Once you have signed your sales agreement to sell your home, it is time to start packing. In general, we do not realize how many items we have acquired throughout the time spent in our home, so creating a plan and timeline for moving is key to making the process easier. Instead of crunching the packing until the last few days or weeks, our Real Estate Agents start by suggesting starting the packing process about eight weeks ahead of time. If you are someone that procrastinates, this guide will help you make your move simple.

7-8 Weeks Before Moving Day
Start by dusting, vacuuming, and tidying up to make your environment easier to start the packing process. Meanwhile, declutter and put away any items you are taking where they belong.  During the first two weeks, you will want to go through each room and decide exactly what you will be taking with you and if there is anything you want to get rid of. Determine where your items to get rid of will be going. Will you throw it away, donate it, or sell it? A suggestion, from our Realtors, if you haven't used the item in over a year, you may want to consider getting rid of it. Lastly, make inventory of all furniture, televisions, and larger items that you will be moving.

5-6 Weeks Before Moving Day
During weeks five and six before moving day, it is time to gather all your moving supplies, and designate an area where all of the packed boxes will go in the few weeks to come. Supplies include:

• Boxes
• Reusable containers
• Packing tape
• Bubble wrap, padding, or even old newspaper for delicate items
• Permanent markers for labeling

In order to remove clutter, start to get rid of the items that you gathers in the weeks before which won't be moving with you. If there is a lot to get rid off, a yard sale is the easiest and quickest way to sell your unwanted items and furniture. Also, take several days to clean out the garage.

4 Weeks Before Moving Day- Start Packing!
This week, you will need to make an important decisions about your move. Do you plan on using a moving company or renting a truck you will drive yourself for the move? If you are going to use a moving company, this is when you should make your reservations and arrangements. Then along is the actual packing, but what to start packing?

• Clothing, shoes, accessories currently out-of-season
• Holiday decorations and other out-of-season items
• Garage items that won't be used before the move
• Extra bedding, blankets, towels, throw pillows and curtains
• Rarely used items that you are keeping
• Keepsake items or collectibles

3 Weeks Before Moving Day
Three weeks before moving day is when we suggest to start packing any of the items that you will not be using from now until moving day including: all of your home decor, toys, hobbies, books, magazines, and games, offices and office supplies, spare toiletries and kitchen supplies.

2 Weeks Before Moving Day
The last two weeks before the move will go quickly and there is still a lot to be done. Packing most of the clothes along with the remainder of the kitchen items. Remember to keep paper products or a single place setting for each member of the house and leave out any other items to prepare meals the remainder of time in the home.

1 Week Before Moving Day
What to pack?

• Any electronics
• Remainder of clothing, shoes and accessories
• A bag for each person in the house with a change of clothes, pair of shoes, necessary toiletries, medication, needed electronics along with chargers, and any other necessities
• All bathroom items minus the necessities
• Pack up non-necessary pet supplies
• All furniture pieces, area rugs, remaining curtains, blankets and pillows
• Pack an essentials box if you will be traveling to your next location

Day-Of (or Night Before)
Pending what time you plan on starting the day-of move, you want want to pack any remaining items the night before or morning of moving day. This is also the time to pack valuable and personal belongings, cash, jewelry, important documents. If you are using a moving company, take this box with you  because of its importance. Make sure all boxes are closed and sealed properly for safe traveling. Be sure to do a walk through to make sure nothing is forgotten, and check through all cabinets, bathroom vanities, drawers, and the refrigerator.

Some Extra Tips
To remove some of the unwanted distractions, be sure to pack room by room. While you are doing so label each box accordingly, for example, "Master Bedroom Bedding" or "Living Room Decor".

Happy Packing and Safe Travels!