Packing for a remodel is different from packing for a move
When you move, everything leaves at once and arrives somewhere new. When you remodel, one or two rooms shut down while you keep living in the rest of the house for weeks or months. That changes what gets packed, how it is labeled and where boxes go.
We pack only what has to come out, in an order that matches your contractor's schedule. Boxes are labeled with the room, the contents and whether you might need them during construction, so you can find the stockpot or the spare towels without opening ten boxes.
Kitchen remodels: setting up a temporary kitchen
A kitchen remodel is the hardest room to live without. Before demolition, we pack the cabinets and pantry and set up a temporary kitchen somewhere else in the house, often a dining room, laundry room, casita kitchenette or a corner of the family room.
Our guide to packing a kitchen for a move covers techniques that apply here, too.
- A small set of dishes, cups and utensils for each person
- The coffee maker, microwave, toaster oven or air fryer
- A bin of pantry staples and snacks
- A dish tub, soap and towels for washing up
- Paper goods and trash bags
- Labeled boxes of everything else, stored out of the construction zone
Dust and heat: protecting packed belongings in the desert
Construction dust combines with fine desert dust to find its way into everything. We use sealed boxes and lidded bins for linens, clothing and anything with fabric, and we keep packed items well away from the work area.
The garage seems like the obvious place for the boxes, but in Las Vegas summer it can get hot enough to damage candles, wine, photos, electronics, cosmetics and canned or packaged food. We help you choose a cooler spot indoors for heat-sensitive boxes. Our article on what not to store in a Las Vegas garage lists the categories to keep inside.
A remodel is the perfect time to edit
Since every item is coming out of the room anyway, it is the easiest moment to decide what deserves to go back. Mismatched containers, unused gadgets, expired spices and products you have not opened in years can be donated or discarded before they are packed.
You make the decisions. Up to a carload of the castoffs can leave with us once the packing session is over. Options in the valley include Goodwill of Southern Nevada and the Habitat for Humanity Las Vegas ReStore, which also accepts some building materials and fixtures.
After construction: unpacking into the new space
When the dust settles, we unpack and organize the remodeled room with a plan built for its new layout. New drawers might mean new dividers; a bigger pantry might mean a new zone system. Our post-renovation home organization page explains that stage.
If you work with an interior designer, we can coordinate with them on the organizing plan and products. See our page on organizing services for interior designers.
Cost of pre-renovation packing
A single room, such as a bathroom or a small kitchen, often fits a four-hour session starting around $600. Large kitchens, multiple rooms or whole-home remodels usually need a full day or more, and a typical full-day packing project starts around $1,800.
We bring packing materials such as boxes, tape and wrapping paper. Organizing products for the finished space are added only when the plan calls for them.
