12 Tips for an Organized Moving Day

The day you move will always come with a few unexpected bumps in the road, but you can minimize the chaos with careful planning. These tips will help you reduce what you need to bring, pack everything safely, manage paperwork and movers, and keep track of essentials.  With practical preparation, you can save time and money. Best of all, you can save yourself from unexpected headaches as you journey to your new home. Declutter Before Anything Else The more you get rid of before moving, the less you'll need to pack and worry about. This not only makes things simpler, but you won't pay as much for the moving truck or helpers. Will all your old furniture really fit in the new place? Are all the knick-knacks that important to you? Do you really want to lug your old college textbooks or novels you haven’t read in years across the country?  Look for places that accept book donations to offload heavy textbooks, as well as other venues for donating kitchenware, clothes, and more. Create a Moving Checklist As Early As Possible Planning minimizes stress. Grab a notebook or create a file on your phone to plan everything out well in advance. This gives you one spot where you can double-check your progress and ensure you're ready when moving day arrives. Include every little detail. Take the time to look up what other people did when they moved, or copy an ultimate moving checklist online. Source Affordable Moving Supplies You'll need more boxes, bins, tape, and supplies than you think. Moving companies sell these, but you can save money by finding cheap moving boxes elsewhere. Just don't sacrifice quality—flimsy containers lead to broken items. Free boxes from stores work in a pinch, but clean, undamaged boxes are better for most belongings.  Set Color Codes, Labels, and the Packing Plan Most people label boxes with the room name where items came from and where they'll go at the end of the move. That’s simple. You may like to create a color-coded label plan or a system to keep things even more organized. Which boxes need unpacking first? Which can wait in a closet for a few weeks? Get Your Documents Together Beyond standard ID and insurance documents, make sure you have all other important documents on hand and secure. If you’re moving to a new state or country, you’ll have to change many things to new formats when you get there. Shop Around for a Moving Company Read online reviews and ask family or friends who've moved recently. You’re going to trust these folks with everything you own and pay them a lot of money. Take your time to pick one you’re comfortable with. Take Photos of Rooms and Setups You probably won't arrange furniture the same way in your new home. Chances are, the rooms are different sizes and shapes. You may even have more rooms to fill with the same number of items. Having some photos will help you envision what works and can also act as a type of checklist when you’re unpacking. More importantly, take photos of setups for things like electronic equipment and computers. This will help you reconnect everything so it works immediately. Pack Essential Items Separately  You'll need some things immediately when you arrive, and you’ll be too tired to hunt through the boxes to find them. Pack these 'must-have' items in your own vehicle. This includes clothes for a couple of days, medications, favorite toys for the kids, toiletries, and more. If you’re flying to your new home, this will all have to fit in carry-on bags. Pack Non-Essentials Far in Advance You don’t have to wait for the last minute to pack up your holiday decorations or your display collections. Store boxes in closets, the attic or basement, and under beds. Do that weeks in advance, as soon as you know when you’re moving. Give yourself peace of mind that they’re safe and ready to go. This also gives you more time to decide what to keep. Tackle One Room at a Time to Stay Organized When it comes time to pack everything up, the last thing you want is confusion about what's packed and what isn't. Pick one room, grab your color-coded supplies and labels, and pack everything until the room is empty. Then you can check that off your physical and mental list completely. Finishing entire rooms reduces stress as you move through the complex process. Arrange Child and Pet Care for Moving Day Small kids and pets can easily get in the way or escape on moving day. This is especially true when the movers keep opening and closing the door. You won’t have time to entertain or soothe their nerves. It’s better to get a babysitter or send your pets to daycare for a few hours. Plan Your Unpacking Strategy  Once you've arrived at your new home, you still have a lot of work to do in order to set up. Make a plan for this part of the process, too. Who will handle which room? Will you need special pickup for packing materials, or can they go out with the regular recycling? The more you know in advance, the easier everything will be. That goes for everything related to moving to a new house. The earlier, the better. Planning every step of the process makes for a much more organized moving day. Once you know you're moving, set aside time each week to declutter, research movers, gather essentials, and pack things you won’t need until you’re in your new home.