17 Jun 2025
How to Pack Your House for Storage: Quick Wins for Stress-Free Moving
- Garrett Thorburn
- 17 Jun 2025
- home storage solutions
I’ll be honest—packing an entire house for storage is one of those jobs nobody enjoys. You start strong, then three boxes in, you're confused about what you actually need to keep. Here’s the first big tip: Don’t just pack everything you own because you can. Get real about what’s worth paying to keep in storage. Go room by room and make three piles: keep, donate, and toss. If I haven’t used something in a year, I have a little rule—out it goes. My wife and kids grumble, but trust me, movers will bill you for every useless knick-knack.
Before you even touch a box, make a checklist of what needs to head into storage—think furniture, seasonal decor, important files, and keep things you’ll actually use again. Sell or donate bulky stuff you never use. Less stuff equals less stress on the big moving day, and, honestly, less money spent storing it all. So, start sorting and don’t save junk out of habit.
- Narrow Down What Goes to Storage
- Gather the Right Packing Supplies
- Packing Tips for Different Items
- Labeling, Loading, and Storage Hacks
Narrow Down What Goes to Storage
Packing for storage isn’t about just boxing up your whole life. It’s way smarter—and cheaper—to figure out exactly what should actually go. Most people end up paying for storage space filled with stuff that never gets used again. According to the Self Storage Association, about 65% of people renting storage units are just keeping things they rarely or never touch. That’s a lot of money thrown away each year.
Here’s how to figure out what should stay and what should go:
- Pack house for storage rules: If you haven’t used it in the last year, you probably don’t need it. Exceptions are childhood keepsakes or seasonal stuff (like ski gear or holiday decor).
- Sort by rooms: Go room-by-room to prevent decision overload—kitchen, bedroom, garage, etc.
- Make three piles: Keep (must store), Donate/Sell (still useful but not to you), and Toss (broken or worn out).
- Consider sentimental value: Mark a box 'sentimental' and limit yourself by size. If it doesn’t fit, maybe reconsider keeping it.
- Purging helps: Fewer items in storage means less money spent and lighter work on moving day.
Compare storing different types of items by importance and frequency you’ll likely access them:
| Item Type | Worth Storing? | How Often Needed |
|---|---|---|
| Seasonal clothes | Yes | 2x/year |
| Old textbooks | No | Almost never |
| Holiday decorations | Yes | Once/year |
| Kids’ old toys | Depends on sentimental value | Varies |
| Kitchen gadgets you haven’t used | No | Almost never |
| Important documents | Yes | Occasionally |
The less you keep, the easier and faster it is to move and the less you’ll pay for that storage unit every month. Nobody needs seven boxes of random cables or a box of single socks "just in case." Think about what future you will honestly care about using again. The rest can go—and you’ll thank yourself later.
Gather the Right Packing Supplies
If you want your move to storage to go smoothly, the right supplies are a big deal. Don’t just use trash bags and leftover delivery boxes—those fall apart and won’t protect your stuff. Here’s the basic list:
- Sturdy cardboard boxes in a few sizes (medium boxes get used the most—don’t overpack big ones)
- Packing tape—good tape is non-negotiable, get quality rolls and a tape gun
- Bubble wrap, packing paper, or soft towels/blankets for wrapping fragile things
- Furniture covers and mattress bags (they keep dust, spiders, and weird smells out)
- Marker pens for labeling (get more than one; they vanish when you need them)
- Stretch wrap for drawers and awkward furniture bits
According to a 2024 moving study by U-Haul, the average 2-3 bedroom house needs at least 60 moving boxes to get the job done right, not counting specialty boxes for TVs or wardrobes. That always surprised me—I thought I could wing it with a dozen.
Here’s a little data to help:
| House Size | Recommended Boxes |
|---|---|
| 1-bedroom apartment | 25-35 |
| 2-3 bedroom house | 60-80 |
| 4+ bedroom house | 100+ |
Don’t forget, buying a pre-made moving kit online can actually save money and stress compared to scouring grocery stores for free boxes (those always break at the worst time). The team at Move.org said it best:
“Quality packing supplies protect your belongings and make stacking and transport way easier. Cutting corners here costs more in the long run.”
One last tip—make sure your boxes don’t get too heavy. If that’s tempting, remember: a strong box of books is still a pain in the back. Spread your heavy items across multiple boxes, and always reinforce the seams with tape. That’s the best way to set yourself up for a damage-free storage move.
Bottom line: invest in the right supplies up front and packing for your pack house for storage adventure suddenly isn’t so nerve-wracking.
Packing Tips for Different Items
Each part of your house comes with its own set of packing challenges. You wouldn’t pack your dishes the same way you’d pack your shoes, right? Here’s what actually works if you don’t want stuff to break, bend, or get moldy in storage.
- Kitchenware: Stack plates vertically in small boxes and always pad them with dish towels or bubble wrap. Glasses go upright with crumpled paper stuffed inside and in between. Never leave extra space; things shift, and that's how you get shards.
- Clothes and Bedding: Fold and store in clear plastic bins with tight lids—keeps out dust and bugs. For the stuff you’ll want to grab soon, like winter jackets, vacuum-sealed bags save space and keep things fresh.
- Furniture: Disassemble as much as you can. Tape up the hardware in a labeled bag—trust me, hunting for bed screws months later is a nightmare. Wrap wood in blankets or moving pads to prevent dents.
- Electronics: Pack cords, remotes, and small items with their devices in the original boxes if you have them. Take a quick photo of how things are connected, so you’re not calling for tech support next time.
- Books and Documents: Use small, sturdy boxes. Books get heavy, fast. Stand them upright. Important paperwork goes in waterproof folders. Safeguard anything irreplaceable by double-bagging in ziplock bags.
Just for some perspective—according to a 2024 study by SpareFoot, 60% of storage renters said dishes and glassware were the most frequently broken items in storage, mostly from poor packing. If you do anything, get this part right.
| Item | Expected Lifespan |
|---|---|
| Wood Furniture | 1-3 years (may warp or crack) |
| Electronics | 1 year (risk of moisture damage) |
| Clothes | 2-5 years (risk of mildew without proper packing) |
| Books/Documents | 2 years (risk of yellowing or curling) |
| Dishes/Glassware | Indefinite (if packed well) |
So keep it simple: label everything, avoid overpacking big boxes, and don’t skimp on bubble wrap where it actually matters. Your future self will thank you when you open those boxes and nothing inside is in pieces, especially your pack house for storage efforts.
Labeling, Loading, and Storage Hacks
If you’ve ever tried to find your winter coat six months after cramming it in a box, you know why labeling matters. Don’t just scribble “Stuff” on every carton—future you will thank you. Grab a thick marker and label each box with the room, a few key items inside, and, for bonus points, add a number. Keep a master list (on your phone or notebook) with the numbers and what’s packed inside. So, if you need the toaster, you know it’s in Kitchen Box 3 without becoming a box-diving archaeologist.
When you load the moving truck or storage unit, think in layers. Put heavy stuff on the bottom—like boxes of books or kitchenware. Stack lighter items on top so nothing gets crushed. Especially with furniture, wrap anything that scratches easy in blankets or bubble wrap. Got a mattress? Store it flat if you can, so it doesn’t sag. And make walkways in the unit so you can reach things at the back later—trust me, this hacks way more time and pain than you expect.
Here’s a quick breakdown of what people usually get wrong packing for storage:
- Using flimsy boxes—weak boxes collapse and crush stuff underneath. Spring for sturdy moving boxes or even those big plastic bins if you plan on storing long-term.
- Skipping inventory. One in three movers regrets not making a list of what’s packed where.
- Stacking fragile stuff at the bottom. Rookie mistake, costs so many plates and glassware.
- Leaving boxes unsealed—dust, bugs, and moisture love sneaking in.
Now, here’s a handy table to show how much common packing mistakes can cost you, according to a 2023 survey by a national self-storage company:
| Mistake | Average Cost or Loss |
|---|---|
| Unlabeled boxes | 6+ hours searching and $180 wasted replacing items |
| Broken fragile items | $120 per incident |
| Poor stacking/overloading | Damage to $300+ of belongings |
One last trick: store things you might need soon—tools, seasonal clothes, or documents—near the door of the unit. That way if you need to grab something quick, you don’t have to destroy your neat packing job. Little details like clear labels and smart stacking turn a nightmare move into something almost painless. Keeping track of your pack house for storage efforts early saves time and money later.
