The ultimate packing checklist: an 8-week countdown to move day
A week-by-week timeline with box counts by home size, a room-by-room packing order, labeling systems that actually survive the truck, and the essentials box you'll thank yourself for.
Packing is the part of a move you fully control, and it is the part that most reliably determines whether move day runs five hours or nine. This is the countdown we give customers across Manchester, Nashua, Concord, and the Seacoast — built backwards from the truck arriving in your driveway.
8 weeks out — decide and book
- Book your movers. End-of-month and summer dates in southern New Hampshire go first.
- Start a move folder: estimate, lease or closing documents, building rules, utility account numbers.
- Walk every room and decide what is not coming. You pay to move everything you keep.
- Book donation pickups now — free pickup slots fill weeks out.
6 weeks out — order materials
| Home size | Small | Medium | Large | Wardrobe | Dish/cell packs |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Studio / 1BR | 10–15 | 10–15 | 5–8 | 2–3 | 1–2 |
| 2BR apartment | 20–25 | 20–25 | 10–12 | 3–5 | 2–3 |
| 3BR house | 35–45 | 35–45 | 15–20 | 6–8 | 4–6 |
| 4BR+ house | 55–70 | 50–65 | 20–30 | 8–12 | 6–10 |
Buy more tape than you think you need — it is the single most underestimated supply on every move, every time.
4 weeks out — pack the rooms you don't live in
Basements, attics, guest rooms, seasonal decor, books, and the good china. Books go in small boxes only; a large box of books is a box nobody can lift safely and a box that will fail at the bottom.
A labeling system that survives
- Label the destination room, not the origin room. 'Master bedroom' means where it's going.
- Write on two sides and the top — stacked boxes hide their own tops.
- Add a one-line contents note: 'kitchen — everyday plates'. Future you is unpacking at 11pm.
- Mark FRAGILE and THIS SIDE UP on all four sides, not one.
- Number boxes per room (KIT 1 of 12) so you know instantly if something is missing.
2 weeks out — logistics week
- File your change of address with USPS — allow 7–10 business days.
- Transfer electric, gas, internet, water, and trash for both addresses.
- Update your driver's license and registration timing with the NH DMV.
- Notify banks, insurers, employer HR, pharmacies, schools, and your vet.
- Confirm elevator reservations, COIs, and move-in windows with building management.
- Reserve street parking with the city if you're moving in Portsmouth, Dover, Concord, or Boston.
1 week out — the home stretch
- Defrost and dry the freezer at least 24 hours before the truck arrives.
- Run down the pantry, fridge, and freezer instead of moving food.
- Empty and drain the gas from the mower, snowblower, and trimmers — no fuel travels on the truck.
- Set aside anything movers legally cannot take: propane, paint, aerosols, ammunition, fuel, and other hazardous goods.
- Photograph the back of your TV and desk cabling before you unplug anything.
Move day — your job is access, ours is everything else
- Clear the walkways, driveway, and hallways before the crew arrives.
- Keep pets and small children in one closed room, or better, off-site.
- Do a final walkthrough: closets, the dishwasher, the medicine cabinet, the attic hatch, the shed.
- Have a plan for water and a lunch break — a hydrated crew is a fast crew.
Frequently asked questions
- How many boxes do I need for a 3-bedroom house?
- Roughly 90 to 120 total boxes across small, medium, large, and wardrobe sizes for a full pack, plus dish and cell packs for the kitchen. Partial-pack households usually need about two thirds of that.
- What can movers not take?
- Hazardous and flammable goods: propane tanks, gasoline, paint, aerosols, cleaning chemicals, ammunition, and pressurized cylinders. Plants and perishables are also generally excluded.
- How far in advance should I book movers in New Hampshire?
- Four to eight weeks for summer and end-of-month dates. Winter and mid-week dates are often available with two to three weeks' notice.
Sources & further reading
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