Start the garage three to four weeks before moving day. It takes longer than any room in the house. Sort everything into keep, sell, and dispose. Get rid of anything flammable or corrosive, because moving companies won’t load gasoline, propane, paint thinner, or pool chemicals. Drain the fuel from mowers and other gas-powered tools. Ship the car separately, which usually costs about $0.64 to $0.88 a mile on a long move.
Key Takeaways
- Long-distance movers usually price by weight, and garages are full of heavy things.
- Hazardous materials have to be used up, given away, or dropped off at a disposal site.
- Don’t use the car as a storage box. It should travel empty.
Why the Garage Always Takes the Longest
Most people pack the garage last because it feels the least personal. Then moving week arrives, and they find a workbench, three ladders, half-used paint cans from four different rooms, and a lawn mower with a full tank.
Garages fill up slowly and empty slowly. Everything in them is either heavy, awkward, dirty, or flammable, and sometimes all four. And since interstate movers usually charge by weight, every bag of old fertilizer and every rusty toolbox you bring costs money.
Give it more time than you think you need. Three to four weeks is a comfortable start for a full two-car garage.
Step One: Sort Before You Pack
Pull everything out onto the driveway on a dry weekend, if you can. It’s easier to make decisions when you can see it all at once.
Then split it into three groups.
Keep. Tools you use, sports gear, seasonal decorations you actually put up, anything sentimental.
Sell or give away. Duplicate tools, the second pressure washer, bikes nobody rides, exercise equipment that’s been a coat rack for a year. Garage sales and local marketplace groups move this stuff quickly, especially big items like snow blowers if you’re heading somewhere warm.
Dispose. Anything broken, expired, or that a mover won’t take.
Be honest about the middle group. If you haven’t touched it in two years, the new garage probably doesn’t need it either.
What Movers Won’t Take
This is where people get surprised on moving day. Interstate movers follow federal rules on hazardous materials, and most have their own lists on top of that. Expect them to refuse:
- Gasoline, kerosene and lighter fluid
- Propane tanks, including the one on the grill
- Paint thinner, solvents, and oil-based paints.
- Pool chemicals and bleach
- Fertilizer, weed killer and pesticides
- Aerosol cans
- Car batteries
Use up what you can before the move. Give the rest to a neighbor who’ll actually use it. Whatever’s left goes to your city or county’s household hazardous waste drop-off. Most areas have one, and many hold collection days a few times a year. Don’t pour anything down a drain or into the trash.
Latex paint is a slightly different case. Many areas accept it once it’s dried out, but rules vary, so check your local guidance.
Getting Gas-Powered Equipment Ready
Lawn mowers, leaf blowers, trimmers, chainsaws, and generators all need prep before a mover will load them.
Run the engine until the tank is empty, or drain the fuel into an approved container and dispose of it properly. Some movers also ask you to drain the oil, so check with yours. Disconnect the spark plug on mowers, clean off grass and dirt, and wrap any blades.
If you’re moving to a place with a smaller yard, or to a condo, this is a good time to ask whether you need the mower at all.
Packing Tools Without Wrecking Them
Hand tools are small but heavy. Pack them in small boxes so nobody can overload one, and fill the gaps with towels or rags so nothing shifts.
Power tools are easier if you keep the original cases. If not, wrap each one in moving blankets or bubble wrap and remove batteries and bits. Label the boxes with what’s inside and which room or shelf they go to.
Long-handled tools like rakes, shovels, and brooms can be bundled together with tape or stretch wrap. Ladders usually go on the truck as-is.
Bolted-down workbenches and shelving need to come apart. Put screws and brackets in a labeled zip bag and tape it to the largest piece.
What to Do With the Car
The car is the biggest thing in most garages, and on a long move it’s usually the last thing people plan for.
You’ve got two options. Drive it, which on a cross-country move means four or five days on the road and another couple of thousand miles on the odometer. Or ship it.
Car shipping for a long-distance move typically costs about $0.64 to $0.88 a mile on an open trailer. That’s roughly $700 from New York to Chicago, $1,100 from Chicago to Miami, and $1,800 from Los Angeles to New York. Most cars arrive within one to two weeks, depending on distance.
A few things to know if you go that route:
The car should travel empty. It’s tempting to fill the trunk with garage stuff, but personal items aren’t allowed inside during transport, and they wouldn’t be covered by insurance even if a driver let them through. Pack those things with the rest of the move.
Leave about a quarter tank of gas. More just adds weight.
Take the garage door opener and toll tag out of the car. Leave the opener for the new owners and cancel or move the toll account.
Photograph the car on all sides before pickup. The driver will note its condition on a form called the Bill of Lading, and you’ll check it against the same form at delivery.
Book one to two weeks ahead, and try to have the car arrive a day or two after you do, so you’re there to receive it.
The Last Day in the Garage
Once the truck pulls away, sweep the floor and check the corners, rafters, and the shelf above the door. That’s where the extension cords, spare keys, and the one box of Christmas lights always end up.
Leave the garage door remotes on the kitchen counter for the new owners, along with any paint you’re leaving for touch-ups, labeled with the room it matches. It’s a small thing, and they’ll notice.
FAQ
How early should I start packing the garage?
Three to four weeks before the move for a full garage. Earlier if you plan to hold a garage sale.
Will movers take my lawn mower?
Usually, if the fuel tank is empty, some movers also ask you to drain the oil.
Can I pack things in my car if I’m shipping it?
No. Personal items aren’t allowed in the car during transport and aren’t covered by insurance.
What happens to propane tanks when I move?
Movers won’t take them. Use them up, give them away, or exchange them before you go.
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