Moving houses can be both exciting and scary. It can be exciting because you are moving into a new home to create new memories. It can be scary because of the uncertainties that come with moving to a new neighborhood or a new city. While the process of moving into a house is something many people look forward to, the process of moving out can be stressful. With so many items to pack and things to do, it can easily become overwhelming. But it doesn’t have to be. By doing the following 4 essential things, you can reduce your workload tremendously and even have fun while at it.

1. Pick a Date

It is important to pick a deadline for moving. Without a particular date, you can easily keep procrastinating and end up prolonging the moving process. The longer the process takes, the more likely you are to get more stressed. When picking a date, give yourself enough time to pack and have things sorted out. Depending on how large your home is, give anywhere between 2-4 weeks to complete the move.

2. Find a Moving Company

With a date in mind, the next step is to find and book a moving company. There are numerous options for moving locally and across the country. Every move costs differently but you can get a quick estimate on Shiply. Shiply allows you to compare moving rates from several companies at a glance. Some factors that may affect your price include the distance, the amount of load you have, and the time of year. One major factor to consider is the type of service. There are three main service types: self-service – which is the cheapest and most stressful, loading service – where the company will help you load and transport, and white-glove service – where the company will pack, load, transport, and unpack for you. The white-glove service is the most expensive and most convenient.

3. Let the Right People Know

Once you have committed to a date, begin informing the right people immediately. The right people include financial institutions such as your bank, credit card company, pension service, etc. You also need to inform your insurance providers, utility providers, your employer, and your family and friends. If you are subscribed to a newsletter or have a club membership, let them know. This little detail is easy to procrastinate until a few days to the move. But by then, you could easily leave out someone essential. A simple hack is to make a checklist of people and update it regularly.

4. Pack a Survival Box

A survival box contains your daily essentials such as toothbrush, medication, chargers, nightwear, underwear, and even change of clothes. The survival box comes in handy for the first few days of the move as it might take you some time to completely unpack.

With proper planning, moving house can be fun for the family. Simply start early, create a list of everything you need to do and check it off as you go.