How to Organize, Plan and Prepare for a Household Move

By
Maria Sabella
Maria Sabella
Maria Sabella

Maria Sabella is an E-Design consultant and has spent the last six years working in the interior design and staging industries, as well as writing digital content focused on home-related topics.

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Updated on 04/15/22
person preparing to move boxes

The Spruce / Daria Groza

Whether you're moving across the country or to the neighboring town, preparing for a move can be incredibly stressful and overwhelming. Between packing boxes, decluttering, finding reliable movers and possibly getting your current home ready for sale, there seems to be an endless amount of details to think about. That's why we've created these guides to help you stay organized, know what needs to be taken care of and to keep everything on track so that your move is as stress-free a process as possible!

  • 01 of 07

    How to Prepare and Plan Your Move

    preparing a moving checklist

    The Spruce / Daria Groza

    As soon as you decide that you are moving, create a plan. You can start with a preliminary plan and fill it in as you find out more details and figure out a schedule and timeline. Think about what needs to be done in your current home, whether that's decluttering, packing or any small renovations that you need to take care of in the case that you are selling your current home.

    Think about a budget and estimate what your moving costs will be; consider the cost of everything from packing tape, bubble wrap and boxes to moving company fees. Figure out what you need to purchase for your new home to be move-in ready, and note down details like when you will receive the keys and be able to start moving in so that you can create a schedule that will help you stay on track.

  • 02 of 07

    Should You Hire Movers or Move Yourself?

    a man opting to move by himself

    ​The Spruce / Daria Groza

    There are several different options when it comes to moving all your possessions. To decide which option is best for you, consider the following questions. How far away is your new home? How much stuff do you need to move? Are there many heavy, family heirloom type pieces that you need to move or mostly small, apartment-sized furniture?

    You can take the DIY route and pack and move everything yourself, in which case you need to budget for packing and possibly rental moving vehicle expenses. If you'd rather not do that, you can either pack up your home yourself and hire a professional moving company to do the moving portion for you, or hire a company that will do both the packing and moving for you.

    The Best Moving Companies
  • 03 of 07

    How to Create a Timeline and Schedule

    a moving schedule and timeline

    The Spruce / Daria Groza

    There are so many moving parts when it comes to a move, which is why creating a timeline and a schedule is crucial to keeping your sanity and making sure you don't forget to do something.

    Create a week by week schedule, then as it gets closer to the day when the truck arrives, create a day by day schedule. Include what room you're going to pack on what day, when you need to hire a moving truck, days that you may need contractors to come and do repairs on your current home, and every other detail you can think of that will ensure you stay organized.

  • 04 of 07

    A Quick Guide to Getting Started and Completing a Move

    beginning to pack up dishes

    The Spruce / Daria Groza

    A move is a big project and it can be difficult to know where to start. Our step by step guide will help you get started and guide you through the process, giving you plenty of helpful tips that will save you time and energy. Like labeling boxes! It may seem obvious, but forgetting to do it will cause you such a headache when you're trying to unpack your kitchen dishes but can't seem to find them. These simple steps will help you get organized so your boxes are packed and ready for the moving truck.

    Continue to 5 of 7 below.
  • 05 of 07

    How to Sort Your Stuff and Decide What to Pack and Move

    creating piles of what to move

    The Spruce / Daria Groza

    There's no better time than a big move to go through all your stuff. It's one of those tasks that we usually put off until it has to be done, but make sure to sort through everything before you move so that you're not moving tons of extra boxes filled with items that will be thrown out anyway.

    Decide what you want to keep, what you want to give away to friends and family, what can be donated and what no longer works and just needs to be thrown out. This can be a long process, so make sure to give yourself enough time and use this guide to help you figure out what to pack and what to get rid of.

  • 06 of 07

    How to Get Rid of Stuff You Don't Want to Move

    person preparing to sell discarded items

    The Spruce / Daria Groza

    After going through everything (congratulations, that's a big task!), the next task is figuring out what to do with items you're not taking to your new home. We've compiled this list of the five best apps that you can use to sell items you don't need anymore to make it easier for you.

  • 07 of 07

    Packing Supplies You Will Need to Pack Your House

    moving materials

    The Spruce / Daria Groza 

    If you're not exactly sure what all you'll need for your move, don't worry, we have a checklist of all the moving supplies you'll need right here for you. There are the more obvious items like scissors and moving boxes, but also all those things that are easy to forget, like bathroom essentials to quickly have on hand in your new home or a couple simple all-purpose cleaning supplies and trash bags that will come in handy at the new place.