Checklist · 9 min read
Packing checklist for a cross-country move
What to pack early, what stays in the car, and how to label bags when the truck will not be opened for days.
A cross-country move is a long time between the zipper and the new closet. Pack so a bag can sit in a truck for days and still be obvious when it comes off. This list does not estimate cost, mileage, or how many bags a house needs.
Weeks before
- Sort by room: keep, donate, trash. Do this before you buy a single bag.
- Pack off-season clothes and rarely used linens first. Those bags can go deep in the truck.
- Write the destination room on the tag card as you close each bag. Add 'truck' or 'car' on the second line.
- Keep books, dishes, and tools in boxes. Mark those boxes the same way.
The car, not the truck
- One bag tagged 'open me first': sheets for the first night, towels, chargers, meds, a change of clothes per person.
- Documents, laptops, and anything you cannot replace from a truck stop. Those do not go in a moving bag in the cargo hold.
- Kids' soft toys and the blanket that has to be findable at a hotel. Their name on the card.
Load and unload
Soft bags fill gaps around boxes and furniture. They should not be the foundation under a dresser. Lift with both wrap-around handles, close to your body. On the far end, carry each bag to the room on the tag card before you open it. Empty bags fold flat so they don't become another thing to haul to the dumpster.
Rated load: 50 lbs (22.7 kg). This page is a packing list, not a moving quote.