14 of the Best Tips for Moving Day Success

Moving day is all about finding a balance between your expectations and your reality. There is no such thing as a seamless, completely stress-free move—things go wrong, timing gets shot, and what you thought was enough boxes for your whole house is actually only sufficient for one room. (Hint: use our packing calculator and you won’t ever have to worry about that last one.) And while it doesn’t have to be—and likely won’t be—a complete cake walk, moving day doesn’t have to be totally awful either. Below, we’ve compiled 14 of our favorite, most helpful tips for moving day to help you get it done fast, seamlessly, and (hopefully) with as little stress and anxiety as possible.

Figure out your plan early on

Make a moving day to do list

Get your day going early

Make sure your cell phone is charged

Be ready to go before the moving truck arrives

Get someone to watch your kids and/or pets

Have a moving essentials bag

Keep sandwich baggies on hand

Practice proper lifting

Supply refreshments

Take a picture of your utility meters

Have cash to tip your movers

Always do a final walkthrough

Renting? Take pictures during your walkthrough

Follow these tips for moving day success and you should find that your day goes a whole smoother than it might have in the past. And if you need some advice for getting settled in as well, here are the 12 steps to beating unpacking procrastination.