What Are My Essentials? Room-by-Room Resource List

Your move is right around the corner and you’re making the last mad dash to pack. But wait, have you packed with a plan for your first week in your new home in mind? The first week after you move can feel chaotic, but if you separate your essentials to be packed last and unpacked first, you can ensure your new house is livable as soon as possible. 

What are your essentials? The items that you need and use on a daily basis. These are the items that absolutely must come out of your boxes as soon as you arrive or your first week in your new home is going to prove very difficult. You might already have some items in mind, but forgetting a few essentials is typical for stressed-out movers. Before you declare packing done and start loading your truck, think about what you’re going to need for your first week in your new home and pack those items into designated essentials boxes.

All My Sons Moving & Storage has been in the business of helping companies and families make a smooth relocation for almost 30 years. We know the stress of hunting through a dozen boxes looking for something you need all too well, and we want to empower our customers with the tips and tricks that will make moving easier. A well-organized move is an efficient move, and setting aside your essentials is one crucial step to organization. 

Make settling into your new home a breeze and use this resource list to pack those essentials.

Designate boxes to carry essentials for every room that contains them. Make your move more efficient and follow these special tips when you set aside your essentials. 

• Create a Moving Inventory: Unpacking will feel much more manageable if you know exactly what’s in all your boxes. Create a moving inventory for your household and include the items that are in essentials boxes. In lieu of a full moving inventory, label your boxes with as much detail as possible.

• Use Special Colored Tape: Essentials will be easy to spot if you use special colored tape for their boxes. You’ll be able to identify boxes at a glance and make sure they get delivered to the correct area. 

• Load Essentials Boxes Last: Some of the items in your essentials boxes you will use up until the morning of your move. Pack these boxes last and put them onto the moving truck last. 

• Unload Essentials Boxes First: The flipside of loading essentials last, you should get them off the truck first. Once essentials are off the truck and in their designated rooms, you’ll be able to unpack them efficiently instead of hunting for them in a box maze.

You may have essentials in other rooms of your home, but these are the common staples in many households.

Bedroom

Your bed is an essential piece of furniture and you should have it reassembled as soon as you are able. Once the bed is assembled and in place, these are the other essential items you might want to unpack first.

• Sheets: You could set up a blanket on the mattress and call it a day, but getting the bed made will make your new place feel like home from the very first night.

• Pillows: Have somewhere to rest your head at the end of moving day.

• Pajamas: You’ll need something to sleep in during the first night at your new home, make sure you have your pajamas with your essentials.

• Clothes for 2-3 Days: Pack some weather-appropriate clothes that can last until you’re able to unload the rest of your clothes.

Kitchen

Moving week might mean takeout, but dinner at your new place could be a possibility if you get your kitchen essentials unpacked and your first grocery run completed. 

• Food: Your movers will not move perishable food, but if you choose to move some food yourself, it needs to be unloaded as soon as you reach your new place. Stash anything that needs to go in the fridge or freezer and populate your pantry.

• Coffee Maker: If you are a person who cannot function until you’ve had your caffeine fix then the morning after your move will be bleak indeed unless you unload your coffee machine as soon as possible.

• Silverware: You’ll need utensils to eat with when you reach your new home, unpack the silverware organizer first.

• Plates: Keep your standard plates with your essentials so that you can celebrate dinner in your new home as soon as possible. 

• Napkins: In case of a post-move food mess, have your napkins ready in your kitchen.

Bathroom

The box of bathroom essentials should probably come out first, especially if anyone needs to make a pitstop before carrying on with the unpacking.

• Soap: You’ll need a way to wash your hands. Have some soap in your bathroom essentials.

• Toilet Paper: Load up the toilet paper roll so that the bathroom is up and operational when you move in.

• Toothpaste and Toothbrush: Moving doesn’t mean you should skip your dental hygiene routine. Take care of your teeth and make sure your new bathroom is stocked with these.

• Towels: Include hand towels and one set of bath towels for drying off after hand washing and showering.

• Shower Curtain: Chances are your new home did not come equipped with one of these. Make sure there’s one handy in your essentials stash so you can enjoy a post-move shower.

• Shampoo and Conditioner: You’ll need to be able to wash your hair during your post-move shower so unpack these essentials too.

• Medications: We recommend you keep these in an essentials and emergencies bag and not in a box, but once you reach your new home you should stock up the medicine cabinet.

Living Room

Your living room might not contain too many items you think of as essential, but getting the living room set up could make the entire unpacking process easier. 

• Couch: If the bed isn’t available, you will need somewhere to crash when the moving fatigue gets to be too much. Have your movers position your couch where you want before they leave.

• Television: Having the TV on during your unpacking might make the process less dull. If a binging-unpacking session is your plan, pack the TV with the essentials and get it set up pronto.

• Phone Charger: Put your charger in its designated spot early so you can charge your phone during unpacking.

Home Office

Your home office might contain essentials if you work from home. Will you need to be reporting in soon? Get your home office set up with these essentials.

• Internet Router: Connection is crucial to most home office spaces. Make sure your internet is set up soon.

• Desk: You’ll need somewhere to get that work done. Have your movers position your office desk where you want before they leave. 

• Computer: Mark your computer box as essential and get that gizmo set up immediately to get back to work. 

Kids Rooms

If you have children, they should have their own essentials boxes. Make sure the kids’ rooms are set to go just the same as your bedroom. 

• Sheets: Little Timmy will need somewhere to cozy up tonight. Put your children’s bed sheets in an essentials box and make the beds are soon as you are able.

• Pillows: Your child can’t rest their head and dream of space without their favorite astronaut pillow. Give your little adventurer their best pillow for the night after the move.

• Favorite Toys: Cuddle buddies, dolls, and action figures that your child rarely parts with should be packed with the essentials. 

• Kids Pajamas: The princess nightgown and dinosaur onesie should go in the essentials.

• Kid’s Clothes for 2-3 Days: Make sure your children have weather-appropriate apparel for the next few days.

Bonus: Pet Essentials

Your furry companion is an important member of the family. When packing the essentials, don’t forget about the needs of your four-legged babies. 

• Food and Water Bowls: Dog, cat, bird, rodent, or reptile, whatever creature inhabits your home and your heart, you absolutely need to feed them. Make sure your pet has a space to get their nutrition and hydration immediately. 

• Litter Box: When Mr. Kibble’s gotta go, he needs somewhere to go. Set up the litter box in its chosen location before you release your cat into your new home.

• Food Bags: Back to how it’s crucial you feed your pet. Put some pet food in those essentials boxes so your meowing or barking friend can eat when you get to your new home. Or just make a pet store run as soon as you reach your new home.

• Treats: Moving is stressful for your pet too. Give them a few treats to let them know what a good pet they’ve been. 

• Pet Toys: Fido needs to be able to burn off some energy. Put your pet’s favorite toys in their essentials box so they can get back to play in the new home.

• Scratching Posts: Her distinguished highness Ms. Purr needs space to dig her claws when she officially resides in your new home. To save your furniture, set up the scratching post as soon as possible.

The best way to get settled into your new home quickly is to pack with unpacking in mind. Separate your essentials from the rest of the pack and make sure they get off the moving truck first. With your essentials unloaded and in place, your new home will be up and running. You can unpack the rest of your items at your leisure.

Moving soon? Why not trust the official movers of the Miami Dolphins and the Dallas Cowboys and book your move with All My Sons Moving & Storage? Our team can handle all the heavy lifting so you can focus all your energy on enjoying your new home. Call your local All My Sons Moving & Storage location or get your quote online to get started on your seamless relocation.