Most people will have moved to a new home at least once in their life. Whether it’s for your academics, work, or for a new relationship, moving is both an exciting and stressful time. You'll be giddy about the prospect of new beginnings in a place you’ve never called home before. However, there’s also the worry of what and how to pack, and how to make your move a success.

For those of you who have never tried moving yet before, this could be a very stressful experience. Like any other facet of your life you’ve done for the first time, you’re sure to have a lot of things going on in your mind. You don’t know where to start, but all you know is you want to have a positive outcome from your move.

If you’re anxious about your first move, you’ve come to the right place. Here you’ll come across some of the best pro tips, to help you navigate through this first move, more smoothly.

1. Hire Professional Packers

One of the hardest and most time-consuming aspects of moving is actually the packing. The more belongings you have, the more stressful this will be. Add this on top of the daily routine you’ll still have to go through like your job and other responsibilities and you have a headache in the works.

It's normal to feel like there’s just so much in your hands, so why let yourself face that burden alone when there are professionals who can help you out? Let a professional packer do all the packing for you. Not only does it save you a lot of time, but they also ensure proper packing. Especially when you have odd-shaped and odd-sized items, professional packers can ease out any of those errors, for a problem-free move.

2. Create A Moving Folder

Organization is key. One thing you can do that’ll take you a long way is to have a moving folder. This gives you a very clear picture of every single aspect involved in your move – the budget, included.

Having a moving folder also allows you to keep all the documents related to your move in one place. It also allows you to have a record of important information like new schools, hospitals, and other establishments in your new area. It also houses updates you’ve made like documents you have to fill up and send for a change in address, utilities, phone services, sale of your home, among others.

3. Plan Out Your Packing Supplies

Even when you have a professional packer with you, it still pays to plan out your packing supplies ahead of time. This is a good strategy, so you can save on certain costs related to your move.

For instance, when you have an idea of how much packing supplies you need, you may have time to scour deals for some packing supplies early on. Boxes, in particular, can be secured for free. Many grocery and department stores are willing to give out boxes for free after their suppliers have made deliveries. See how that may translate to significant cost savings in your move?

4. Don’t Wait Until The Last Minute

Even if you consider yourself a professional procrastinator (if there’s even such a thing), it’s time to change that habit. No one will ever tell you to wait until the very last minute before you even start packing.

Even if you think you’ve got it all figured out and you know you can ace packing on those last few days, you might be wrong. In fact, the earlier you pack, the better. That way, should you have any concerns along the way, all those can be adequately addressed before that day of your move.

5. Take Time To ‘Edit’ Your Inventory

‘Editing’ your inventory means resisting the urge to bring everything with you in your move. Don’t' force yourself into thinking you need everything you have now. Remember the rule in fashion that anything that hasn’t been used in a year is something you may not use again the future.

So, go through your items before packing. Give away those that you can, to friends and family. If you want to host a garage sale to help your moving budget, go ahead and do this. The lesser items you bring with you to your move, the better.

Conclusion

Your very first move is, without a doubt, an extremely challenging experience. Yes, the excitement will be there. But, before making it to your new zip code, there’s still a lot of hard work that needs to be done. If the prospect of it has been scaring you, consider yourself normal. No one is ever fully prepared for that first move. Fortunately, you can always take it one step at a time, for a smoother outcome. Take the tips above, straight from the pros themselves, and you’ll find yourself breezing through your move.