Congratulations on your new home! You signed the contracts and are ready to move in. Here comes the next step. You must get your possessions to your new home. There are many things involved in moving. You should consider the following to ensure a less stressful move.

Prepare

You would do well to prepare everything before you begin packing. Have enough shipping boxes in various sizes to fulfill your varied needs. Books, cast-iron pans, or glassware are heavy. Use smaller boxes to not overexert movers. For lightweight items like children’s stuffed animals and blankets, use larger boxes to consolidate.

Avoid waiting until the last minute. Plan to eat takeout the last day in your old home and pack away all the dishes, pots, and utensils. Have a suitcase with one set of clothes per person and soap, shampoo, and towels. Don’t forget a plastic sack to put wet towels in!

Label Every Box

Labels are important. When your boxes are empty, you just want them packed, taped, and stacked for the move. When you get to your new home, help movers know where boxes should go. Label each shipping box with the room it will go into. Put the destination and partial contents on two sides and the top to ensure visibility and quick response.

Label bedrooms and bathrooms in your new home, too. Tack a paper labelling bedrooms, or Bath 1 and Bath 2, will guide the mover to put your boxes just where they need to go. Give movers a tour to speed things up. Don’t forget your delicate items. The word fragile tells movers to not put that box under one labelled ‘books’.

Furniture

You have furniture to move. Remember that it has been in one place for a long time. Sofas and chairs are moved easier, but tables and dressers are not as forgiving. Table legs may loosen through time and you don’t realize it until the mover picks up the table and a leg wiggles off. Dressers are just as unforgiving. If you thought dresser drawers are a good place to pack fragile items, think again. The drawers are not designed for things heavier than clothes and may bottom-out when moved. The dresser, itself, may have feet or legs, like the table, that have loosened with time and fall off.

Parking

Moving trucks are big. Ensure that you secure a parking spot at the origin and the destination. The parking spot should have clear access and the straightest route that you can accomplish. Many locations will allow you to reserve a parking spot. You are responsible for providing the moving truck with a place to park. In addition, be sure the truck is in a legal parking area. If the movers get a ticket, the fine is the customer’s responsibility.

Transporting Items

If your new or current home is on a second or higher floor, work with building management to secure access to a freight elevator, or reserve the necessary time to have free access to an elevator. Movers are on strict timelines and waiting for an elevator may put them behind schedule. You will be responsible for any additional charges they may require.

Moving is a time-consuming process that can be easy or overwhelming. Knowing small things you can do to improve the process will help all involved in the move and give everyone a chance to work smart, not hard.