Are you planning to move soon?  Are you overwhelmed by the seemingly endless checklist of things to do? 

Moving can be daunting—and no matter how many times you pack your bags and throw your keys away, there’s always a chance for a new concern to arise and catch you by surprise, leaving a dent in your schedule. 

If you’re a first-time mover or a serial house hopper, this list will give you some new insights that can help you plan your move. Let’s look through them. 

1) Set Up a Moving Schedule

Moving houses will require you to strain your mental muscles and force you to multitask different tasks. From administrative work like calling up utility companies and compare removalists with Muval to finding cardboard boxes, you’re going to spend long, taxing hours dealing with all sorts of duties throughout the process. 

To make sure you don’t leave out anything necessary, create a moving checklist as early as you can. Usually, this means two to three months before your planned moving day—or even earlier. While you don’t have to distribute specific tasks rigidly, a rough outline, a complete structure, and final deadlines can help ensure you don’t fall behind or leave all the pressing matters unfinished days leading up to the big day.

2) Declutter Your Belongings

Did you stumble upon your or your kid’s old doll or action figure collection? 

Chances are, while they’re nice sentimental toys to possess, they wouldn’t see the light of day in your new turf. 

A month or two before moving day, slowly start removing all the items you won’t need.  You can do this in three ways: by selling them, binning them, or giving them away. 

The way you remove them is up to you. If you have an ornate clock from Europe that’s too heavy to tug along, sell it or pawn it for a quick buck. If the items are old stuffed toys that have little value, throw them away or donate them. Ultimately, the choice is yours. 

3) Call Utility Companies in Advance

We all know it: cutting off your water, electric, and internet bills can be a big hassle. If you’re moving to a new, unfamiliar city, finding the right utility companies for you can also be intensely stressful. 

To circumvent or minimize this issue, give these companies a call in advance notifying them about the move. Chances are, they have procedures in place to serve your needs. If you don’t have an inch of knowledge of the best utility company around the area, browse through local forums and Facebook communities online and conduct independent research regarding your concerns. 

4) Involve Your Children in The Move

Do you have little ones with you? 

While moving independently is distressing enough, relocating for the first time can take a toll on your children too. They’ll have to adjust to a new school, make new friends, and adjust to the new culture of the city. 

Give your children a heads up about the move in advance. Involve them as much as possible so that they won’t be completely overwhelmed when the time comes. One way to give them a sense of control is by asking them for help with normal moving duties—think organizing boxes or selling their old toys in a garage sale. 

5) Organize Your Boxes By Room

For the physical move itself, secure some moving boxes from a hardware store or old business. Once you have a good amount of boxes with you, sweep through each room and pack things up one by one. From your bedroom to your child’s bedroom, to your attic, and so on. 

The only exception to this rule is for fragile items, where they should be packed securely in their own box. This is to ensure that it’s properly managed and doesn’t break or crack as the trucks drive across the road. 

6) Secure Your Bag of Important Documents on Moving Day 

The time has finally come: moving day. During this highly awaited day, keep a close guard on your most important belongings. They should be in the same car as you during transportation. 

This includes your identification card, passports, important documents, and so on. Make copies of these documents too. The worst thing that could happen is if you lose these during transit: so be sure to keep a close eye on them to make this stressful day a bit more bearable. 

7) Unpack From The Bedroom Downwards

Once you have arrived at your new home, you’ll have to unpack your items. While the moving company can handle your heavy set of furniture, your personal belongings will need your supervision. 

Start off by unpacking your children’s belongings, making their bed, and so on, and then your own. That’ll be so that you won’t have to exhaust yourself in the middle of the night making your bed. Once you’ve done that—you’ll be ready to take on the next day and slowly unpack everything else. 

And by the end of it all, once you’ve secured your utilities and other pending statuses—you’ll get to embrace the fact that you’re starting a new chapter of your life with your new home.