Last-minute packing: how to pack in a few days

1st Choice Packaging · Updated 10 November 2026

If you're moving in a few days and haven't started, don't panic. Order everything you need in one go today, pack the rooms you use least first, and keep one box of essentials aside. With supplies ready and two people, a 2 bed home can often be packed in two long days.

Today: get your supplies sorted

• Order everything at once. Running out of tape at midnight wastes hours. A moving kit sized for your home has boxes, tape, paper and bubble wrap together. Order by 12pm (Mon–Fri) for next working day delivery.
• Get a tape gun. It's several times faster than tearing tape by hand. See tape gun dispenser.
• Book help. A friend for one evening doubles your pace.

Day 1: the rooms you use least

• Loft, spare room, garage, books, ornaments, out-of-season clothes.
• Don't sort as you go. Decluttering is slow: pack it now, sort it after the move.
• Label every box on two sides with the room and a few words. See how to label moving boxes.

Day 2: kitchen and living room

• Leave out one plate, cup and set of cutlery each. Pack the rest. Our kitchen packing guide covers plates and glasses.
• Clothes on hangers go straight into wardrobe boxes with hanging rail, the fastest job of the lot.

The last night

• Pack an "open first" box: kettle, mugs, tea, phone chargers, toilet roll, toiletries, medication, bedding, basic tools.
• Strip beds and bag mattresses. See mattress bag, double or king.
• Keep documents, keys and valuables with you, not in the van.

Packing tip: Fill boxes to the top. Half-empty boxes crush when stacked, and loose items rattle about. Scrunched paper fills the gaps.

Questions