Moving into a new home can be an overwhelming experience: not only must you clean, organize and pack up everything you own in a way, but then there is the task of unpacking and finding a place for every item in your new home.

But, there is a light at the end of the tunnel. You will wake up in your dream home will be a reality. To help make your new home move quick and simple, here are some moving tips to help ease the transition:

Packing Hacks

It’s easy to lose or break things when packing, so use these tricks to help prevent any messes or broken items without spending too much on specialty packing items.

Bonnie Dewkett, a professional organizer in Connecticut, suggests purchasing an expandable file folder for important documents such as birth certificates, passports, important mail or receipts. This will prevent those important items from being lost in the move.

Dewkett further suggests color coding boxes to correspond to each room, so you won’t have to rummage through them to know what’s inside.

When it comes to packing, don’t be afraid to improvise with things you already have. Trash bags, for example, can also be used for pillows, blankets and even as garment bags.

“When it comes to packing electronics, keep cables under control by threading them through the middle of toilet paper tubes and wrapping the cable around the cardboard,” says Blake Connolly, managing director of Helpling Canada, a Toronto-based cleaning service. “Be sure to keep cables, remotes, and other accessories with their piece of equipment.”

Most important, don’t leave packing for the last day or even week! Starting a month before your move can help keep things stress-free while leaving time for you to organize and get rid of things you don’t need.

Moving Party

Don’t be afraid to ask your family and friends for help! To make the suggestion more enticing, throw in some pizza and drinks (nobody likes to move large items on an empty stomach). Multiple people are better than one or two and with all of the help, it will take no time at all.

If you’re moving long distance or don’t want to bother with the heavy lifting, check out our article on what to look for in an interstate moving company.

Also, take note of how your furniture is arranged and assess whether or not that arrangement is what you want in your new home. Sarah Gray, of moving company You Move Me, finds it helpful to create a plan for where your furniture will go once it’s moved into your new house. “It’ll make moving in faster and will cause less stress once you arrive at your new place,” says Gray.

Preliminary Maintenance

About a week before you move into and start sleeping at your new place, you’ll want to set up utilities, such as gas, electricity, and cable/Internet. Some people don’t consider this and will call the day of a move or just a few days before, without realizing that it can take a few days for the companies to send someone out. This means you’ll be living with no water, electricity and, worst of all, no Internet (horrifying, I know).

Also, there are a few things you may want to clean before setting up your stuff. Cabinets should be wiped out for dust or wood chips, so that your dishes stay clean. Have pest control come out as well if that has not already been done.

Feel at Home

Connoy suggests packing a “survival box” that will be easily accessible when you arrive at your new home. This box should include dishes, bedding, towels, toiletries, coffee, snacks, favorite toys for the kids and/or pets and anything else that will make you feel comfortable for that first night and morning. This will help reduce some of the stress of moving.

To keep things moving, plan for a housewarming party a month or two away, so you have a chance to settle in and share your new home with family and friends and without feeling too stressed about getting things in place in just a few days. And, to ensure that you’re not left with boxes of unpacked items months after you’ve moved in, set weekly goals of which rooms you want to complete so it’s not overwhelming.

And, last but not least, enjoy your new home!

By MOVE MOVE MOVER