You could be Moving to another country, across the state, or even just to the end of the street, but one thing about the moving experience stays the same: it’ll always feel like a disaster. Sure, moving is exciting, but all that fun and enjoyment aren’t slated to come, at least during the first days. You must buckle yourself up first for a lot of hard work, lots of stress, and other negative experiences.

Fortunately, professional movers and homeowners who have mastered the art of Packing aren’t blind to your cries. They’ve heard you, and they’d love to help you out. With the right tricks and secrets, you can improve your moving experience. It’s not going to be a perfect one, that’s for sure, but at least you can get somewhere close.

This guide to moving can help you take the stress out of moving for a better, smoother moving experience.

Stay Organized

The more organized you are with your move, the less stress you’ll feel. It’ll seem more doable and manageable when you have everything under control and know what to expect. There's no rushing things, and there’s also no forgetting some crucial parts of moving. Remember, moving demands a lot to cover, and packing your belongings is only the first step.

Start with a moving to-do list, and make it a point to tick items off that list at least daily. Have a system, too, like working one room at a time. Not only does this help you stay focused when packing for the move, but it also makes it easier to see progress. That’s enough to keep you going, especially when you don’t feel like you’re doing well enough with your moving preparations.

Get Rid Of As Many Belongings As You Can

While movers generally advise getting rid of everything, that’s quite impossible. There’ll be items you'll want to take to your new home, and that’s alright. By ‘everything,’ the goal should be to let go of as many belongings as possible.

The less clutter you have, the less you’ll have to deal with. And that significantly takes a massive weight off your shoulders. It’s a win-win situation when you have less to pack, and you could have a bit more cash to take with you to help cover the moving experience.

That said, be as thorough as possible when going through your home, one room at a time. If it’s something you haven’t used in a year, let go of it. Chances are, you won’t use that same thing again in your new home.

Donate what you can. What’s trash to you is still another man’s treasure. Or, give to family and friends. If you need extra cash for your move, start very early with decluttering to have enough time to hold garage or yard sales. Most importantly, throw away those things you’ve long kept in your garage, even if you know they’re already too broken to re-use.

Complete Admin Tasks Early

If one thing is often overlooked when moving, it’s usually the admin tasks. You know you have to pack, and that’s a given. But remember, you also have to change so many facets of your important information.

Start with your bank information, so your address will already be your new one. All your other transactions are over the mail, like insurance policies. Don’t forget to arrange for all the utilities, like the phone, Internet subscription, water, and electricity. This seems like a no-brainer, but it’s easy to think you can put these off for later when the days get overwhelming. Next thing you know, you’re sleeping in your new home, at least for a few days, without any electricity.

Do this as early as possible. Depending on how busy the utility company is, changes can take several days, even weeks, to complete. Tackling these early on means you’ll be less likely to forget them.

Invest In Quality Moving Boxes

Because you’ll be packing early, you’ll need boxes that can hold up for at least a bit of time. It may be costly, but investing in good-quality moving boxes is always good. The last thing you’d want is to have boxes fall apart while they’re being lifted from your old home to the truck and then to your new home.

It can be tempting to ask for spare boxes from friends, family, and supermarkets, but at least be a bit picky with what you ask for. Check that the boxes aren’t moist or exposed to moulds or a bug infestation.

Give Yourself Enough Time

You could be looking at your home right now and thinking it’s small; you don’t own many things, so you don’t have to start packing too soon. This mindset is, however, the beginning of stress and disaster. You may not have much, but wait until you have to go through every room, closet, and item. Then, you’ll come to realize that you own quite a lot.

As soon as you have the final moving date, that should also be your signal to take packing seriously. Start as early as possible, so you don’t have to be overwhelmed with all that must be done. This is especially necessary if you have other responsibilities that don’t stop, like children to send to school and a job to report to.

Giving yourself enough time makes you enjoy the moving experience more simply because there’s no rush. You can take it one day at a time, even if it is only for an hour. This is much better than dreading spending the entire weekend packing.

The Bottomline

When you think of it, there are always two schools of thought when moving: you can either make it the best yet or make it as stressful as moves are often labelled. If you can belong to the former group, aim for that. You can always do so many things to maintain the enjoyable side of a move. Whatever the reason behind your move is, and regardless of the timeframe before the big day, leverage a thoughtful and organized plan. And take note: this isn’t something you’ll have to do on your own. There are professionals to help you, so let them take a massive load off your shoulders.