How to pack a garage for moving
Pack the garage for a move in the right order, from what the movers won't take to tools, yard gear and the boxes you'll want first.
The BoxTrack team · · 6 min read
The house was packed by Thursday. Then someone opened the garage door. Two shelves of paint cans, a mower with half a tank of gas, a propane grill, four bikes, a pegboard covered in tools and a corner of things nobody could name. The movers were coming Saturday at eight.
The garage is the room people leave for last, and it's the one that takes longest. It's full of heavy, oddly shaped things, and a good share of it can't legally go on a moving truck at all. Start it early, and work in the order below.
Start with what can't go on the truck
Movers turn away a set of items every time, and most of them live in the garage. North American Van Lines' list of non-transportable items includes gasoline, paints and paint thinners, propane cylinders, automotive chemicals, matches, fireworks and lithium batteries. Other large movers publish nearly the same list. Rental trucks are no different. Penske says its rental agreement bars flammable, explosive or otherwise hazardous materials, and that mowers and generators can only go in fully drained of gas and oil.
Propane tanks are the one people argue about. North American says movers won't take them even after they've been emptied. Take the tank off the grill and plan to give it away, return it through a tank-exchange program, or carry it separately if your own vehicle and local rules allow.
That leaves the half-used cans and bottles. The EPA's page on household hazardous waste says many communities run collection sites or collection days, and suggests calling your local solid waste agency to find one. It also says not to pour these products down the drain or on the ground, and not to mix leftovers together. Book the drop-off now, because some towns only collect once a month.
| Movers usually take it | What to do | |
|---|---|---|
| Gasoline, oil, antifreeze | ✗ | Use up, or take to a hazardous waste drop-off |
| Paint, thinner, stain | ✗ | Give away sealed cans; drop off the rest |
| Propane tanks, even empty | ✗ | Exchange, give away, or move them yourself where allowed |
| Pesticides, pool chemicals, fertilizer | ✗ | Hazardous waste drop-off |
| Lawn mower with an empty tank | ✓ | Drain the fuel first |
| Hand tools, bikes, sports gear | ✓ | Pack and label like any other box |
Drain the engines
North American's garage packing tips say to drain the gasoline from a lawn mower before moving day. It lists riding mowers, gas leaf blowers and snow blowers as things to check with your mover first. Run the engines dry outdoors, a few days before the truck comes, so the fumes are gone by the time they're loaded.
Cordless tools and e-bikes need a minute too. Lithium batteries are on the non-transportable list, so ask your mover how they want them handled, and carry the batteries in your own car if they won't take them.
Check outdoor items for spongy moth
This step surprises people moving out of the Northeast and upper Midwest. Parts of the country are under a federal quarantine for spongy moth (formerly called gypsy moth), whose egg masses ride along on outdoor items. If you move from a quarantined area to one that isn't, 7 CFR 301.45-4 requires the outdoor household articles to be inspected first.
The USDA flyer says the rule covers things like patio furniture, grills, bikes, toys, lawn equipment, trailers and vehicles. You can inspect them yourself or hire a certified applicator. Scrape off any egg masses, and destroy them in hot, soapy water or a sealed bag left in the sun. You fill in and sign the self-inspection checklist (PPQ 377), keep it in the moving vehicle in case officials ask for it, and USDA suggests keeping a copy for five years. The map at YourMoveSpongyMothFree.com shows whether your county is in the quarantine. USDA warns there may be penalties for skipping a required inspection.
Sort before you pack
Garages fill with duplicates: three tape measures, two leaf blowers, a box of extension cords. Pull everything off one wall at a time and make four piles: keep, sell, donate and trash. Our guide to downsizing before a move has a pace that works if the garage is big. A garage sale is a good way to clear the sell pile, and our free garage sale pricing guide helps put numbers on things.
Be honest about weight. On an interstate move, transportation is usually priced by weight, and the garage is where the heaviest, cheapest-to-replace things live: old bags of soil, a weight bench, scrap lumber, the second set of tires.
Packing the garage, item by item
Hand tools. Pack them in small boxes or a toolbox so the box stays liftable. Wrap anything sharp, like saws, chisels and pruners, in cardboard or a towel and tape it closed. Fill gaps with rags so nothing slides.
Power tools. Use the original cases if you still have them. Otherwise, remove blades and bits, bag them, and tape the bag to the tool or put it in the same box. Wind cords and secure them with a twist tie.
Long-handled tools. Rakes, shovels and brooms bundle well. Tape the handles together in two places, and wrap the metal ends.
Hardware. Screws, nails and bolts go in labeled zip bags inside one small, heavy box. Mark it heavy.
Bikes. Turn the handlebars sideways and remove the pedals if your mover asks. Wrap the chain side so grease doesn't reach anything else.
Sports and camping gear. Dry everything first. A tent packed damp comes out mildewed.
Shelving and pegboard. Take photos before you take things down. Put brackets and screws in a bag taped to the shelf they came from.
Label for the new garage
Garage boxes all look the same, and they tend to sit in the new garage for months. Label each one with what's inside, not just "garage," and with where it goes: workbench, yard, sports, holiday. Our guide to labeling moving boxes covers the details.
Pack one "first week" box on its own: a basic toolkit, a utility knife, a tape measure, an extension cord, a flashlight, a few trash bags and work gloves. You'll need it to put beds together and hang curtains long before you unpack the workbench.
Packing the garage, in order
- Four weeks outBook a hazardous waste drop-off and plan the garage sale
- Three weeks outSort one wall at a time into keep, sell, donate and trash
- Two weeks outHold the sale; check outdoor items for spongy moth if you need to
- The last weekDrain engines, pack tools and gear, label every box
- Moving dayLoad the first-week toolbox in your own car
Know what's in every box
Months after the move, someone will need the hedge trimmer or the tire pump, and it will be in one of twenty identical boxes stacked against the new garage wall.
BoxTrack keeps that list for you. Make a box in the app for each carton, snap a photo of what goes in, and AI lists the items. Print a QR label for every box, then scan it later to see what's inside, or search "tire pump" and the app tells you which box it's in. See how BoxTrack works for a move. Your first box is free.
Sources
- North American Van Lines, Non-transportable items
- North American Van Lines, Tips for packing your garage and storage
- Penske Truck Rental, Moving? Leave your hazardous materials behind
- US Environmental Protection Agency, Household hazardous waste
- USDA APHIS, It's the law: before moving, check for the spongy moth
- USDA APHIS, Spongy moth checklist and record of self-inspection (PPQ 377)
- eCFR, 7 CFR 301.45-4: Interstate movement of outdoor household articles from quarantined areas
This is general information, not legal or safety advice. Movers, rental companies and local waste programs set their own rules, so check with yours before moving day.
