If you’re like one in every five American families, you’ll be making a move this year. Since moving can feel like an organizational hazard, the best thing you can do is start getting things in order as early as possible.

The thought of packing up everything you and your family own is daunting, especially when you start to go through each room. However, disassembling and reassembling your life doesn’t have to be a horrible experience.

Taking some easy steps to get yourself organized can make the moving experience more enjoyable. Here are the key things we recommend:

START PURGING

Though it might not shave off the bulk of your moving time, getting rid of the items you no longer use will make the whole process a lot easier. Start taking a serious look at everything in each of the rooms in your home to decide what can be eliminated and what needs to go with you. Don’t forget to look in your closets too – they have a way of storing a lot of items you’ve forgotten about!

GET A HANDY DANDY NOTEBOOK

Head to your local office supply store and pick up a quality notebook or binder that will withstand the entire moving process. Use it to document as many things as you can. From phone calls with the moving company or meetings with your realtor to business cards and paint swatches, use this notebook to keep track of it all.

TALK TO YOUR SCHOOL

Speak with your child’s school regarding the upcoming move. This will give them time to transfer your kid’s records to the new school and give teachers the opportunity to update their grades.

GATHER PACKING SUPPLIES

It’s wise to start packing items you don’t use every day as soon as you can, so make sure you have the supplies to get started. Invest in some quality boxes, packing tape, sharpies, and labels that will help packing go smoother. At the very latest, start packing two weeks before moving day – you’ll be surprised by how much stuff you have.

CREATE A FLOOR PLAN

Get the dimensions of your new space and start planning where your furniture will be placed. Determine the layout of each room ahead of time so moving day is smooth for you and your moving company.

DO SOME HOUSEKEEPING

Try using up things you might not want to move such as cleaning supplies and frozen, perishable, or canned food.

LABEL EVERYTHING

Once you start packing, you’ll accumulate a lot of boxes. Unpacking becomes a lot easier if you know what boxes go where, so label each box by room and write a one-to-three-word summary of what’s inside on each one.

KEEP TRACK OF YOUR VALUABLES

Special items such as jewelry, financial records, and identification cards should be kept in a safe box that you’ll transport yourself. Pro tip: keep the moving company’s estimate in this box so you can reference it on moving day.

If you’d like some help with your residential move, reach out to the professional team at One Two Three guys and a Truck Movers . We specialize in intrastate and interstate moving and would love to make the moving process as easy as possible for you and your family.