Packing for a Jackson Hole move takes time, but it does not have to take over your life for two weeks. A methodical approach keeps it manageable and reduces the chance of damage on moving day. The two things that cause the most problems, rushed packing and weak materials, are both avoidable.
If you would rather hand the packing off entirely or get help with the parts that are difficult, We Lift Things offers full packing, partial packing, and materials supply for moves across Jackson Hole and Teton County. Either way, the tips below cover how to approach a pack that holds up through the move.
Start Early and Work in Priority Order
Start packing three to four weeks before moving day for a standard Jackson Hole move, and earlier for a larger home or a long-distance job. Begin with the things you use least: guest bedrooms, seasonal gear, books, decorative items, and anything in storage. Leave daily essentials, kitchen basics, and work equipment until the week before.
Packing in priority order means that if time runs short, what remains unpacked is the least critical. It also means the house stays functional while packing is in progress, which makes the weeks before a move considerably more liveable.
For moves out of Jackson Hole during winter, there is an additional consideration: electronics and instruments should not be left in an unheated space or packed into a cold truck without insulation. If your move is in late autumn or winter, pack temperature-sensitive items last and move them directly into a climate-controlled environment at the destination. Tell us when you book if this is a concern and we will plan accordingly.
Use Quality Materials
Weak boxes fail under weight, and in a place like Jackson Hole where moves often involve mountain roads and winter conditions, that matters more than most places. Investing in the right materials upfront is cheaper than dealing with damage later.
The basics:
- Double-walled boxes for heavy items: books, kitchen equipment, tools. Single-walled boxes compress under weight when stacked.
- Bubble wrap or packing paper for anything fragile. Newspaper works in a pinch but can transfer ink onto surfaces.
- Packing tape applied in at least two directions on the bottom of every box. A single strip along the seam is not enough for a loaded box.
- Cell dividers for glassware. These are purpose-built to stop glasses from contacting each other in transit and are worth using.
- Acid-free tissue or packing paper for artwork, photographs, and anything with a printed or painted surface.
We Lift Things can supply packing materials for your move. Ask when you book and we will confirm what is available and at what cost.
Label Every Box Clearly
Write the destination room on at least two sides of every box so it is visible regardless of how it is stacked or oriented on the truck. Add a brief contents note, not a full inventory, just enough to know whether a box needs to come off the truck on day one or can wait.
For fragile boxes, mark them on all four sides. A single label on the top is invisible once the box is in a stack. Marking all sides means anyone handling the box can see it needs care regardless of which way it is facing.
A numbered system works well for larger moves: number each box and keep a simple list on your phone of what is in each number. This makes locating a specific item at the destination much faster than opening multiple boxes to find it.
Pack Room by Room
Finish one room completely before moving to the next. Mixed boxes, where items from different rooms end up packed together, slow down unpacking significantly and almost always result from packing too quickly or leaving it too late.
One room at a time keeps the process traceable. If a box does not arrive or an item is missing, knowing which room it came from narrows the search immediately. It also makes the unpack at the other end much faster: boxes go to the right room and stay there.
Protect Fragile Items Properly
Each fragile item gets its own wrap, and in Jackson Hole where winter moves are common, that is especially true for glass and ceramics which become more brittle in cold temperatures. Do not rely on proximity to other wrapped items to provide protection. A wrapped glass next to another wrapped glass can still break if they impact each other hard enough in transit.
Fill all empty space in a fragile box with packing paper or peanuts before sealing it. A box with empty space allows contents to shift during transit, and shifting is where breakage happens. The box should feel solid when you shake it, not loose.
Glassware goes in cell dividers or is individually wrapped and packed upright, not on its side. Glasses are significantly more likely to break when packed on their sides because the rim is the weakest structural point.
For moves in Jackson Hole during winter, note that glass and ceramics become more brittle in cold temperatures. Items that would survive a bump in mild conditions may crack in cold ones. Pack fragile items with extra cushioning if the move involves extended time in cold conditions, and avoid leaving packed fragile boxes in an unheated vehicle or garage overnight.
Disassemble Large Items
Take apart beds, shelving units, wardrobes, and any other furniture that comes apart cleanly before moving day. Assembled furniture takes up more truck space, is harder to carry through doorways, and is more likely to be damaged in transit than flat-packed components.
Put all hardware, screws, bolts, and small parts in a labelled zip bag and tape it directly to the piece it belongs to. Do not put all hardware from multiple pieces of furniture into a single bag. The ten minutes spent labelling individual bags saves significant time at reassembly.
If you would rather we handle disassembly and reassembly, note that when you book. We factor it into the job plan and the time estimate.
Prepare an Essentials Box
Pack one box or bag with everything you will need on moving day and the first night in the new place. This is the one box that does not go in the truck first or get buried under everything else. It travels with you or comes off the truck last and goes somewhere immediately accessible.
What goes in it:
- Toiletries and a change of clothes for each person
- Phone chargers and any other essential cables
- Basic kitchen items: kettle, mugs, a few plates, cutlery
- Important documents, keys, and any medication
- Children or pet essentials if relevant
- Anything you would need if the rest of the boxes did not arrive until the following day
Mark it clearly on all sides. The first night in a new Jackson Hole home is much more manageable when this box is in your hands before anything else is unpacked.
Packing is the part of a move that most people underestimate, in time, in materials, and in how much difference the approach makes to the condition of things when they arrive. If you want help with any part of it, We Lift Things provides packing services alongside every move we handle in Jackson Hole and Teton County. Call us or request a quote and we can walk you through the options for your move.
