You’ve prepared and planned. You’ve organized and simplified. Now it’s time for the big day: you’re moving. Keep these tips in mind to make your day run smoothly.

1. Have everything packed and ready to go.
2. Be flexible: things rarely happen exactly as we’d planned.
3. Make sure you have your overnight/necessities bag: clothes, toiletries, important paperwork, cleaning supplies, towels, toilet paper, etc.
4. Prepare an emergency pack that includes a first aid kit, paper towels, a flashlight, tools (you may need them) and other essentials.
5. Take the garbage out.
6. Clear an easy path for transporting boxes.
7. Put away your pets. You may even consider boarding them or having them stay with a friend, in order to make moving day less stressful.
8. Double-check the interior: go through all your rooms, giving everything one more once-over.
9. Double-check the exterior: reexamine the yard, the pool, the play area, etc. Make sure you have everything.
10. Make copies of the map of your new home’s floor plan.
11. Once everyone’s done and your things are loaded, turn off the water heater.
12. Before you leave, set the thermostat to 55 degrees.



Using Movers?

13. Communicate with the moving company.
14. Go over the day’s schedule.
15. Make sure anything not to be taken is put in a separate place and clearly identified.
16. Provide drinks and snacks for everyone involved.
17. Point out the bathroom to use, and make sure it has necessities inside.
18. Exchange phone numbers with the driver of the moving van.
19. Provide or get a copy of the inventory list.
20. Check to make sure everything’s loaded before the van leaves.
21. Confirm directions with the driver.
22. Get to your new home before the movers do; there could be a fee if they have to wait for you.
23. Be there to guide and/or answer questions for the movers.
24. Prepare the moving company payment, and have a tip ready for the drivers/movers.
25. Check the condition of every item as it is unloaded. Keep a list of anything damaged.



Moving on Your Own?

26. Enlist friends to help.
27. Preplan your directions and have them confirmed before starting out.
28. Plan to leave early, if at all possible.
29. Make sure your moving vehicle has a full tank of gas.
30. Load in reverse order: things you’ll need last in back and things you’ll need right away in front.
31. Leave a forwarding address somewhere in the home, just in case you did leave something.

*_{Editor’s Note: This post is part of a series on packing. See “7 Plan-Ahead Packing Tips” here and “4 Steps to Start Packing” here.}