassware in the same box. Keep weight classes separate.

The room still needs to function while you're packing, so don't strip it bare too early. But don't wait until your final evening either. The sweet spot is to reduce the kitchen steadily, leaving only a small working setup for the last stretch.

4. Bedroom Furniture and Bedding

Bedrooms can be packed earlier than many people expect, especially spare rooms, guest beds, under-bed storage, and off-season bedding. The mistake is waiting until the final days to dismantle bed frames, empty wardrobes, and work out where all the screws belong.

Start with what won't affect sleep tonight. Guest-room linen, extra pillows, decorative cushions, spare doonas, storage tubs, and out-of-season blankets can disappear well before moving day. If you've got children, pack in layers so comfort items stay available until the end.

Dismantle with the reassembly in mind

The fastest way to turn moving day into a headache is to pull furniture apart without a system. Take photos before dismantling. Put bolts and screws in labelled zip bags. Tape each bag to the matching frame section or keep all hardware in one marked container if taping could damage the finish.

A family moving from a larger home to a townhouse often needs this level of organisation because beds, wardrobes, and tallboys may need to be staged in a tight order at the new address. For apartments, it matters even more. Lift access, parking windows, and narrow hallways reward furniture that's already prepared.

• Photograph assembly points: bed slats, drawer runners, and mirrored wardrobe fittings are easy to forget.
• Protect soft goods efficiently: vacuum bags can help with bulky bedding and spare quilts, but be careful with delicate fabrics.
• Cover mattresses: use a mattress bag or clean protective cover to keep dust and marks off in transit.

A practical compromise is to dismantle non-primary bedroom furniture first, then leave the main bed until close to the move. If your removalist offers dismantling and reassembly, confirm in advance which pieces they'll handle so you're not duplicating work or leaving it too late.

5. Books, Media, and Heavy Items

If you want easy wins early, start here. Books, files, records, media, and dense household items are low-disruption to pack, simple to label, and useful for building a stable staging area. They're also the boxes most likely to become dangerously heavy if you leave them to the end.

Industry guidance on packing dense items is very clear on the operational side. Standardised, sturdy containers work best for books, documents, décor, and small household goods, and box weight should stay below roughly 20 kg for safer manual handling (Data Insights Reports coverage of moving boxes). That's practical advice, not just warehouse theory. Small boxes move better, stack better, and are less likely to fail in the truck.

Use small boxes and keep the load predictable

Academic households run into this issue all the time. One wall of books doesn't look like much until it becomes six cartons no one wants to lift. The same goes for vinyl, archived paperwork, tool manuals, and boxed media collections.

• Choose small cartons: book boxes or reusable crates are better than large cartons for anything dense.
• Group by type or room: novels, office files, children's books, and records shouldn't all be mixed together.
• Photograph valuable collections: it helps you keep track of set completeness and condition.

If you need a room where packed boxes can start accumulating neatly, these are ideal first candidates. Stable heavy cartons create a base layer for your staging zone, and your removalist can usually load them low in the truck without special handling.

For extra technique, Emmanuel Transport has a dedicated guide on how to pack books for moving, and the Posch & Silva book packing guide also reinforces the same practical point: smaller boxes beat overloaded large ones every time.

6. Clothing and Wardrobe Items

Wardrobes take up more volume than many realize, but they're easier to sequence than kitchens. The trick is to split clothing into three groups. Out-of-season items, occasional wear, and current-week essentials.

That order matches broader moving advice that says to start with rarely used belongings and pack non-daily-use inventory before the final weekend, leaving only the basics accessible at the end (overview of household goods moving guidance). In practice, that means winter coats can go early in warm weather, formalwear can be boxed if you won't need it, and everyday workwear stays out until the last stretch.

Sort by wear pattern, not by person alone

Packing by person sounds organised, but it often hides the underlying issue. Frequency matters more than ownership. Mum's ski jacket, a child's old school uniform, and a suit worn twice a year all belong in the early-packing pile, even though they belong to different people.

A family moving between Perth suburbs might pack everyone's off-season clothing into labelled vacuum bags, then keep one laundry basket or suitcase per person for the final week. A student or renter can often do the same with one suitcase for active use and one or two boxes for everything else.

• Use wardrobe boxes selectively: shirts, suits, dresses, and uniforms that crease easily are worth hanging.
• Label by function: “workwear”, “summer casual”, and “kids pyjamas” are more useful than “misc clothes”.
• Keep shoes practical: pack occasion shoes early and leave daily pairs near the door.

If you're decluttering during this stage, be realistic. Moving is the wrong time to transport clothes you already avoid wearing. The Giorgi Bros. advice on cleaning out your closet is a useful mindset prompt here. Fewer wardrobe items means fewer boxes, less unpacking, and less clutter in the new place.

7. Electronics and Technology Equipment

Electronics need more planning than force. A monitor isn't difficult because it's heavy. It's difficult because it's fragile, expensive, full of cables, and often needed soon after arrival.

Home offices are the common pressure point. If you work the next morning, your laptop, monitor, router, keyboard, chargers, and any authentication devices can't vanish into a mixed box labelled “study”. Gamers and families with entertainment systems face the same problem. The equipment may not be daily household clutter, but it often becomes urgent as soon as you arrive.

Disconnect with documentation

Take photos before unplugging anything complicated. Cable routing behind a desk or TV unit always looks obvious until you're trying to rebuild it in a different room. Masking tape labels on power cords, HDMI leads, and adapters save more time than people expect.

• Use original boxes if you still have them: they're made for the item's size and weak points.
• Bundle related cables together: keep each device's leads in one labelled bag.
• Back up important data first: moving is not the time to discover a hard drive issue.

A business relocation adds another layer. Shared peripherals, routers, printers, EFTPOS devices, and backup drives should be packed by workstation or function, not just by room. That keeps reinstallation cleaner and reduces downtime.

This walkthrough can help if you need a visual packing approach for screens and devices:

Don't bury active tech in the middle of the truck. Tell your removalist which electronics need careful placement and which items you'll be carrying yourself. Routers, laptops, work phones, and backup drives often belong with you, not in general freight.

8. Fragile and Antique Items

Fragile items are rarely the first things people pack. They should be among the first things they plan. That's because careful wrapping takes time, specialist materials, and a clear head. Leave antiques, artwork, crystal, and sentimental ceramics too late, and they get rushed.

For high-value or irreplaceable pieces, I'd rather see fewer items packed properly than a whole room packed badly. The sequence matters. Stable, low-risk cartons can be stacked and staged early. Fragile pieces need quieter handling, better surfaces, and enough room to label and separate them correctly.

Protect condition, not just transportability

An antique mirror, framed artwork, or heirloom vase can survive the trip but still suffer scratches, pressure marks, or internal cracks if the packing is careless. Wrap each item individually, prevent direct contact between pieces, and avoid leaving voids that let items shift.

A heritage home move in Perth often includes mixed fragility. Fine china in one room, framed art in another, decorative lamps, marble-topped side tables, and older timber furniture with delicate joints. Those pieces shouldn't be packed in between everyday chores. Give them a dedicated session.

“Fragile” on the box helps, but the real protection comes from correct wrapping, internal support, and sensible loading order.

• Photograph items before packing: condition records are useful for tracking and peace of mind.
• Use the right materials: packing paper, bubble wrap, corner protection, and dividers matter more here than speed.
• Separate high-value pieces: if an item is small, valuable, and irreplaceable, personal transport is often the safer call.

If you need specific guidance for stemware, tumblers, and glass kitchen pieces, Emmanuel Transport's article on how to pack glassware is directly relevant. This is also the point where professional packing earns its keep. Fragile and antique items don't forgive shortcuts.

Top 8 Packing Priorities

Your Next Chapter, Moved with Confidence

A good move doesn't start when the truck arrives. It starts when you decide on packing order. That one choice affects how your home functions in the lead-up, how efficiently the truck gets loaded, how easy the first night feels, and how quickly you settle in at the other end.

If you remember only one principle, make it this one. Pack low-use items first and daily-use items last. That simple rule is consistent with evidence-based moving guidance that recommends beginning in the least-used rooms and storage areas well before moving day, then moving toward active spaces later so everyday life stays workable for longer (ADT guidance on least-used rooms and timing). In real terms, that means your first boxes should usually contain storage items, out-of-season belongings, books, décor, spare linens, and other non-essentials. Not your kettle, phone charger, or the saucepan you still need tomorrow night.

The 8-step order above works because it balances logistics with real life. It gives you an essentials system for day one, keeps valuables under your control, reduces the kitchen and wardrobes in sensible stages, and brings heavy, fragile, or awkward categories into the schedule before time pressure takes over. That's what strategic sequencing does. It lowers friction at every stage.

Professional support helps most when it fits that sequence instead of replacing it blindly. A removalist can load an “open first” box for quick access, wrap antiques after you've separated them properly, or dismantle furniture once you've staged the room and labelled the hardware. That coordination is where a move starts to feel controlled rather than reactive.

For Perth households and businesses, Emmanuel Transport is one relevant option if you want help with packing, wrapping, furniture dismantling and reassembly, or careful handling of delicate items. They're based at 190 Scarborough Beach Road in Mount Hawthorn and provide free, transparent quotes for local residential and commercial moves. If you've got the plan but don't want to handle all the lifting and loading yourself, that kind of support can make the final stretch much easier.

If you want a Perth removalist who can work with a clear packing plan, handle everything from single items to full relocations, and help with wrapping, loading, and furniture setup, contact Emmanuel Transport for a free quote before moving day locks in.