Planning a move, whether to a new house in the same town or across the country, can be very stressful. Once you begin the process of moving, you quickly discover that there’s more to moving than just packing and unpacking.

Having just moved last month, I decided to share the list that I created to keep my moving plans on track. I learned that being organized is the key to making the transition has smooth as possible.

My Moving List

1. Get price estimates of rental trucks and/or moving crews. Once you’ve determined the company that you plan to use, reserve your date as soon as possible.
2. Stock up on packing supplies including boxes, bubble wrap, packing tape, and markers.
3. Separate belongings into keep/sell groups. This is an ideal time to purge unwanted items. Consider selling items that you haven’t used in 6 months or more. Once you’ve determined what you plan to sell, you can hold a garage sale, post items into garage sale groups on social media, list them on selling pages like Craigslist, or skip the hassle of selling and just donate to local thrift store.
4. Start packing items that are not currently in use or won’t be needed in the near future. Things like books, CDs, DVDs, and toys won’t be missed over the span of a couple months. Also pack away extra towels and bedding, leaving out just enough to use in the interim. You can also use the dirty blankets and towels for extra padding with last minute packing.
5. Line up friends and family to help. Get 5 or 6 friends to help move the big stuff if you’re moving within the same town. Many hands make light work! If you’re moving long distance, you may have to hire a moving crew to help once you’ve arrived.
6. Make a list of people and organizations that need to be notified of the address change. You can change your address for just $1 on the USPS website. Don’t forget to update your address with your financial institution too! You’ll also need to provide your financial institution with an updated copy of your driver’s license once you receive that.
7. Save the best for last – pack up the bathroom and the kitchen just a couple of days before the big move. You’ll likely need many of these items up until the last day and waiting to pack things will make your life a little easier during the transition period.

Whether you’ve lived somewhere for just a few months or a lifetime, these tips should help ease some of the stress we all experience while moving. Just remember to complete one task at a time and try not to get overwhelmed. Happy moving!