Packing Checklist for a Local Move

Move around the block or across town with help from the experts in local moving services at All My Sons Moving & Storage. 

You might be keeping the same community ties and writing almost the exact same zip code on your mail, but that doesn’t make local moving a breeze. 

Start preparing for your local move by following this packing guide made especially for the movers who aren’t going too far.

Even when you’re just hopping apartment complexes or buying your first house in your beloved hometown, there are some serious logistical challenges involved in getting all your stuff from point A to point B. Don’t delay, crush that moving procrastination and get started on these opening tasks as soon as you know you are moving. 

• Make a Moving Checklist: Prep a list of tasks to complete as you count down the days to your local move. Creating a moving checklist will help you stay organized as your belongings go into boxes. Some tasks you should aim to put on your local moving checklist include researching moving companies, scheduling disconnection and reconnection of utilities, and changing your address with all your subscriptions.

• Craft Your Moving Budget: How much money you can set aside for your move helps you determine whether you’ll DIY moving tasks or hire serious help. Get an idea of how much cash you’ll need for extra expenses like deposits, storage, and moving supplies and aim to get at least three quotes from reputable moving companies. Watch out for the hidden costs of moving like cleaning fees and unexpected home repairs.

• Plan Your Packing Schedule: Create deadlines for when you should have certain rooms or items boxed up. You can also choose professional packing and give yourself the gift of a hands-off move. 

• Declutter and Downsize: A local move is the perfect time to evaluate all the items you keep in your home and think critically about what’s worth keeping. Some of your items might not fit in your next space, and items you never use and never look at should definitely get sold, donated, or discarded. The easiest way to save time, money, and energy on any move is to offload the excess before you start packing.

• Create a Moving Inventory: For a super organized local move, consider creating a full moving inventory of all the items in your household as they go into boxes. This moving inventory will come in handy later in the event of a moving accident or home disaster. No time to make an inventory? Try to label your boxes with as much detail as possible.

• Gather Your Packing Supplies: Pick up boxes, packing paper, bubble wrap, and all the tape you need wherever moving supplies are sold or scrap up some free used boxes and supplies from your community. For local moves, you might be able to get away with household items that make great moving-box alternatives. 

Always begin packing with the items that you will not miss if they happen to sit in boxes for a few weeks. 

Throw open the back closets, hunt through the attic, and check the dusty corners of your garage for the items you don’t think about on a daily basis. Anything that’s been in a box since your last move? If you haven’t looked at it or thought about it this whole time, it might be time to let go of it! Everything else should get packed first thing.

The next non-essentials that should go into boxes will be your display and décor items. You naturally love these items, but you won’t find yourself absolutely needing them in the weeks leading up to your move.

Here are some examples of non-essentials you can start packing for your local move immediately.

• Off-Season Clothes: If you can’t picture yourself wearing them for the next few weeks, then those off-season clothes and shoes can safely go in boxes. Big wooly sweaters and knit beanies with reindeer ears are no use when you’re moving during the summer and it’s over 90 degrees outside. Likewise, your bikini and flip flops are probably okay to pack when there’s snow on the ground. 

• Extra Blankets, Towels, and Sheets: Pack the extras you keep on hand from your bathroom, bedroom, kitchen, or linen closet. Leave the working items for the essentials.

• Keepsake Boxes: Sentimental items you’re holding onto like children’s memorabilia, heirlooms from departed loved ones, and trophies from special milestones in your life can safely go into boxes next. They might already be hidden away in boxes. Check that the boxes are in ship-shape condition and then set them aside until the movers arrive.

• Holiday Decorations: Festive lights, Thanksgiving centerpieces, and Christmas décor galore. Unless you’re moving during the winter holidays, these items are likely packed already. Make sure the storage containers are in great shape and then declare these items ready to move.

• Books: If you’re a book-lover then you likely have shelves of adored and to-be-read books that you keep up on display. Remember to downsize your book collection before you pack. Many used bookstores will offer cash for books in fair condition that you’re willing to part with. Keep a couple of your to-be-read books on hand in your bag to read when there’s any downtime during your move.

• Photo Albums: Scrapbooks and photo albums are great candidates for immediate packing, unless you open them up and admire them on the daily.

• Media Collections: Your disc media like CDs, DVDs, and Blu-Rays plus your vinyl records can probably go into boxes for a few weeks. Leave one DVD out for your last movie night in the old place and then pack it up with your bag as you depart.

• Décor and Artwork: It might be somewhat sad to see the decorations coming off the walls in the weeks leading up to your local move, but remember that it’s just for a little while. Once the essentials are unpacked at your new place, you can make your new home feel personalized with your special artwork and décor items again.

Your home’s essentials make your day-to-day functioning possible. From cooking in the kitchen to getting dressed in the morning, these are the items you use on the daily. You might be using them up until the moment of your move, and then when you reach your destination you will need them to come out of the boxes pronto. Pack these items LAST to be unloaded FIRST at the destination.

Mark essentials boxes with a special label or use brightly colored tape to differentiate them from your other boxes.

Bedroom Essentials

Get rested after your local move once the bedroom furniture is in place by unpacking the essentials that make your bedroom cozy as soon as you arrive with your moving truck.

• Sheets: Once your mattress is unbagged, you can make your bed again. You can also just put your favorite blanket on the mattress and say that’s enough for move day. Whatever helps you sleep through your first night at the new place.

• Pillows: Put at least one pillow for every member of your household in your bedroom essentials box so you have somewhere to rest your head at night.

• Clothes for a Week: Get some weather-appropriate clothing separated from the rest of your wardrobe to pack with the essentials. For a local move, you might be able to get away with leaving your dresser drawers full, just check with your movers to make sure this is okay.

Kitchen Essentials

Get the kitchen back to cooking and save money on take-out. These are the items that can help make post-move dinner and breakfast possible.

• Coffee Maker: If you need your morning coffee even after a move, set up your coffee-making fixtures in your kitchen essentials box. Happy post-move morning!

• Silverware: Set the table and serve a home-cooked meal, make sure you have enough forks, spoons, and kitchen knives for every member of your household. 

• Dishes and Glassware: Get a drink and fill your plate, but leave the fine chinaware and the stemware with the non-essentials. You only need enough sturdy plates for a couple meals with your household.

• Napkins or Paper Towels: Meals might mean messes. Get some napkins or paper towels in that kitchen essentials box.

Bathroom Essentials

Keep up with regular hygiene, even during a local move. Set aside these bathroom-musts to be unpacked first.

• Toilet Paper: Don’t bother with an emergency grocery run, just pack the toilet paper with the bathroom essentials and when you need to go there will be nothing stopping you.

• Soap: Always remember to wash your hands. Put sealed bars of soap in your bathroom essentials box or bag up some liquid soap with your toiletries in your packed suitcase or backpack.

• Toiletries: Tooth care, hair care, and skin care items you use daily should be double-bagged and packed in the bathroom essentials box. 

• Bathroom Towels: One set of hand towels and one set of bath towels to help everyone in the household dry off.

• Shower Curtain: That new home’s bath-shower combo is stellar, but chances are it doesn’t have a shower curtain thrown in the deal. Pack one with you.

Home Office Essentials

When you work from home or run a small business then your home office might be a space of essentials that will help you get back to work. Here are some examples.

• Important Files: If you have open projects, unfilled orders, or W2s to file cause it’s tax season, pack them with office essentials for your local move. If files contain sensitive information, carry them with you on your person. 

• Internet Router: Transferring internet service? Make sure to keep your router with your essentials if it’s plug and play. If you are setting up new service, call your new provider ahead of time to get connected again as soon as possible.

• Computer: Your busy work machine is bulky, delicate, and expensive. Pack it carefully with the office essentials so you can clock back in just in time.

Children’s Essentials

Will you be moving with kids? Make sure each child has an essentials box packed to fulfill all their needs. Older children, about 8 and up, can pack their own essentials box for their bedroom or playroom. 

• Changing Table and Diaper Genie: Babies and toddlers not yet toilet trained will need their changing station set up as soon as possible.

• Crib or Playpen: It’s very important to try and keep a young child’s routine smooth even during a local move, and naptime needs to be honored. 

• Sheets: If your older child has their own bed, make sure they pack their own sheets into their essentials box.

• Pillows: One pillow per child with a bed. Make sure to grab the absolute favorite pillow and pillowcase. Little Johnny will feel much more at home when he can sleep on his astronaut pillow. 

• Favorite Toys: Dolls, action figures, and stuffed animals that your child plays with often can be packed with the essentials. Keep one or two VIP toys on hand for the bag that your child packs to take with them.

• Kids’ Clothes for a Week:  Just like with your bedroom, you want your children to have enough weather-appropriate clothing to make it until the rest of the wardrobe can be unpacked.

Pet Essentials

Furry companions and small animals have their own items essential to surviving and thriving. If you are moving with a pet, pack these items in an essentials box or bag for your pet. Unload the pet essentials before you welcome your furry companion into your new place.

• Food and Water Bowls: Please feed and water your pet. Bring the pet bowls with the essentials and you won’t have to hand-feed.

• Litter Box: Save the floor of your brand-new home and don’t make your cat think outside the box. Put the litter box out before you set your cat up in your new place.

• Food Bags and Treats: Fido hungers. Make sure the pet food makes it into the essentials boxes.

• Pet Toys: Throw balls and flash laser pointers to help that pet burn off energy post-move.

• Pet Beds and Furniture: Scratching posts save your furniture and dog beds might help keep the shedding fur contained. Maybe. You should still pack them with the essentials just in case.

For your local move, you might be taking some items to your destination in your own vehicle. We recommend you pack an essentials and emergencies bag for sure. This bag will help you get set up at your new place as soon as possible, and it will keep important items you need on your person during the move. 

• Medications: Never pack the medicine you need to function, thrive, and survive in any kind of box. Keep these items on your person at all times. 

• Extra Clothes and Shoes: In case of a moving mess keep an extra set of clothes and one pair of shoes on hand. 

• Wallet and Keys: Chances are you never forget to carry these (we hope) but double check before you lock your old place behind you. If you are performing a major key exchange, put your new key on your key ring immediately. 

• Phone Charger: Keep your favorite electronic device charged. You might want to pack a car charger in your vehicle as well. 

• Book or Tablet: If you have hired pro movers, your move might come with some kick-back and relax time. Even if you haven’t, you don’t want to be caught bored at the new place with all your favorite forms of entertainment packed in boxes tonight. Grab a book or tablet to keep you occupied.

• First Aid Kit: In the event of moving injuries, you will want a first-aid kit on hand.

• Water Bottles: Drink lots of water during your move, especially if you are moving during the summer. 

• Perishable Food and Snacks: Your professional movers will not move perishable food, but if you’re moving local and have a fridge and freezer waiting at your destination then you might be able to move some food items yourself and save on post-move groceries. Also carry snacks for the moving munchies. 

• Important Documents: Hang onto your rental contracts, government ID, and any other documents you need for your move in your bag.

• Keep rental contacts, government IDs, and any other documents you might need for your move in a folder that you will keep on your person.

• Boxcutter: You need something to open all those boxes in your box-mountain at your destination. 

• Tape Gun: A couple final boxes to seal as you rush out the door. Pack the tape gun in your bag or your own vehicle.

• Cash: Tip those movers or snag some snacks from the gas station vending machine.

• Cleaning Supplies: Renters can get their deposit back if they leave their last home clean and sparkly. Carry your cleaning supplies with you in your vehicle and you’ll be able to spruce up the old place just as you leave and make the new place sparkle right before you start unloading.

• Pet Essentials: Pet coming with you? Carry their travel items in your vehicle.

• Children’s Essentials: Each of your older children should pack their own bag of essentials to keep on their person like VIP toys, extra clothes, and favored forms of entertainment. If you have small children you might be able to get away with throwing the regular diaper bag in your vehicle.

With everything packed for the local move, now all you have to do is wait for the movers to arrive and load the truck.

Looking for movers to help with a local move? All My Sons Moving & Storage has 90+ locations nationwide, so we can help you get settled in almost any neighborhood in the US. Call 1-866-726-1579 or click the quote button to get started on your move.