How to Pack a Garage for Moving

Steps for packing a garage

Follow these steps to pack your garage for a move:

1. Declutter and sort items

If possible, start four to six weeks before your move by emptying the garage in sections and sorting everything into three piles: keep, donate (or sell) and discard. “Every item you eliminate now saves you time, effort and moving costs later,” Friedman emphasized.

If you’re stuck between deciding whether you should keep an item or get rid of it, consider this rule of thumb from Paul Giordano, owner of Ontrack Moving, an asset-based moving company operating in California and Arizona: “If you haven’t used an item in years and it has no clear purpose in the next home, donate or dispose of it before the move.”

2. Determine (and gather) necessary packing supplies

Once you’ve sorted your garage items, group what’s left by category, such as tools, sports gear, seasonal items or yard equipment. This will give you an idea of what containers and protective materials you need before buying anything, and how much of each. A garage with mostly hand tools needs different supplies than one packed with large power equipment and appliances.

See the “Garage packing supplies and boxes” section below for a full breakdown by item type.

3. Set aside hazardous items for disposal

Before packing a single box, pull out anything movers can’t legally transport. This includes gasoline, propane tanks, paint, solvents, fertilizers and other flammable or pressurized materials.

See the “Hazardous garage items movers cannot take” section below for details.

4. Pack tools and small hardware safely

Be sure to give tools a good wipe-down before anything goes into a box. Grease and grime can transfer to, and damage, other items.

Giordano recommended packing anything oily or sharp in plastic totes or bins with locking lids instead of cardboard boxes. Plastic bins are sturdier and keep loose hardware from rattling around.

Pack tool chests, compressors and other heavy equipment into their own containers first. Those boxes go onto the truck before anything else.

5. Bundle long tools and bulky items

“Grills, outdoor furniture and power equipment often require wrapping, padding or partial disassembly,” Friedman noted, so try to build extra time into your final week before loading day if you have any of these items. Bundle lumber, or long-handled things such as rakes and shovels, and secure them together rather than trying to box them. This makes them easier to load and less likely to shift in the truck.

6. Label boxes and plan the loading order

Garages tend to have more miscellaneous items than other rooms in the house, which makes labeling critical. Marking the contents on every box before the moving crew arrives can speed up unloading and take the guesswork out of setting up your new garage.

Friedman also advised planning your load order in advance. If the stuff from your garage goes on the truck last, heavy items are readily accessible when you reach your destination.

Garage packing supplies and boxes

“Plastic bins are useful for tools, hardware and heavy equipment because they can handle weight better and protect contents from moisture or grease,” Friedman said. For everything else, match the box size to the weight of what you’re packing. How much packing material you need depends on your garage size and how much stuff you have after decluttering.

Use this table as a reference when building your supply list before moving day:

Hazardous garage items movers cannot take

Most moving companies won’t touch flammable, explosive or corrosive materials, and the garage is where those items typically live. Under federal safety regulations and industry standards, these materials can’t travel on moving trucks, so identifying them early in your packing timeline is critical.

Moving trucks experience temperature changes, vibration and pressure shifts during transit, which can cause chemical containers to leak or pressurized cans to rupture. “Both scenarios could become serious safety risks for the crew and for the entire shipment,” Friedman warned.

Not everything in your garage needs to stay behind, though. Movers will take lawn mowers, chainsaws and other gas-powered equipment if you’ve drained the oil and fuel from them first. For anything on the prohibited list, call your local municipality or public works department to find a hazardous waste collection day or drop-off facility.

Here are the most common prohibited items found in garages, organized by category:

Flammables

• Gasoline
• Motor oil
• Paint and paint thinners
• Lighter fluid
• Charcoal

Explosives and ammunition

• Fireworks
• Ammunition
• Propane tanks

Corrosives and chemicals

• Acids
• Pool chemicals
• Antifreeze
• Pesticides
• Fertilizers
• Cleaning chemicals

Pressurized items

• Aerosol cans
• CO2 canisters

Other

• Car batteries

Warning:

Attempting to load prohibited items isn’t worth the risk. If something goes wrong, your moving insurance likely won’t cover the damage. And under federal hazardous materials transportation law, violations can result in penalties of up to $102,348 per incident.

Packing tools, equipment and garage appliances

With supplies in hand and hazardous items out of the way, you can focus on packing.

Pack hand tools and toolboxes

“If hand tools are already in a toolbox, leave them there and secure the drawers or lid,” Friedman suggested. “This keeps everything organized and makes unpacking much easier.” Wrap loose hand tools individually in packing paper or bubble wrap. Cover sharp edges, such as saw blades, pruners and shears, to prevent puncturing boxes or injuring anyone handling them.

Pack power tools and batteries

Power tools need a little extra prep before the move. Remove batteries, pack them separately from the tools themselves and tie up loose cords so nothing tangles during transport.

“If you have the original packaging, that’s often the best option because it’s designed to protect the tool,” Friedman noted. If you don’t have original packaging, wrap tools in bubble wrap and pack them snugly in small boxes to prevent shifting.

Bundle garden tools and sharp edges

Long-handled garden tools like rakes and shovels don’t fit in standard boxes. Bundle four to six of them together, alternating head-to-handle. Secure the bundle with rope or zip ties and wrap metal heads in bubble wrap or moving blankets. Stand bundles upright along the truck wall rather than laying them flat, where they could shift.

Prepare grills, mowers and fuel equipment

Grills and outdoor furniture often need partial disassembly before the move. “Folding down grill shelves or separating table legs can make these items much easier to transport,” Friedman said. For fuel-powered equipment such as lawn mowers, trimmers and generators, remember to drain the fuel and oil ahead of time.

Protect refrigerators, freezers and washers

If you have a refrigerator or freezer in your garage, start by wiping down the interior. Empty, defrost and allow the appliances plenty of time to dry, as moisture can cause mold or damage in transit.

If you have a washing machine in your garage, you should disconnect and secure hoses, and run a short spin cycle to remove remaining water 24 hours before your move.

“Movers typically wrap these appliances in thick moving blankets to prevent dents and scratches,” said Friedman. Secure doors with stretch wrap to keep them from swinging open during loading.

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