The following post is from Cole Team Real Estate. Today they are sharing their tips on how to move without completely losing it! If you or someone you know is looking to buy or sell, call the Cole Team. Let their family move yours!

In my opinion, timelines are always helpful. They help you to plan very intentionally. They also allow you to be prepared for a date coming up. In this article, we are sharing a sample timeline to help you prepare to move. This timeline has helped many of our clients move successfully.

• 30-60 Days Before: Reserve Your Truck, Movers & Boxes

When reserving the moving equipment (trucks, movers, boxes, etc.), schedule your move for the middle of the month. You can save up to 25% this way because most people move at the beginning or end of a month.

• 30 Days Before: Purge Before You Pack

Oh purging is going to be your nemesis, but it’s so important! If you spend some time cleaning out items that you no longer need, packing will be so much easier. The best way to tackle this is to start with one room at a time. We like to bring in either bags or boxes and sort between donate or trash. If you are looking for places to donate in Forsyth County, click here.

• 2-3 Weeks Before: Check the Attic

Before you pack, you will want to check the attic, basement & garage as well. A lot of times, those are the places that unused stuff accumulates. Yes, I know – more purging!  Just think the excess helps someone else and you because you have less to pack.

• 2 Weeks Before: Pack A Small Suitcase & Schedule a House Cleaner

When you are traveling from one place to another you will need to have certain items. We recommend packing a suitcase with the essentials. Essentials would be items like: clothes, anti-bacterial wipes, first aid kit, box cutters, toilet paper, etc. Make sure you keep your valuables with you as well. If you have kids, we recommend you make a little suitcase for them as well. In it they can add in a few favorite toys or books to travel with.

If your budget allows, scheduling a house cleaning service will make things simpler on you with the move. You can have them clean the house your are moving out of and the one you are moving in to. Nothing better than a sparkly clean house when you didn’t have to do it!

• 1 Week Before: Pack With Unloading in Mind

As you begin labeling boxes, write the contents on the side not the top. When boxes are stacked on top of each other, this will make it clear what is in the boxes. To save money, we recommend you use packing paper instead of bubble wrap. The moving truck should be loaded in this order: furniture other than beds, heaviest to lightest boxes, kitchen items, mattresses, and bed rails.

• Move-in Day: Always Set Up Beds First

After a tiring day of moving, you will want to be able to sleep in the comfort of your bed that night. So be sure to set up the beds first before you do anything else. After the beds, we recommend you work on the kitchen. After that go room by room starting with the ones visited most often like living room, bedrooms, etc.

• Move-in Night: Make Dinner Easy

Order pizza or take the kids to eat where they are free. Either way – just make dinner easy on the family that night! You might even consider checking out Dream Dinners to make the nights to come while you unpack easy as well.

Check out www.cumminglocal.com/ for more great happenings in the area!