Five Easy Things You Can Do to Prepare for Moving Day

1. Movers or Moving Truck?

One of your first big decisions — after, of course, deciding where you’re going to move — is whether you want to hire movers or move on your own (likely with some helping hands). If you’re going to a different state, particularly for a job, that job may help you with the move financially.

Hiring movers will come at a higher price tag, depending on how much you want them to do. (They can do your packing for you.) It’s also standard to purchase insurance from either the moving company or an insurance company should your belongings get damaged or disappear. Moving companies may also have different fees, and don’t forget that you’ll have to tip each person in the moving crew.

Another factor to consider is your timeline. Obviously, if you are moving yourself, you’ll have your things at hand ready to move in and out. On the other hand, movers may not arrive when you do and may take a few weeks to get to you.

2. Start Packing and Stay Organized

Packing for a move is likely the worst part of the whole process. You may not be sure where to begin since you’ll need some items in the interim and can’t stow them away in boxes quite yet.

First, take a page out of Marie Kondo’s book and get rid of all the things that you no longer want or need. It’s easiest to do this by category rather than by room, as you’ll find some items may collect in multiple places in your current home. Once you’ve got all your books, say, or your clothes, in one location, it’ll be easier to sort through what you want to keep or not. For discarding, look into donating to your local nonprofit, or selling some of those items by hopping onto Facebook Marketplace, Next Door or Craigslist with your Kinetic Internet.

Once your purge is done, get your packing tape and boxes. Some stores will let you have leftover shipping boxes if you ask.

Know that packing a little bit over time will make the task less daunting than trying to fit it all in a couple of days. Start with items that you won’t need, like winter clothing, the set of china that you save for special occasions and your decor. Remember that some of your items may need special care so you’ll want to plan packing those for your move in particular.

If you’ve got a clear vision of where all your things will go in your new home, you may want to pack by room. If you’re not quite sure, you may want to take the pack by category approach here, too. Any which way you choose, the key is to label all of your boxes by their content.

For any electronics, take photos of how any wiring was connected before you disconnect, so you can easily set them up again in your new home. Larger electronics are best kept in the boxes from which they came, so, if you’ve thrown that out, come up with a plan to safely transfer those items.

You’ll want to disassemble some furniture, such as bed frames, to facilitate the move. So, keep those bolts handy for reassembly!

And, when it comes to moving day, pack an essentials bag with items you’ll need right off the bat. (Think: toothpaste, toilet paper, cleaners and tools required for assembly.) Some may also want to pack a bag for the next few days, so you can easily find what you’ll wear or use. Lastly, stow away files and important documents — and keep those on your person on moving day.

3. Set Up Your Basics

Be sure to get your basics set up in your new home and disconnected in your old space. That include water, electricity and gas, if applicable. And, if you have teens or if you can’t live a day without the Internet, that may also include high-speed Internet.

4. Clean, Clean, Clean

It may be your least favorite chore, but it’s always nice to leave your old space anew for the incoming residents. Mop those floors, scrub that tub — and that oven — and make your old space shine again!

It’s also probably a good idea to clean your new space in case of any allergens or just for peace of mind.

5. Settle In

Find a place in your new home for all your old things. Try unpacking by room or by things you might want or need first. You might even be able to get it done in one day.

And once you’re done, light a candle, settle in and unwind by streaming your favorite shows and movies with your new Kinetic Internet!