Congratulations, you’re moving! While this is an exciting time, the thought of packing up your belongings and transporting them to your new humble abode seems daunting at first — but some organization and planning will help make the process as smooth as possible. Check out these five moving tips for a faster, easier, and less stressful move.

Declutter — never use it or don’t need it? Get rid of it! Before you begin packing, go through each room and separate your belongings into four separate piles — keep, sell, donate, or garbage. Making the purge now means you will have less to pack, less to move, and less to unpack and will give you a fresh start in your new home.

Pack early — start with packing seasonal items and items you don’t use often so when it’s time to pack everything up, a lot of your belongings will be already packed. When you begin packing, be sure to clearly label each box indicating which room it will go to and whether its fragile, this way you aren’t searching through every box to see what goes where.

Make a moving folder — organize your important moving information into one folder to ensure that if anyone has a question or you need to send a document, you know exactly where to find it. There are a lot of parties involved when moving so organize your folder into sections such as: lawyer contacts and documents, new address information, moving contracts, records of agreements, payments, etc.

Schedule ahead of time — book a reputable moving company, schedule your utilities, hire cleaners, whatever you need done for your move, do it weeks in advance. Waiting to do so could result in higher premiums or missing out on booking opportunities — especially during peak moving seasons.

Get a sitter — whether it be for your fur babies or human babies, enlist someone to watch them for the day. The last thing you want to worry about is losing track of your kids or pets!

Moving can be stressful but it doesn’t have to be. Make sure to follow these tips to help make for a seamless experience for everyone involved. If you have any questions about your new home before your closing date, reach out to homeownersupport@huroncreek.com.