Packing Supplies for Moving House: A Room-by-Room Plan

A room-by-room plan makes moving supplies easier to estimate. Start by sorting what will move, then group items by the protection they need. Buy materials for the items you are keeping rather than everything currently in the house.

Begin with a basic kit

Set aside suitable moving cartons, cushioning, packing tape, labels, a marker and safe cutting tools. Choose carton sizes you can manage when filled. Reused cartons should be sound, dry and appropriate for the contents.

Keep your packing list simple: item group, carton type, protective material and destination room. Update it after your first few boxes so the rest of the estimate reflects real usage.

Kitchen: separate the breakables

Pack delicate kitchen items individually and prevent hard surfaces from touching. Protect vulnerable rims and handles, then use suitable cushioning inside the carton. Avoid a box so heavy or crowded that safe handling becomes difficult.

Do not put heavy cookware loosely beside delicate glasses. Follow the fragile-item packing process and ask your removalist about any special requirements.

Living areas: pay attention to surfaces and corners

Decorative objects, framed pieces and finished furniture may have different wrapping requirements. Follow manufacturer care guidance for delicate finishes and use a suitable interlayer where needed. Adhesive should not be applied directly to a valued surface.

For artwork, unusually fragile pieces or high-value items, arrange appropriate specialist packing. General-purpose wrapping is not a universal solution.

Bedrooms: separate essentials from storage

Pack everyday clothing and overnight essentials separately from less-used belongings. Keep small parts from dismantled furniture labelled and associated with the correct item.

Use clear room names and a short contents description. A numbering system can help if several boxes contain similar things: “Bedroom 2, box 3, winter clothes” is more useful than “miscellaneous”.

Choose a practical bubble-wrap quantity

Wrap a representative item from each fragile group and measure the length used. Multiply by the count, then account for irregular shapes and cutting waste. This is more reliable than estimating by the number of rooms alone.

Coreless Clear Bubble Wrap is available in 5 m and 10 m lengths at 500 mm wide. Compare longer clear rolls if your measured requirement is larger.

Use colour as an extra cue

Coloured wrapping can help you recognise a room or packing group at a glance. For example, you might choose pink coreless wrap for one destination and clear wrap for another.

Keep written labels as well. Colour should support a clear system, not become the only way someone knows where a box belongs.

Leave one essentials box until last

Set aside the items you need immediately after arrival and label that box clearly. Keep important documents and valuables under your own control as appropriate. Confirm access, loading and special-item arrangements with the people handling the move.

Prepare your supplies: use our bubble-wrap selection guide, then add carton-sealing tape for suitable moving boxes.

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