When packing up your bedroom for moving day, you want to be certain that everything is handled with the utmost care. These are, after all, your most personal belongings! From your furniture to your clothing to your personal library and everything in between, read on for a step-by-step guide to packing your bedroom goods.

What You’ll Need

  • Tape gun (a.k.a. adhesive transfer gun) & tape
  • Permanent marker
  • Unprinted (blank) newsprint sheets or packing peanuts
  • Large and small cartons
  • Large wardrobe cartons
  • Plastic mattress covers

Preparing

  1. Read the tips and warnings at the bottom of this page before you proceed
  2. Gather the necessary items listed above

Step 1: Packing Wardrobe Cartons

Wardrobe cartons are larger boxes used to transport the contents of your wardrobe, i.e. clothing and shoes. Keep in mind that one wardrobe carton can stock up to four feet of closet width. This type of carton can be purchased for about $10 apiece.

  • Determine which articles of clothing you would rather hang up (typically coats, jackets, dresses, etc.) and which you can simply stack at the bottom of the carton, such as sweaters, jeans, and shoes
  1. Place a couple of sheets of paper at the bottom of the wardrobe box
  2. Fold articles of clothing, like sweaters and T-shirts, then place them one by one at the bottom of the carton. You can also use this space to contain shoes and assorted accessories
  3. Good shoes should be wrapped individually in paper
  4. Hang up clothing as desired on the metal bar near the top of the carton
  5. Close and seal the carton using a tape gun, then label the top end of the carton using a permanent marker to avoid any mishandling

Step 2: Packing Drawers

In order to pack assorted drawers, you do not need to acquire a container big enough to fit them each individually. Instead, there are ways to simply transport the dresser, with full drawers, safely to the new location.

  1. If your drawers contain clothing, cover the exposed top of the drawer with a few sheets of newspaper. This will protect the clothes from dust and will maintain the stacks of clothing in place when the dresser is turned on its side for transportation
  2. If you will be removing the drawers to transport heavy furniture, you should tape the sheets of newspaper to the sides of the drawer (when it is removed) to prevent clothes from falling out when carried (do not tape where the tape can obstruct the sliding mechanism, preventing you from sliding the drawers back in properly)
  3. If your drawers instead contain small (yes, your underwear) or delicate items, wrap these individually and store them in blank newsprint-lined cartons

Step 3: Packing Linens

When packing up your bedroom, it is important to protect your bedding and linens from the dust and dirt that can come from moving trucks or simply from being transported from one place to another.

  1. Cover the bottom of a carton with blank newsprint
  2. Fold your linens and place them in the carton. Do this strategically, as if this step is done right, you may be able to fit all of your bedding into one carton and therefore keep the number of boxes to a minimum
  3. Layer a few sheets of blank newspaper on the open surface of the carton before sealing it shut with a tape gun
  4. Leave the bottom sheet on your mattress to protect it and wrap the mattress in a plastic mattress cover

Step 4: Packing Lamps

  1. Remove light bulbs and pack them away as you would any other small item, wrapping them in newsprint, perhaps with a few extra layers
  2. Remove the shade from the lamp. Make sure the shade is placed upright as opposed to on its side so as to avoid breakage during transportation
  3. Wrap cord repeatedly around the base of the lamp. Wrap the base in blank newsprint, using more layers if the base is delicate or prone to break
  4. Pack all disassembled parts into the same carton, that way they will be easy to locate and re-assemble while unpacking. Using a permanent marker, indicate “Fragile” on the top of the box

Step 5: Books

  1. Choose a small, well constructed carton such as a 2 cube or liquor carton
  2. Cover the bottom of a carton with a few sheets of blank newsprint
  3. Place books inside, with the spines facing upward (that makes it easier to unpack them and put them away)
  4. If it is easier, the books from the second row in the carton onward can go down flat
  5. As you go, be sure not to fill entire cartons, as they can be very heavy and impractical to transport (fill the top with crumpled paper)
  6. Mark each box with a shelf number in order to keep track of the contents of each carton

Tips & Warnings

  • Pack one carton with bedding you need for the first night in your new home and label it as such. This will help you quickly set up beds for the first night
  • Blankets, duvets, and towels can be used to pad items and cartons during the move instead of being folded and packed away
  • Pack jewelry in a separate carton and take the with you in your car if possible. Do same with important papers and other valuables
  • When wrapping small items, use coloured paper to wrap them so they are easily identified, or tape the wrapped package and use a marker to identify the items
  • Always use unprinted newsprint sheets to wrap your goods, as the ink from real newspaper sheets can permanently damage your items
  • When filling wardrobe cartons, always pack the foldable articles of clothing before the hang able ones, and unpack in reverse order
  • When hanging clothing inside wardrobe cartons, make sure the hooks on the clothing hangers are facing the back to make unpacking faster and easier
  • Can’t find your item here? Explore other how-to articles or ask us via the Q&A tool

Part of a series on packing your household goods, including: