The Most Important Box: Moving Day Survival Kit
When moving day arrives, you will have many tasks to complete. Your brain may be working in overdrive and feel pulled in several directions. To help calm the chaos of moving day, pack a Moving Day Survival Kit a week before you move.
What is a Moving Day Survival Kit?
It’s a box, bin, or suitcase full of items you will need last at your old home and first at your new home. After all boxes are moved out of your old home, there will be a few last-minute tasks you will need to complete, like cleaning. A Moving Day Survival Kit will be your last box on the moving truck. I always tell the movers to load this box last, so it is the first box to come off the truck at our new house.
It will also be the first box unloaded off of the moving truck. It can become chaotic when boxes are initially taken off the moving truck. So, having your Moving Day Survival Kit and labeling it “Open First” will save you time on your first day at your new home. With your Moving Day Survival Kit, you won’t be looking around for things like linens, meal prep items, or toiletries– items you typically use on your first day or night at your new home.
What do I put in a kit?
A Moving Day Survival Kit differs from a Do Not Move Box, where you keep valuables and essential documents. A Moving Day Survival Kit is full of things needed on the first few days at your new home- the essentials you can have to avoid multiple last-minute trips to the store.
Each household’s Moving Day Survival Kit will look different based on your needs. Below is a list of items categorized by room that we’ve used for our moves. I can’t tell you how many last-minute trips we avoided by having these items on hand, in the first box, unloaded from the moving truck. This kit saved us so much time and money.
Over the years, our Moving Day Survival Kits have included the following items at some point.
For the Kitchen
- Bottled water
- Cups
- Dish Soap
- Dish Towels
- Paper Towels
- Plates
- Pot
- Skillet
- Snacks
- Spatula
- Sponges
- Trash Can Liners
- Utensils
- Wooden Spoon
For the Bathroom
- Bath Towels
- Cleaning Rags
- Cleaning Supplies
- Facial Tissues
- First Aid Kit
- Hand Soap
- Toilet Paper
- Toiletries
For the Bedroom
- Bedding
- Cell Phone Charger
- Candles
- Matches
- Outfit for Each Person for 3 Days
For the Office
- Computer Accessories needed for work-related tasks
- Computer Charger
- Markers
- Paper
- Pens
- Planner
For the Kids
- Bibs
- Blanket or Lovey
- Bluetooth Speaker
- Books
- Diapering Supplies
- Games
- Sippy Cup
- Toilet Seat Cover
For the Moving Tasks
- Box Cutter
- Door Stopper
- Drill
- Masking Tape
- Moving Binder
- Standard Tool Kit
- Stud Finder
- Tape Measure
Save yourself time, energy, and money, and put together a Moving Day Survival Kit for your family to keep things simple those first few days in your new home. If you’re looking for moving supplies, check out the Move Mama Move Amazon Storefront for a list of items that I’ve used and loved for moving.
Wanting to stay organized during the moving process? Check out the Move Mama Move Relocation Planners to keep you on top of it all. Subscribe (in the sidebar →) to Move Mama Move, and you will receive a special offer on items in Move Mama Move’s shop, including the Relocation Planners.
Love this simple, easy-to-follow, and SUPER USEFUL graphic!! Thanks for sharing:)
Thank you, Liza!
Great tips! Moving is awful and stressful and definitely a good idea to be organized.
Thanks, Lora. Organization is the key!
Great tips..this will help make moving so much easier for so many people!!
Thanks, Holly!
I hate moving days, but I love your checklist, I think things would go a lot smoother this way!
Thanks, Kristen.
I love a good checklist! This is so helpful. Moving can be so stressful so whatever helps to stay organized is great!
Thanks, Jill.
Thank you so much for this. I have to move soon. I love the survival kit! It’s very creative and useful!
Thanks, Brianna. Good luck with your next move!
Loved your graphic – and all the great tips!
Thank you, Jen!
I became an expert at moving in my 20s. This is excellent!
Thanks, Tricia.
Perfect! you covered everything. Moving is stressful enough without having to search for something you need.
Thanks, Karen. So true!
That is a great infographic so useful!
Thanks, Lisa!
What a great graphic with important reminders. So easy to forget things when your mind is cluttered with a huge to do list!
That’s so true, Suzan. I agree it is easy to forget things, so this box can be so helpful!
What a great list! I’ve moved so many times and this list would have saved me hours of digging through boxes looking for things! Thanks!
Thanks, Robin!
YASSS!! We did something similar the last time we moved and it was a lifesaver! The other thing we considered a must have in the kitchen box were mugs and coffee supplies.
Oh good idea!! We don’t drink coffee in our house… I know we are weird… but that is a good idea for other folks too!
Great list. I’m sure most people don’t think about this at all. I would say, make sure you don’t misplace your tool box, you’re going to need it! My stuff had been in storage for 6 months, and the movers literally “misplaced” my box. I had to go out and buy all those items in order to get my place set up. It sucked.
Thanks, Maria. I agree, the toolbox is so important when moving… good reminder to keep an eye on it. Sorry you had to go through that.
I’ve moved a lot and never thought about doing this. Such a great thought and good items to remember. Thank you for sharing.
Thank you, Lisa. You’re welcome for sharing.
Such great ideas. I wish I had seen this a few months ago when my parents made a big move. My mom was pretty organized but I’m sure she could’ve used a little extra help.
Thanks, Sonia. I hope your mom’s move was uneventful 🙂
I wish I had this checklist when we moved 2 years ago! We thought we had planned well, but then our moving day turned into a complete circus.
Honestly, no matter how prepared you are, it always feels like a circus. Right, Tracy?
I packed many of these supplies to be opened first during our many military moves, except for the food and water. I also shopped first thing in the morning on delivery day for sandwich supplies so we’d have an easy, no-cookware-required lunch. I also picked up a small pack of disposable bowls/plates and plasticware for breakfast and lunch the next day. Planning ahead always made me feel like it went more smoothly. Those weren’t our healthiest meals, but they got us through. LOL
Great ideas, Eva!
Great thoughts. For our last move, we were just going across town, so I kind of did the same thing, except most of this great list was in our car for the 20 minute trip across town and it was all unloaded first and unpacked and put away before anything else arrived. It saved my sanity!!!!!!
Aw that’s great to hear, Karla! It helps to be prepared.
Love these tips – I did pin this for later!
Thank you!
What a helpful info graphic! And a great idea to load this box last so it comes off the truck first.
Thanks, Cindy!
What a great tool. This would have come in handy the hast time we moved.
Thank you, Pauline!