If your goal is a stress-free move, you need to pack with a plan.

Rushing around in a frenzy, stuffing everything into garbage bags the night before moving day? Not a great plan. That’s how your things end up broken, forgotten, or accidentally thrown out with the garbage.

The best way to pack for a move is to start early and pack smart. Just follow the guidelines included in the 3-step process below, and you’ll be well-prepared for a stress-free move!

1) Purge.

Start 5–6 weeks before moving day, by taking stock of your things. Decide what you actually want to bring with you, and for everything else, check out our guides on how to get rid of it all. You can give extra stuff to friends and family, donate it to charity, sell it online or set up a garage sale, or simply throw it away.

2) Prepare.

Once you’ve purged, it’s time to gather packing materials.

If you’re using a moving company, they may provide you with everything you need, in which case you’re off the hook!

But if you’re in charge of getting your own packing materials, you’ll need the following: boxes, bubble wrap, packing paper, wrapping pads for fragile items, and — if you’re using cardboard boxes — scissors/box-cutters and lots (and lots) of packing tape.

You can save money and grab used boxes from people on Craigslist who’ve just finished moving, Liquor and grocery stores, and sites like UsedCardboardBoxes. Another, environmentally-friendly option is to rent plastic moving boxes from companies like RentAGreenBox, Gorilla Bins, Bin-It, and JuggleBoxMoving.

Don’t forget you can save space by packing things in your laundry baskets and suitcases!

Finally, take note of everything that you’ll need a special box for, like hanging clothes, guitars, stand-up lamps, cribs, artwork, televisions, etc., and get those boxes as soon as you can.

3) Pack.

Three weeks prior to moving day, start packing all of the non-essential items in closets, attics, and out-of-the-way spots.

With two weeks left, pack the majority of your clothes, dishes, books, artwork, etc.

If you spread it out effectively, then the last week is basically just clean up!

Leave for last an “essentials box”, which will include your valuables and anything you might need during the move or in the first few days after arrival. Options include: toilet paper, toiletries, towels, flashlights, batteries, snacks, bottled water, valuables, a change (or two) of clothes, laptops, phone chargers, basic cooking supplies (plates, cups, utensils, can opener, soap, sponge, etc.) medications, bedding and pillows.

The “essentials box” is also great for kids! Have your children pack their own box with whatever items they deem special. They will love being able to pack it themselves, and you can add to it yourself after they’re done.

A few general packing tips:

• Label boxes! Use printout labels or a big marker to let future-you know what’s inside.

• Pack room-by-room to keep things organized.

• Heavy stuff at the bottom, lighter stuff on top.

• Fill empty spaces with clothes or packing paper to avoid damage.

• Wrap fragile items in clothes to save on paper and bubble wrap.

And the last of our packing tips for moving? Don’t forget anything!

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Moving is like juggling 50 balls while running down the street. If one or two balls dropped behind you, who could blame you for not noticing? You’re still trying to keep 48 other balls in the air!

Here’s a list of things people commonly forget when they move…

1) They Forget to Bring Everything.

• Things in the home. It’s easy to forget to pack things that seem a part of the house itself, like curtains, drapes, rugs, mirrors and plants. Other common areas forgotten include the cabinets under the sink and over the fridge, storage areas in the basement, attic or under the stairs, and medicine cabinets.

• Things outside your home. Don’t forget your outdoor furniture, garden accessories and tools, hoses, plants, flower pots, planter boxes and whatever is in your shed, if you have one.

• Things around town. Make sure to remember the contents of your safety deposit box, clothes at the dry-cleaners, items in storage, things neighbors, friends and family have borrowed over the years.

• Collect records. To avoid a potentially expensive, lengthy hassle having them transferred later, you’ll want to collect all personal records, including medical, dental and pharmaceutical records, children’s school files and veterinarian records if you have pets.

• Speaking of pets, don’t forget them! You’d be surprised how many cats and dogs get left behind during moves. Here are some tips on this.

• Leave some behind. Amidst the packing frenzy, make sure you do leave behind spare keys, garage door openers, and any items you borrowed.

2) They Forget to Tell Everyone.

• The people. Let everyone know you’re leaving! That includes family and friends of course, but also neighbors, housekeepers, gardeners, babysitters, etc. Then there are the officials: schools, employers, banks, government agencies, insurance companies, and the post office.

• The companies. Call your utility companies and schedule your water, electric, gas, satellite, etc. to be disconnected the day after you move.

• The memberships. Cancel memberships (gyms, yoga studios, etc.), return library books and movie/game rentals, and pick up any prescriptions.

3) They Forget to Prepare for Arrival.

• Take measurements. “Will it fit?” Don’t forget to ask this question! Trust me, you don’t want show up with a couch that won’t fit through the door.

• Get the keys. Get all the keys: You have the key for the front door, but does it open the deadlock too? A successful move is one where you actually get inside your new place.

• Accommodations. If your beds won’t arrive ’til after you do, make sure to book sleeping arrangements well beforehand, so you’re not scrambling for a place to sleep after a long day of moving.

• Parking. “Where can I park?” Another great question, easily forgotten. Waking up to realize your car’s been towed is no fun.

• Pack the essentials. Include anything you might need in the first few days. A good place to start is toilet paper, toiletries, towels, bottled water, snacks, a change of clothes, phone chargers, and things like plates, cups, and utensils. See #3 here.

It’s easy to forget what you’re forgetting, so don’t hesitate to refer back to this post throughout the moving process!

And if, despite your best efforts, you end up still forgetting a few things, make sure to write them down when it’s all over. That way, the next time you move, you’ll have a personalized list to refer to.

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When you move, it’s a great time to get rid of things you no longer need. There are three ways to get rid of these things. Throwing things away is often the simplest or easiest option. It’s the go-to route for low value items that cannot be sold or donated.

But throwing things out can be harder than you think. Here’s a breakdown of how to treat certain items…

Small Items

Disposing of small knick-knacks is pretty simple. Grab a garbage bag, fill it up, and take it outside. If you’re getting rid of paper, make sure they don’t contain sensitive material. If they do, you’ll need to shred them. You can get this done at a UPS or Staples, if you don’t own a shredder. Or — if you need to shred in bulk, there are third-party services who will come to your home, to shred and dispose of everything for you.

Large Items

For larger items, like furniture, you can’t just toss them in the regular garbage. First you should consider selling it (see here), but if it’s broken, tarnished, or simply unsellable — you’ll need to dispose of it.

Be careful about how and where you dispose of these large items. Each state has their own rules and regulations around how to do this, so refer to your state’s website on how to proceed.

Hazardous Waste

This includes anything like automotive products, paint, batteries, electronics, flourescent lightbulbs, certain household cleaners, garden and pool chemicals, and many others. For these you can have someone like Waste Management (or any other removal service) come pick it up and handle the disposal for you.

Extra Food

When it comes to the kitchen, you’ll likely have some extra food to throw away. But wait! There’s a solution here. The great people at Move For Hunger are doing some incredible work to bring this potentially wasted food to familes in need. This will happen automatically with your Moved concierge and any of their moving company partners.

Before throwing something out, always ask yourself if it can be donated!

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Moving is the perfect opportunity to purge and get rid of things that you don’t need. Once you identify the excess stuff that you have, there are three ways to get rid of it.

1) Disposal.

This is the default behavior when getting rid of stuff. It can be surprisingly more difficult than you would imagine, depending on what you need to get rid of. For smaller items, it’s relatively straightforward. Larger items require more consideration and planning

There also may be state and federal regulations to consider when disposing of certain materials. Don’t make assumptions and make sure you do your research before disposing of anything potentially hazardous.

For more details about disposing of items, see “How To Throw Things Away When You Move”.

2) Selling.

Have stuff you don’t need but is still valuable? Sell it! Odds are that someone out there is looking for what you have and will pay you for it. It feels great to recoup money for something you don’t need or are no longer using. Who doesn’t want some extra cash?

There are plenty of sites where you can sell your stuff. The only drawback to doing this is the time investment. Unless you’re a pro, you’ll have to spend a chunk of time and energy to list, sell, and deliver your items.

Read “How To Sell Things When You Move” for the best places to sell your extra stuff.

3) Donations.

If you have things that are valuable but you don’t want to sell, you should seriously consider donating them. It’s a great thing to do, you get a nice tax deduction, and (most importantly) you’ll help someone and earn some karma points in the process.

Unfortunately this isn’t the easiest or most accessible thing to do. You need to understand what is right to donate, where and who to donate it to, and then physically get it there.

To better understand how to donate, check out “The Proper Way To Donate Stuff You Don’t Need”.

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