MOVING TIPS
Moving Tips From a Family That Moves People Every Day
A simple week-by-week plan to get you from “we’re moving” to your first night in the new place.
A move feels huge when you look at it all at once. Broken into small jobs spread over a couple of months, it gets a lot more manageable. This guide walks you through the timeline we give our own customers, starting eight weeks out and ending with the first night in your new home.
We run A & M Friendly Movers as a family, and we have seen what separates a calm moving day from a stressful one. It usually comes down to planning, not luck. Use this page as your main checklist, then dig into the guide that fits your situation: our packing tips for room-by-room advice, how to choose a moving company you can trust, and practical ideas for moving with kids, moving with pets, and moving with seniors.
Not sure what to give your crew? See how much to tip movers.
Print it, stick it on the fridge, and check things off as you go. Small wins add up fast. Not sure what to budget? Read how much it costs to hire movers.
Your Moving Timeline, Week by Week
1. Eight Weeks Out: Make a Plan
Start a moving folder, paper or digital, for quotes, receipts, lease or closing papers, and a running to-do list. Set a rough budget and pick your target moving date, plus a backup date if you can. Walk through every room and make a quick list of large or unusual items, like a piano, gun safe or hot tub. Those take extra planning, so it helps to flag them early when you start calling movers.
2. Seven Weeks Out: Declutter
Every item you move costs you time to pack and time to carry. Go room by room with three piles: keep, donate or sell, and toss. Start with the spaces people avoid, like the garage, basement, attic and hall closets. Be honest about clothes you have not worn in a year and duplicate kitchen gear. Schedule donation drop-offs now so the pile does not sit in your hallway until moving week.
3. Six Weeks Out: Book Your Movers
Good crews fill up, especially at the end of the month, on weekends and through late spring and summer. Get at least two or three quotes, ask how the price is figured, and check each company’s licensing and reviews. Once you pick one, get the date, arrival window and estimate in writing. Booking early gives you the best choice of dates and far fewer last-minute surprises.
4. Four Weeks Out: Start Packing
Pack the things you use least first: off-season clothes, books, decor, holiday items and spare linens. Label every box with the room it goes to and a short list of what is inside. Aim for a few boxes a day instead of a weekend marathon. If you run short on boxes or tape, order more now so you are not scrambling for supplies during the final week.
5. Two Weeks Out: Utilities and Addresses
Call your electric, gas, water, trash, internet and TV providers. Schedule shutoff at the old place for the day after you leave and service at the new place for the day before you arrive. File a change of address with the post office, then update your bank, employer, insurance, doctors, schools, subscriptions and voter registration. Refill any prescriptions so you are not caught short during the move.
6. Moving Week: The Final Push
Pack everything except what you need for daily life. Clean out and defrost the fridge a day or two early. Disconnect appliances before the crew arrives. Pack a first-night box with sheets, towels, toilet paper, a shower curtain, phone chargers, basic tools, snacks, medications and a change of clothes. Keep it, plus valuables and important papers, in your car so they stay with you.
Quick Moving Day Checklist
Be Home When the Crew Arrives
Plan to be there for the walk-through. Point out fragile pieces, anything that is not going, and which rooms need extra care. A quick five-minute conversation at the start saves a lot of questions later in the day.
Clear a Path
Move cars out of the driveway, prop open doors, and pick up rugs or cords that could trip someone carrying a dresser. If you live in an apartment, reserve the elevator and loading area ahead of time.
Do a Final Sweep
Before the truck pulls away, check every closet, cabinet, drawer, the attic, the shed and behind doors. Take photos of the empty rooms for your landlord or buyer, and grab spare keys and garage remotes.
Set Up the Bedrooms First
At the new home, get beds put together and made before anything else. After a long day, a ready bed and a hot shower make the unpacking you have left feel a whole lot smaller.
Moving Tips FAQs
Eight weeks gives you room to breathe, and more is even better for a large home or a long-distance move. If you are short on time, focus on the big three first: book movers, set up utilities, and start packing the rooms you use least. A tight timeline is doable with a clear list.
As soon as you know your date. End-of-month, weekend and summer dates go first. Booking early gives you the best choice of days and arrival times. With A & M Friendly Movers, a $100 deposit holds your date and is applied to your move, and we never charge a fee to reschedule.
Think about the first 24 hours: sheets and pillows, towels, toilet paper, soap, a shower curtain, phone chargers, medications, a basic toolkit, paper plates, snacks, a few days of clothes and any comfort items for kids or pets. Ride with this box in your car so it never gets buried on the truck.
Hazardous items can’t ride on the truck. That includes paint, propane tanks, gasoline and other fuel, cleaning chemicals, and ammunition. Plan to use them up, give them away, or dispose of them properly. Keep cash, jewelry, medications and important documents with you as well.
Read your lease for move-out rules, then clean thoroughly once the rooms are empty. Patch small nail holes, wipe down cabinets and appliances, and take dated photos or video of every room. Return all keys and leave a forwarding address in writing so there is no question about where to send your deposit.
It depends on your time, budget and how much you own. Many people pack the easy stuff themselves and hire help for the kitchen, glassware and art. A & M Friendly Movers offers full or partial packing and can deliver boxes and supplies to your door either way.
Let Us Handle the Heavy Lifting
You have the checklist. Now let a family-owned crew take the hardest part off your plate. A & M Friendly Movers sends background-checked W-2 employees, wraps and pads your furniture, and handles disassembly and reassembly at no extra cost. Call 910-758-0081 to talk with an owner, or request your free quote and we will call you back within 15 minutes.
Ready to start your stress-free move? Contact us today to Get a free moving quote and let the A & M family make your moving experience a delightful one!