Your moving day game plan: What to do before, during and after relocating

Before moving day, be sure to have a plan in place.

Depending on how far you are moving, this process will look different.

If you are traveling farther than 200 miles, you will likely need to overnight the truck and either stay in a hotel or find alternative accommodations. Moving day might really be two or three days.

If you make it to the new home but don't have time to unpack, you could use an air mattress and "camp" in the house for one night.

If possible, try to move out and in within the same day to save money on movers or rental trucks. Ideally, you pack the house in the morning, take a lunch break, and arrive at the new home in early to midafternoon to begin unloading.

Packing up your entire world and moving it to a new home is a lot to deal with, both physically and mentally. You have spent time, energy and money on getting ready for moving day. Here are some last-minute things to consider and remember to ensure a smooth move in and out.

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Prep the night before

Try to get a good night's rest. You might find it hard to sleep with your mind racing through everything that needs to be done the next day. Create a checklist of tasks to accomplish, then take a moment to relax. Meditate, watch TV, read a book or do anything that helps you wind down.

Checklist

Set out your outfit
Take a shower and pack up the shower supplies
Pack food and water for the next day
Confirm the moving rental information
Charge phones
Double-check parking
Plan driving route

Care for yourself when moving in the morning

Wake up early. Get your day started at 7 a.m. or earlier to give yourself time to complete last-minute tasks before the movers arrive or you pick up the rental truck. Take care of yourself first. Make sure you have enough time to get ready for a long day. Wrap up mattresses and other last-minute items you couldn't pack until now.

It's good to schedule the rental truck or movers early in the morning, around 8 or 9 a.m. Delays can occur, so having more time is beneficial.

Load the truck. Start with large furniture, then stack heavy boxes and then the light or fragile boxes on top. After loading the truck, make sure that everyone eats and stays hydrated.

Checklist

Take care of your morning routine
Pack last-minute personal items
Pack mattress
Pack last-minute items in an essentials bag
Check in with helpers or movers
Pick up any rental equipment
First load furniture
Then load heavy boxes
Finally, load fragile boxes
Walk through each room to make sure you got everything
Open all kitchen and bathroom cabinets and drawers to check for items
Walk around one more time for good measure
Clean or ensure that the cleaners you hired have access to the home

Identify where items will go

Ideally, you have picked up keys and cleaned the new home before moving day. Once inside, walk around and review the plan for where you want to store boxes while you wait to unload the furniture. Since boxes are loaded last, they will be the first to come off the truck. You will need to set these boxes aside while you unload and arrange your furniture.

One location: This strategy involves using a non-essential space, such as a garage, formal dining room, or secondary living space, to house all the boxes. As boxes come off the truck, sort them by room and be careful with those marked "fragile." When it comes to unpacking, this requires moving the boxes again into the proper room, but it keeps them out of the way while you start lugging in the furniture. Having the mess contained to one room is important to some people, but it could lead to procrastination because the issue is out of sight.

By category: Another strategy is to unload boxes in the rooms where their contents belong. You can line them up on a wall or find a spot out of the way where the furniture will be placed. Having the boxes in their assigned room makes it easier for you to unpack. A downside is that every room might feel cluttered until they are unpacked.

Once the boxes are unloaded, it's time to move in the furniture. You likely will feel fatigued from moving all the boxes. Be careful and take the time you need to unload. You don't want to hurt yourself or the furniture.

Set the large pieces up. Build your bed frame, assemble the couch and put the table together. Focus on your first-night needs — sleep, eat and bathe — so set up your bedroom, kitchen and bathroom. Lean on your moving kit bags and the box that you packed.

Remember that not everything needs to be done in one day. Do what is necessary for the first night, then give yourself a well-deserved break.

Checklist

Walk through the house and discuss where things will be placed. You should have this game plan done well before the movers start lugging in stuff.
Look for visible messes that need to be cleaned before unpacking
Unload and sort boxes
Unload furniture and put it in its designated rooms
Return rented equipment
Build beds
Set up kitchen essentials
Unpack bathroom essentials
Rest! Not everything needs to be done on night one

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