Whether you’re moving across town or the country, many tasks must be done to prepare for your move. With the right planning before the move and a Moving house checklist, your move can be as smooth as possible.

The first step in a successful move is to declutter and sort out what you can keep, donate or dispose of. During this process, consider taking photos of items you want to move and recording each piece’s location in your home. This will help you reunite with your items when unpacking in your new home.

Moving House Checklist: Your Ultimate Guide to a Smooth Move

Next, set a budget and create a timeline for your move. By doing so, you can plan out your expenses and make the necessary arrangements to have utilities, packing help or movers connected and turned on at your new place. It’s also a great time to start researching different service providers to find the best rates and packages.

About 8 weeks prior to your move, start putting together a binder of all estimates, receipts and documents associated with the move. Store this in a safe place, such as the cloud (Google Drive or Dropbox) for easy access when needed.

The week of your move, focus on preparing and packing essentials like toiletries, bedding, clothes and tools for the first day in your new home. Clearly label and number each box with its contents and the room it’s destined for so you can easily identify them on moving day.