When it’s time to relocate, it can become stressful fast. You want to make your move stress-free, but you’re not sure how. Whether you’re moving across state lines or just to a new city, you need to know how to do it stress-free.

Stress-free moving can be accomplished with the right plan. If you use the best tips to build your plan, you’ll be able to move without all the hassle. Let’s look at some of the top tips to make your move stress-free.

7 Tips to Make Your Move Stress-Free When Relocating

1. Create a Packing List

If possible, a packing list should be created at least a few weeks in advance, if not months. The sooner you can start packing things up, the better, especially if you own seasonal items.

With a good packing list, you’ll know what should be packed and when. Of course, you want to save certain items to the very last day, as you will need them until you move.

2. De-Clutter Before Packing

If you want to make your move stress-free, de-clutter before you start packing, or throughout the process. You can create a pile for things you can donate, one for things you can sell, and one for things you will toss out.

As you go through all the things you own, get rid of anything you don’t need or want any longer. If it’s in good shape, consider selling it or donating it. If not, toss it in the trash and move on.

When you de-clutter before packing, you’ll have less to pack. This tip will help make your move stress-free as you’ll save space, time, and money. Plus, if you have some things to sell, you can actually make a little bit of cash!

3. Label All Boxes

One of the best ways to make your move stress-free is to label boxes properly. It’s a good idea to have a system including different colors to make it easier.

You can assign each room a color, such as making the kitchen items red and the master bedroom items blue. This can be done with stickers or different color markers.

When you arrive in your new city, you won’t need to read the boxes to know where they go. You’ll know all boxes with red on them go to the kitchen and all boxes with blue to the master bedroom.

It’s also a good idea to write on each box what’s in it. This way, if you need something quickly, it’s easier to find before you’ve unpacked all the boxes.

4. Research New Neighborhoods

Unless you’ve already bought a home in your new city, it’s a good idea to start researching neighborhoods before you move to help make your move stress-free. Not only will this give you a jump start on finding a new home, but it will also help you see where you could live and what it might be like.

Look into neighborhoods with homes fitting your needs. It’s a good idea to look at what’s nearby and look at the schools your children will attend. Also, don’t forget to map your commute from each neighborhood.

5. Research Things to Do in Your New City

When moving to a new city, you want to feel at home as soon as possible. Finding a few things to do will help.

A stress-free move has to be well thought out from packing to organizing the truck to having a little fun when you arrive. Once you’ve settled in, if you’ve researched things to do, you’ll be able to have a little bit of fun and feel at home.

6. Handle Utilities On Time

You will likely need to call the utility companies to have them shut off or switched over for your current home. It’s also important to make sure you call the utility companies for your new home.

Handling the utilities early will help relieve some stress during your move. The last thing you need is the lights going on a day early or not coming on right away when you arrive in your new city.

7. Create a Plan Early

The plan you create for moving should be made as soon as possible. If you have three months, create a plan for those three months.

You want to make sure you know what needs to be done each week along the way. Maybe packing some things early will help and maybe calling the utility companies early will also help. Build these and other things into your plan.

The better your plan is, the more you can make your move stress-free. Yes, things will not always go according to plan, but you’ll have a template to use as you work towards moving to a new city.

When you’re ready to relocate to Fairfax, Springfield, or Burke, you probably want a stress-free move. These tips, along with the right real estate agent, will help make your move stress-free.