Last reviewed October 2026
Why eight weeks
Every item you pack is an item you also carry, load, unload, and unpack. Starting early lets you sort first and pack second, so you only move what you actually want. Eight weeks gives a normal home enough room to do that without late-night box taping. If your date is closer, jump to the shorter plan near the end.
Weeks 8 and 7: plan, measure, and start with the easy spaces
- Decide who does what. Who is moving the furniture, who is packing, and who is hauling away what you do not keep. Get mover quotes while your date is still flexible if you can.
- Measure the new place. Knowing what fits tells you how much has to go. Our downsizing guide shows how to sort against the new space.
- Start with the garage, attic, and storage spaces. They hold the most things you have not touched in years. Sort each item into Save, Share, Sell, or Sweep. The cleanout checklist walks through a garage on a deadline.
- Look up your heavy trash day. For eligible City of Houston addresses, curbside heavy trash comes every other month, so the next pickup may not line up with your deadline.
Weeks 6 and 5: move out what is not coming
- Share: drop off donations and keep the receipts. See where to donate in Houston.
- Sell: list items worth $50 or more now so they have time to sell. See how to sell locally.
- Sweep: book the haul-away for a date a week or two before you move, so there is slack if something changes.
- Gather supplies. Boxes in a few sizes, packing paper, strong tape, markers, and a few totes for things you will use right away.
- Pack what you will not miss: off-season clothes, holiday decorations, books, and decor.
Weeks 4 and 3: pack the rooms you rarely use
- Guest room, dining room, office extras, and shelves of keepsakes.
- Label boxes by the room they will go to in the new place, not the room they came from, on the side of the box rather than the lid. Our packing guide has the details.
- Make a list of accounts and addresses to update, such as utilities, internet, insurance, and mail.
Week 2: kitchen, closets, and the essentials box
- Pack most of the kitchen, leaving a few days of dishes, pans, and utensils.
- Use up what is in the freezer and pantry instead of boxing it.
- Pack the essentials box: toiletries, chargers, medications, a few tools, bedding for the first night, and snacks.
- Set aside documents, valuables, and medications to carry yourself.
- Confirm the date, time, and parking with your movers.
Week 1: the last pack and the final pass
- Pack bedrooms and bathrooms last, keeping about a week of clothes out.
- Take photos of the empty rooms once they are cleared.
- Walk every room, closet, cabinet, and the garage before the movers leave, and again before you hand over the keys.
Fewer than eight weeks?
Keep the order and shrink the schedule. First set aside anything unsafe, then sort into the four piles and book the donation drop-off and the hauler, then pack the rooms you use least, and leave kitchens and bedrooms for the last few days. Skip selling unless you have a few high-value items, because listings take time.
Want help packing?
Our Move Packing service sorts and packs with you, and labels every box by room. We do not move furniture or drive a truck, so we pair well with your mover. Send a few photos and your move date, and we will reply with the hours we expect. See pricing for how jobs are booked.