Are you getting ready to move to a new home soon? Do you want to make sure that the move is as smooth and as easy as possible? Moving is a stressful thing, and it's understandable that you might want to try to make sure that everything comes off without a hitch. Although you may not be able to plan for every single eventuality, there are still preparations you can do that will help make things easier for you when the big day comes. Some things that you should at least consider doing include:

Hire a moving company: It's understandable that you might want to try to avoid extra expenses by not hiring any moving services, but this is often a false economy. The employees of a moving service are going to be more knowledgeable about moving large or delicate items than any friends or family members that you may have convinced to help you. This means that there is less of a chance of things getting damaged during the moving process if you hire someone. In addition, if you try to do everything yourself instead of hiring any moving services, you run the risk of underestimating how long the move will take you. This can result in hefty fees if you're not able to return your rented moving equipment on time. 

Start sorting and packing now: As soon as you know that you're going to be moving, start sorting your belongings and packing up various items so that they're not forgotten. For instance, sort out your closet and throw out or donate items that no longer fit or that are worn out, packing away unnecessary items as you go. For instance, if you're doing this in the spring for a summer move, you should be able to safely pack up heavy winter coats and sweaters. Even if you're planning on hiring one of the local moving services to pack up most of your stuff, having things at least partially sorted and packed away will save time and money on your moving day.

Separate out important items: Consider the things that you're going to need for the first 48 to 72 hours after your move to a new home. This might include things like a bath towel, some bathroom tissue, a cooking pan, prescription medicine, and a few changes of clothes. Separate these things out and put them into a large plastic tote that has been specially marked for this purpose. Instead of having to rummage around in various boxes to find things after a tiring move, you'll be able to easily locate this "survival kit" among all of the other containers. If possible, put this tote in the trunk of your own vehicle rather than allowing the moving services to put it on the moving truck. This will ensure that the tote isn't accidentally buried underneath a stack of boxes.