For the smoothest moving experience, you’ll need a lot of thought and preparation before the big day: after all, a move isn’t just “put items in boxes, put boxes in truck, and off you go”. You’ll want to figure out your timetable, how much you’ll need in the way of packing supplies, what challenges await you in removing bulky items from a home or office, and even what similar challenges await you at your destination. Fortunately, experienced moving services like Smart People Moving are experts at helping you determine much of this beforehand. Still, to best help both yourself and those you’ve entrusted with your cargo, there are some ways you can prepare in advance for a move.

Creating a complete inventory of all your items is the first step: it helps movers determine the number of boxes, packing materials and estimated truck space for the move, as well as how long the full packing process may take; it also ensures that everything gets accounted for and nothing gets left behind. Letting your movers know about potential obstacles like stairs, narrow passages, or even challenging street and parking conditions helps plan routes and the manpower needed for the job. And map your timeline out carefully: how much time have you allocated to packing? How long to load everything onto the truck? To offload it? When will you need everything at your destination? Even the smallest moving jobs can sometimes take a day or longer to perform, so you’ll want the right team for the job!