How Long Does it Take to Pack a House?

According to data from the U.S. Census Bureau, about 12% of Americans move each and every year. That’s a lot of moving trucks! When it comes to moving: how prepared are you for yours? Here’s a few things you should know about how long this process will take.

The Gathering Process

Before any move, you’ll need to spend a lot of time packing up your things and making sure nothing gets left behind. It’s good to start this process way ahead of time — think six weeks or more, if possible. Once you get down to the last couple weeks you’ll have a lot going on, and you might be surprised how long it takes to pack up a room you think will be “fairly easy.” A four bedroom house, for example, may take you six full days to pack (and you’ll probably have to work!).

A general estimate on the number of full days spent packing that you’ll need:

  • Studio or one bedroom apartment: 1-2 days
  • Two bedroom apartment or home: 2-3 days
  • Three bedroom house: 3-5 days
  • Four bedroom house: 4-6 days
  • Five bedroom house: 5-7 days

Not surprisingly, it makes sense to assume you’ll need the maximum amount of estimated time — if you only plan for one day to move your studio apartment but it turns out you need two, you may find yourself in a bit of a time-crunch pickle.

Movers Do it Faster

Many people hire professional movers and never look back thanks to the time and energy it ends up saving. Movers, on average, need only between eight and twelve hours to pack up a four bedroom house. Here’s a handy guide to estimating how long your movers will need:

  • Studio or one bedroom apartment: 2-4 hours
  • Two bedroom apartment or home: 3-5 hours
  • Three bedroom home: 6-10 hours
  • Four bedroom home: 8-12 hours
  • Five bedroom home: 10-13 hours

Of course, these are just estimates. A minimalist household will speed up the moving process, while a cluttered household is going to take longer to pack up and move out.

Why We Recommend Using a Mover

Moving, along with death, divorce and job loss, is considered one of the most stressful life events. Delegating part of the moving process to a reliable company that specializes in moving will ultimately result in a better, less stressful experience for everyone. Not only are movers more quick and efficient, but they are also trained in handling large loads, diminishing the risk of injury.

Is your next move on the horizon? Contact us on our website or give us a call at 978-232-9190 for more information on how you should move forward.