7 Things to Pack in Your Overnight Moving Bag

By Chelsea Jackson on March 29, 2017

Whether you’re moving to a new apartment across the street or across the country, moving is a stressful time for everyone. When you aren’t packing your belongings from your current residence, you’re cleaning your soon-to-be-former apartment to ensure you get your deposit back. With all of the hassle of making sure all your personal items are accounted for and stuffed in boxes (or trash bags), it can be easy to overlook the merit of an overnight bag.

You may think it’s strange to pack an overnight bag when you’re moving into a new place; after all, you aren’t going on a weekend trip. All your possessions are traveling with you to your new destination. Regardless, it’s completely necessary to arrange a sufficient overnight bag, because it can be difficult to know where some of your essential items are packed away (even with the most coordinated packing system).

While it’s important to pack all of your belongings so you can move into your new abode, it can be easy to forget to pack an overnight bag, which is why it’s important that you formulate your overnight bag far in advance. Until you label your boxes with every single item in them, it can be virtually impossible.

1. Toiletries

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Once you get to your new apartment, it can be tiresome to try to scour a dozen boxes for your various toiletries. When you’re unpacking it can be regrettable to realize that you have no idea where you packed away your toilet paper.

Beyond toilet paper, it is important to include any cherished and imperative toiletry items in your overnight bag. Keeping your toothbrush and toothpaste tucked away in your bag might seem like a no-brainer, but you can’t forget to include other bathroom essentials, like feminine hygiene products, lotion, shampoo, and any prescriptions.

Make sure you also bundle your hand soap, face cleansers, body washes, a hand towel, a body towel, and anything else you might include in your skincare or hygiene regimen in your bag.

2. A change of clothes

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While you might know exactly where all your clothes are stored away, it can take a while to unpack and organize all your clothing. It’s important to pack a couple comfortable outfits, but make sure you aren’t worried about them getting dirty. After all, you will be moving a lot of objects, organizing, unpacking and doing a fair amount of cleaning. Likewise, it’s vital that you keep some pajamas close by so you can sleep snugly.

3. Phone charger

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Your phone might already be stuffed away in your pocket, but it’s important you don’t forget to pack your phone charger in your overnight bag. After all, what good will your cell phone do if its battery is drained?

4. Laptop

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You may be able to answer your emails and check in with friends and family from your smartphone; however, keeping your laptop handy in your overnight bag will help you complete any school work and tasks more efficiently. Likewise, packing your laptop in your overnight bag will assure it travels safely to your new home. In order to guarantee your electronics’ safety, you should pack any cameras, tablets, or gaming consoles in your overnight bag to secure them from any damages during your move.

Also, it’s important that you remember to include any chargers for your electronics in your bag.

5. Notebook

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Though you might not have time to complete a lot of journaling during your first few nights in your new address, a notebook and some pens can be extremely helpful for any move.

Bringing a notepad and a writing utensil in your overnight bag will allow you to jot down any important items that you might need in your new apartment. Plus, it will help you scribble down any notes about your new apartment. Whether there’s a hole in the wall or a stain in the carpet, it’s important to write these issues down in a journal so you can inform your landlord or apartment manager about them later. Although minor issues might not be amended by your apartment’s management, bringing up these items will make sure you don’t get charged for these scrapes and scuffs when you move out.

If you want to get really intricate with your notebook, you can also use your writing surface to sketch out your apartment’s floor plan and doodle in where your belongings should go. Whether you’re an aspiring interior decorator or not, this can be a great way to optimize the storage and floor space in your new pad.

6. Bedding

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Your pillows, fitted sheets, and blankets might be some of the most important items to pack in your overnight bag. Without your bedding, it could be incredibly difficult to fall asleep and stay asleep.

7. Snacks

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While you might elect to treat yourself to some takeout during your first night in your new apartment, it can become costly to survive on fast food and takeout, even if for only one night. Pack away some sandwich bags filled with snacks that don’t need to be refrigerated (in case you need to wait to plug in your mini fridge). Granola bars, apples, and trail mix are some additional fuss-free snacks to include in your overnight bag. Plus, they’ll keep you energized and motivated to set up your apartment.

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