Moving to a New Home? Here are 9 Smart Moving Tips

1. Start packing well in advance. It's natural to procrastinate packing. Thus, it's advisable to start packing items that you haven't used for a long time. To get affordable packing materials, first contact a moving company and ask them to supply you with boxes in advance.

How do you know when to start packing? It depends on the size of your home and the number of items you have. It is customary to start packing a five-room apartment about three weeks in advance, a three-room apartment a week before, and a one or two-bedroom apartment a day to three days ahead.

2. In terms of importance, first pack less frequently used items or those that can stay packed even after the move. Consider getting a pack of large colorful stickers and mark the boxes according to the rooms they belong to (kitchen - blue, living room - yellow, etc.) but do not neglect writing the room's name clearly on all sides of the box and marking boxes with fragile contents in red. Advanced users can also write on some of the boxes exactly what's inside (for example, kitchen utensils - pans and pots, toys, puzzles, and board games). It is also advisable to mark the box's priority level and in any case, organize the boxes so that urgent items for the first days are packed separately and marked accordingly. Another important rule is to prepare at least one box for miscellaneous items and items left behind at the last minute.

3. You can involve the kids in packing, letting them choose what they want to take with them and what they want to donate. This is a great way to keep them occupied, get their help, and also teach them to sort rather than hoard everything. Try giving them their own box to keep their most important belongings. Draw pictures on toy boxes to help identify and open them quickly after moving. Sort with them the items that belong to their room and are about to be packed.

4. Packing is a great opportunity to clear out the wardrobe and home of all items no longer needed: worn and outdated clothes you will no longer wear, and everything stored away that hasn't served you in a long time. What seems usable and useful can be donated to needy families or charity organizations, and the rest thrown away. Kids can also help here in deciding what is excess and what stays.

5. Also, prepare a couple of bags with a few items you will certainly need in the interim period, meaning the day before and after the move - clothes for you and family members, shampoo, soap, and other basic cosmetics, medications, and a first aid kit. Also, precious or high-value items should be kept close to you and not travel in the moving truck - expensive jewelry, camera, laptop, cash, etc.

6. And now, for the moving: To choose a moving company, inquire among friends about a reliable one they've used, and call them well in advance to schedule a day and time. It's recommended to ask for a company representative to visit your home to get an accurate and proper quote. You might not accurately assess the number of boxes required, may not have properly described the furniture to be moved, or didn't notice there's no truck access on your street, which significantly increases moving costs, as movers would have to carry boxes dozens of meters.

7. Discuss with the moving company using a detailed list of questions. Does the payment include insurance, do they provide compensation in case of damage, and what is the suggested tip for the movers. Inform them in advance of any expensive or unusually large items in the house and get a written quote.

8. It's a good idea to leave coffee-making supplies and some refreshments for the movers at the home you're leaving - these small gestures make the moving more pleasant and considerate, justifying this small investment.

9. Keep handy the equipment you will need in the week following the move: There are things you might not want to pack with the rest of your belongings. Just like going on a trip, prepare a suitcase that you'll use in the first week or two post-move, including clothes you will need, toiletries, a laptop, phone chargers, coffee-making equipment, basic cutlery, toilet paper, and more. In short, anything you don't want to buy right after moving because you have no idea which box it's hiding in.