The 6-week moving checklist
that actually works

6 weeks out — decide & declutter

• Book the move — movers or truck. Mid-month weekdays are cheapest.
• Declutter first, pack second. Donate/sell anything you wouldn't pay to move. Every box you don't pack is 20 minutes back.
• Start a box stash — grocery stores, Buy Nothing groups, liquor stores (best small sturdy boxes).

4–5 weeks out — the easy rooms

• Pack what you won't touch: books, décor, off-season clothes, garage shelves.
• Snap each box as you seal it. One photo of the open box = a list of what's inside you can search later. (This is the habit that saves the whole move.)
• Change your address early: USPS, bank, insurance, subscriptions.

2–3 weeks out — the real packing

• Kitchen (leave one “daily” bin out), linens, kids' rooms, office.
• Give every box a room, not just a number — movers can't read your mind on move-in day.
• Photograph electronics cabling before unplugging. Bag the screws, tape the bag to the furniture.

1 week out — the survival kits

• First-night box (one per person): chargers, sheets, towel, meds, toiletries, box cutter (the #1 thing packed by mistake), coffee kit, kids' bedtime stuff.
• Defrost the freezer, use up the pantry, confirm the movers.
• Keep documents, jewelry, and valuables in the car with you — never in the truck.

Move-in day & after

• Boxes go to their labeled rooms, not a pile in the garage.
• Unpack in this order: beds → bathroom → kitchen basics. Everything else can wait.
• Need something specific? Search it, don't dig for it — if you snapped your boxes, the answer is “Box 23, office.”