Planning
Moving packing checklist: what to do each week
6 min read
Most people underestimate packing by about a week. This checklist breaks a typical 1 to 3 bedroom move into four manageable stages so nothing gets left to the night before.
Print it, screenshot it, or work through it on your phone — each stage tells you roughly how many bins you'll be filling.
Four weeks out: decide and declutter
- Confirm your move date and book elevators or parking if you're in a building.
- Do a room-by-room pass and set aside anything you're donating or selling.
- Count your rooms and estimate bins — roughly 20 for a 1 bedroom, 40 for a 2 to 3 bedroom, 60+ for a larger house.
- Book bin delivery for a Monday, Wednesday or Friday about a week before moving day.
Decluttering first means you pay to move less stuff and need fewer bins.
Three weeks out: pack what you don't use
- Out-of-season clothing, spare linens and guest bedding.
- Books, DVDs, board games, hobby supplies.
- Décor, framed art and anything on display shelves.
- Label each bin with the destination room, not the contents — you'll unpack faster.
Need the bins?
Reusable moving bins delivered across the Greater Hamilton area — $5 per bin the first week, $1.50 each extra week, delivery and pickup included.
Two weeks out: the big rooms
This is when bins earn their keep. Rigid walls mean you can stack loaded bins two or three high without crushing anything underneath, so a spare room becomes your staging area.
- Living room: media, cables (bag and label them), side tables emptied.
- Bedrooms: everything except a week of clothes.
- Bathrooms: everything but daily toiletries and medication.
- Start using up the freezer and pantry.
The final week: kitchen, essentials and last checks
- Pack the kitchen last — see the kitchen packing guide for the plate-on-edge trick.
- Set aside an essentials bin: chargers, tools, toilet paper, coffee, snacks, meds.
- Confirm your movers, truck or helping friends.
- Take photos of electronics before you unplug them so reassembly is obvious.
Keep one bin lid off and open until the last hour — that's the bin everything homeless ends up in.
After the move: unpack and return
Unpack room by room and stack the empties by your door as you go. When you're done, request pickup for a Monday, Wednesday or Friday from your My Rentals page and leave them out — no flattening, no recycling runs, no cardboard in the hallway.
Common questions
How far in advance should I start packing?
Start four weeks out for a 2 to 3 bedroom home and two to three weeks for a 1 bedroom. Packing rarely takes less time than you expect, especially the kitchen and storage areas.
When should moving bins be delivered?
Most people book delivery about a week before moving day. Binsley delivers on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays, so pick the service day that lands 5 to 7 days before your move.
How many bins do I need for a full house?
About 20 bins for a 1 bedroom, 40 for a 2 to 3 bedroom, and 60 or more for a larger family home. Each bin holds 102 litres, roughly a medium moving box.
Book your moving bins
Delivered on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays across the Greater Hamilton area and surrounding areas. Pack at your own pace, then request pickup when you're done.
Keep reading
Room by room
How to pack a kitchen for moving
Plates on edge, glasses upright, pantry sealed — the order that prevents breakages.
Technique
How to pack fragile items so nothing breaks
The three-layer rule: cushion the base, isolate each item, fill every gap.
Planning
Apartment moving guide for the Greater Hamilton area
Elevators, stairwells and tight parking — planning a building move properly.