WAXHAW, NC – My clients tell me all the time. Packing to move is the most stressful part of the process.

Most of my clients hire professional movers, like You Move Me or Ballantyne & Beyond Moving, but they still have to handle the majority of the packing.

Here are four tips to make packing for your move stress free.

Start Right Away

Once you know you’re moving, get started.  Collect cardboard boxes and newspapers for packing breakable items, and pack away anything you’re not currently using.  Make packing part of your de-cluttering process to get the house ready for market and use your garage as a storage unit.

Decide What You Will Bring

For me, the first step usually involves making a list. Decide what you will bring to your next home – and what will go to Goodwill, to the dump, or be sold on Marketplace.  You also need to decide what items you will transport and what you will leave for the movers.

Know What Not To Pack

Pack the items you will bring in your car and items that stay together, i.e., clothes and dishes.  Don’t pack big items like furniture which the movers will handle. Pro Tip: disassemble your beds before the movers arrive to save them time and save you money.

Create Your Packing Timeline

Everything has to be ready to go by moving day, but creating a packing timeline will help you stay ahead of schedule and avert any additional stress created by the move!