Congratulations on your new place!  As those feelings of excitement flood your thoughts, so do many overwhelming feelings of the pending move.   If you are under a time constraint, the pressure may feel intense. You may be filling stressed wondering how you will get all of your belongings from one place to another?  In one piece that is.  Here are some tips for planning for moving and for the big moving day.  I hope this helps and alleviates some stress.

Lighten the Load

All those times you wished you’d clean out your closet or kitchen shelves, well now is your time.  This move will force you to get organized. It’s a perfect time to have a garage sale or give things away to goodwill or friends that could use what you have.  I have a friend who chose to sell and give away 95% of her belonging before her and her husband moved last year.  I asked her how it felt to get rid of so much of her stuff. She answered that if felt “freeing.”  She also added that she’s excited to start collecting more stuff when they move into their new place.  If there is anything you could do without, now is the time to get rid of it.  It will be that much less that you have to pack, move, and put away.

Contact a Moving Company

If your budget permits, you may want to have professional movers to help you with the move.  Make sure to check the company’s ratings.  A lot of businesses claim to be moving companies when they are really just a guy with a truck.  That doesn’t necessarily mean a guy with a truck is a bad thing, but do your research to know what you are getting for your money.

Get Boxes and Start Sorting

Last year I helped a couple with two little ones move and was shocked at how easy it was. When I arrived along with some other friends, she had everything sorted in boxes and labeled.  It was a piece of cake really to move that family. The time that my friend put into carefully boxing and labeling everything, made moving day a breeze.  You can usually find free boxes at your local grocery store.

Accept Help

It doesn’t hurt to let friends, family, or your church know that you need help moving.  The people that show up may really like being there to help you out. I’m personally a do it yourself person and have a hard time accepting help.  One person last year that wanted to help me put up some fencing said: “Please don’t rob me of the blessing of helping.” When I looked at it that way, I could understand how some people really do want to help and feel blessed by helping others.  No need to put pressure on every friend with a truck, but you might want to let them know your moving plans.

Make a To Do List

Make a list of things that need to be done before the move and on your moving day.  It can be a simple notepad or notes you take on your computer or cell phone.  There are going to be many minor details that come up daily that you won’t want to forget. Writing it down is going to help you remember and also clear your head for other thoughts.

I hope these tips help you as you prepare to move! Remember to plan ahead so that everything runs smoothly.