Packing

1.) Give yourself plenty of time
It’s easy to fall victim to the temptation to put packing and organizing off until the last minute. The best piece of advice we can give you regarding this is: DON’T! Give yourself as much time as you feel is necessary to get everything packed in an orderly fashion. You should start packing at least three to four weeks before your scheduled move date (longer if you have an above average amount of possessions to move.)

2.) Pack one room at a time
Choose a single room to pack first, and pack it slowly and carefully. Do not move on to another room until the first room is finished. Above all, do not attempt to pack your entire home at once. Go at a leisurely pace; this will help to ensure that all boxes are labeled properly, and will reduce the likelihood of anything important getting misplaced.

3.) Mark all boxes specifically
On each box, write a list of what the box contains on its side (in permanent marker.) Also, write the name of the room to which the movers will be taking the box (“master bedroom,” “kitchen,” etc.) on each of the box’s sides, including the top. This will alleviate a lot of confusion, and will help to make sure the boxes are where they need to be when it’s time to unpack.

4.) Put all key necessities in places where they are easy to retrieve
It’s extremely important to pack all of your necessities (like toiletries, TV remotes, and anything else you’ll want to find quickly) in a manner that makes their retrieval as simple as possible. You may even want to consider packing these types of items in their own boxes.

Moving

1.) Transport sensitive items and equipment yourself.
Never put financial records, computer equipment or other important items on the moving van. Take these types of things over to your new home yourself.

2.) Move Gradually, if possible.
If you have the opportunity to move into your new home gradually, take advantage of it. Make small trips to your new home, gradually bringing in the items that are the most important. Set up as much of your home as possible before your “big” moving day.

3.) Set up kitchen and bedrooms first
As we all know, eating and sleeping are of the utmost importance - for this reason, make sure that your kitchen and bedrooms are the first rooms that you unpack and organize when you move into your new home.

4.) Supplies to keep on hand
There are certain supplies that you should always have on hand during moving day. Large contractor garbage bags are ideal for throwing away small boxes and other packing materials. You may also want to have cleaning supplies handy to clean up any dirt that might accidentally get tracked in. Cold drinks, such as bottled water, are invaluable for both you and the movers during moving day.

5.) Unpacking
Be sure to unpack the same way that you packed – slowly and carefully. Take it one room at a time; don’t take on too much all at once. Also, don’t hesitate to call friends and family over to give you a hand (free pizza is a great incentive to get as many people over as possible!)