How to Pack Your House

Start in advance. According to MSN.com, homeowners can pack about one room per day. However, this estimate depends on how easily you're distracted, your packing speed, organizational skills, and the size and content of the room. Give yourself ample time to pack, and expect the job to take longer than your estimation.

Start with the least-used rooms. It's easy to put off packing with the excuse, "But we're still using that." Start with rooms and items you rarely use. Pack storage areas such as basements, garages and attics first. This frees up those areas to store boxes as you move along with the job.

Label boxes for your destination, not your current home. For example, if you have books that were in your son's room, but in the new house they're going on the bookshelves in your study, label the box "Study." This way, the movers set boxes down in the rooms in which the boxes should be unpacked.

Cushion your breakables. Wrap plates, glasses, mugs, vases and other fragile knickknacks in bubble wrap or newspaper. Don't put breakable items in boxes with items that could crush the breakables. Write "Fragile" on boxes that need to be handled with care and indicate which side should be pointed up.

Keep the box weight manageable. Don't pack boxes that you or your spouse can't lift. Whether you're hiring movers or doing the job yourself, if you pack boxes too full and heavy, the weight of the contents will make the box fall apart. Items like books, records, CDs and DVDs, toys and collectibles should be combined with lighter items.

Keep boxes of often used items open until the last day before the move. Don't go around unsealing boxes because you zealously packed something you'll need.