Put your house on your shoulders. 26.5 million Americans moved from one residence to another between March 2020 and March 2021.

This statistic may make a household move seem easy. That is far from the truth. You need to know essential moving tips and start planning a move months in advance of your move date.

What should you do before you start the moving process? How should you pack your belongings? What should you keep in mind when you are hiring movers?

Answer these questions and you can execute a household move without breaking your back. Here is your quick guide.

Secure Your Job and Housing

You should only start the moving process once you know you can move. Make sure your job is secure, whatever your job may be. Take a look at your savings and see how you can cover your expenses should there be a delay in getting your new job.

You should find a comfortable place to live in. It may be an apartment or a house, as long as you can afford the expenses associated with it.

Do not rush your housing decision. Spend time looking at different options and talking to several realtors. Try to find a residence that keeps you close to important services and your new office.

Don’t forget about your current job. Getting fired or reprimanded while you are planning a move will make it hard for you in your new location. Talk to your boss about how you can smooth things over as you learn how to move.

Write a List of Moving Tasks

It can be hard to keep track of everything in your head. Sit down and write a list of all of the things you need to do before you leave.

Once you have all the things you need to do in front of you, categorize them. You may be able to get multiple tasks done during a meeting with your lawyer or at the post office. You can then rank the tasks in order of importance.

Time-sensitive tasks are your most important ones. Changing your address takes time to occur, so start with that.

Doing your most important tasks first does not mean holding off on less important things. You need to spend time every day before your move getting things done. Start the moving process several months in advance so you can get through everything.

Check your tasks off as you complete them. You may want to keep your tasks in a notebook so you can add important details.

Get Your Stuff Together

Packing is its own process. You should start by finding plenty of moving boxes. Purchase cardboard and plastic ones of different sizes and shapes.

You should label each box with its content. You can do so by writing what is inside the box. But if you have trouble keeping like things together, you can use a color system with each color representing a category of items.

You should consider where the items will go in your new residence. Get a floorplan of your residence and figure out what can go where. Keep in mind that you can store bulky items in your basement or attic.

Anything that is essential to you should remain with you. Medications, important documents, and toiletries should go in a carry-on bag or on your person.

As you are packing things away, you may notice belongings you do not want to bring. You can give them to a thrift store or to a friend. You can also try selling them, though this may take time.

The packing process is labor-intensive. Feel free to ask your friends or relatives for help or to hire a packing company.

Hire a Moving Company

No two moving companies are alike. You should do extensive research on your various options and find a package of services that covers your needs.

Don’t just pick a company because the company is cheap. Think about their customer service, convenience, and shipment options. Start comparing companies at least one month in advance of your move.

Be clear on what your expectations are. Tell the company when they should arrive and how they should help you with your belongings. Understand what you have to do to help, such as bringing your boxes down for employees to reach them.

Maintain Your Social Connections

It can be hard to be social while you are planning your move. Stay in touch with your friends and family and talk about the moving process is going. Tell them when you are moving.

You must make sure that you say goodbye to everyone. Someone who finds out that you moved and did not say anything to them will be angry at you.

Once all of your moving tasks are done, you can have a farewell party at your residence. You can invite people over for food and drinks. Give everyone your contact information so they can reach out to you.

Achieve Your Household Move

Start your household move right now. Touch base with your new office to make sure your job is secure and find a place to live.

Figure out everything you need to do, even small tasks. Then rank them in order of importance, putting time-sensitive tasks up top.

The bulk of your time and effort should go toward packing your belongings. Get help from a moving company and your friends, and spend time saying goodbye to everyone.

Get as much advice as possible on the moving process. Read more moving guides by following our coverage.