Your Moving Day Essentials Checklist: What to Keep With You

Most of the effort in a move goes into the big things — the lease, the movers, the boxes. But the thing that actually wrecks the first night is small: your phone charger, your toothbrush, and your medication are somewhere in the middle of a packed truck. The fix is one clearly labelled essentials box or bag that rides in your car, not on the truck. Here is what goes in it, plus what to do in the last day before the move and the first hour in the new place. If you haven't booked movers yet, how to book a move step by step covers what to have ready.

The First-Night Bag: Toiletries and Medication

Pack a small waterproof bag with enough to get every person in the household through the first night and morning:

A towel and washcloth each, toothbrushes and toothpaste, deodorant, soap or body wash, and any skincare you use daily
Toilet paper, hand soap, and hand sanitizer — the new place may have none, and the crew will need them too
All daily medication, inhalers, and anything for the kids in a clear zip pouch you carry yourself — never on the truck
A small first-aid kit: bandages, antiseptic, pain relief, tweezers

Power, Documents, and Cash

Chargers and a power bank. Phone and laptop cables plus a charged battery pack, so you can pull up your booking, check traffic, and reach the movers even if the new place has no power yet.
A documents folder you keep on you. ID, passports, the lease or closing papers, and anything from your bank. These never go in a moving box.
$50 to $100 in cash. Useful for a quick coffee run and for tipping the crew — $5 to $10 per mover per hour, or 10 to 15 percent of the labour total, is the norm in Vancouver.

Day-One Tools and Cleaning Kit

A basic toolkit: flathead and Phillips screwdrivers, a hammer, a box cutter, a tape measure, and Allen keys — enough to open boxes and put the bed frame back together the same night.
A cleaning caddy: all-purpose spray, paper towel, microfibre cloths, a broom, and a few heavy garbage bags. A quick wipe of the kitchen counters and bathroom before anything goes in makes the place feel yours.
A flashlight or LED lantern. Winter afternoons on the coast go dark early, and utility accounts sometimes don't switch over on schedule.

Food, Water, and Keeping the Crew Going

You won't want to cook or find the kettle on night one, and a fed, hydrated crew moves faster and handles your things more carefully. Keep on hand:

A case of water and a few reusable bottles, plus coffee or tea and a way to make it — instant, a French press, or a stop planned on the way
Snacks that don't need prep: granola bars, fruit, nuts, crackers. Offer some to the movers mid-morning.
A few disposable or camping plates, cups, and cutlery, paper towel, and a small bag for garbage
Dish soap, a sponge, and one pot or pan if you'll want a simple meal the first night
Pet food and bowls for the first day or two, packed with your bag, not on the truck

Seasonal Extras

Adjust the kit for the time of year:

Winter: a bag of salt or grit for the walk, an old towel or mat inside each door for slush, a second flashlight, and gloves. Keep electronics and anything liquid in the heated car, not the cold truck.
Summer: extra water and sunscreen for the crew, a fan for the first night before you find the box with the others, and a cooler for anything from the fridge.
Moving with young kids: a small bag each with a comfort toy, a change of clothes, snacks, and a charged tablet or headphones, plus their bedding packed so it's the first thing out.

What Goes Where on Moving Day

Group	What's in it	How to pack it	Where it rides
Medical and hygiene	Medication, first aid, towels, toiletries	Clear waterproof zip bag	Front seat of your car
Power and connectivity	Phone and laptop cables, power bank	Small tech pouch	On you, or the front seat
Documents and cash	ID, passports, lease or closing papers, tip cash	A folder or portfolio you carry	On you at all times
Day-one tools and cleaning	Screwdrivers, box cutter, cleaner, cloths, bags, flashlight	An open crate you can grab fast	Loaded last in your trunk

The Day Before

Confirm the arrival window with your movers, and the elevator booking and parking at both buildings.
Finish packing — everything sealed and labelled by room. Movers bill their own packing time at the full rate.
Set aside the essentials box and load it in your car so it doesn't get swept onto the truck.
Charge every phone and the power bank overnight.
Defrost and drain the fridge if it's coming with you; empty and dry the kettle and any water filters.
Set up a closed, quiet room for pets with their food, water, and a favourite toy, and plan to move them in your own car.

The First Hour in the New Place

Walk through with your phone and photograph every room before anything comes in — walls, floors, fixtures — for the condition inspection.
Confirm the power, water, and heat are on. If the power isn't active, call BC Hydro at 1-800-224-9376; the outage line runs 24/7.
Find the essentials of the building: the breaker panel, the main water shutoff, the thermostat, the hot water tank, and the internet router or jack. Note where they are before the boxes pile up.
Wipe down the kitchen and bathroom, then direct boxes to the right rooms as they come off the truck — it is far faster than moving them twice.
Set up one working bathroom (paper, soap, a towel, a bath mat) and the kitchen sink area first.
Make the beds. However late it gets, a made bed is the difference between a rough first night and a fine one.

From there, work room by room in order of daily need — smart unpacking tips lays out the full sequence and what to leave packed.

Related guides

Frequently Asked Questions

What should I keep with me and not put on the moving truck?

Medication and first aid, phone and laptop chargers plus a power bank, all your ID and legal documents, tip cash, a change of clothes and toiletries for the first night, and a basic toolkit. Everything else can go on the truck.

Who do I call if the power isn't on at my new home?

BC Hydro Customer Service at 1-800-224-9376. Regular support runs weekdays roughly 7 a.m. to 8 p.m. and Saturdays 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.; the outage reporting line is 24/7. Set up your account transfer a week or two ahead to avoid the gap.

Where can I drop off moving boxes and broken furniture in Vancouver?

Clean cardboard and household junk go to the Vancouver South Transfer Station at 377 West Kent Avenue North. The Vancouver Zero Waste Centre on Yukon Street takes residential recyclables free of charge. See the Metro Vancouver recycling depot list for other locations.

How do I keep pets calm on moving day?

Set up a quiet room in the old home with their crate, food, and a familiar toy, and keep the door shut until the truck is loaded. Move them in your own vehicle, and give them a similar closed room at the new place before you start unloading.

How much should I tip movers?

Tipping is optional but common for a job done well: $5 to $10 per mover per hour, or 10 to 15 percent of the labour total, split among the crew, in cash on the day.

Sources

BC Hydro — customer service and outage reporting lines, 2026
City of Vancouver — Vancouver South Transfer Station and Zero Waste Centre, materials accepted and hours, 2026
Canadian moving-industry tipping guidance — standard mover gratuity ranges, 2026

Book Your Move with Tingsapp

Your essentials box covers the first night. For the move itself, Tingsapp gives you a fixed upfront price from your inventory — no hourly guesswork — with vetted movers across Metro Vancouver and the Fraser Valley. Get a quote and book. For the full run-up to the day, see the moving checklist for BC residents, how to prepare your home for movers, and how to move fragile items.