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I’ve moving again for the 2nd time in less than 2 years. I asked my friends at HouseTipster.com for some of their helpful moving tips. I think these are great tips and reminders!

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5 Tips for Stress-Free Moving

According to a survey published in 2015, moving home is one of life’s most stressful experiences. Two-thirds of people said that moving to a new home is even more stressful than getting a divorce or starting a new job. Fortunately, there are steps you can take to reduce the stress of moving. Here are five tips to help you have a moving experience that’s as close as possible to being free from stress.

1. Start Early

Planning for a move can take more time than you expect. To avoid leaving things to the last minute, start preparing for your move at least two months in advance of moving day. This should give you plenty of time to find an apartment you like in your new location, compare quotes from several different moving companies, and take an organized approach to packing.

2. Throw Away Anything You Don’t Need

Do you really want to pay to transport the ski equipment you haven’t used for five years across the country? Or pack up the guitar you never learned to play? When sorting through your stuff, be tough with yourself: anything you haven’t used in over a year doesn’t get to come with you to your new home. Take the chance to go through your closet and donate any clothes that don’t fit. When you arrive at your destination, you’ll be glad to have fewer boxes to unpack.

3. Label Boxes

After a long journey, the last thing you will feel like doing is rummaging through dozens of unmarked boxes to find your toothbrush. Pack everything you will need on the first night in your new home in a single box that’s clearly labeled. Don’t forget to label the rest of your boxes too. This allows the movers to take your pots and pans to the kitchen and your clothes to your bedroom, cutting down the amount of work you’ll need to do later.

4. Don’t Pack Food or Liquids

Food can easily spoil in the back of a hot moving truck, while liquids can spill and stain your belongings. If you’re moving to a new country, you may even be breaking customs regulations by bringing certain types of food over the border. If you don’t have time to use everything in your pantry before you move, perhaps you can give it away to friends or coworkers as a goodbye gift. Or, unfortunately, just put it in the trash.

5. Check Your Insurance

Many moving companies provide insurance for your possessions as standard. However, it always pays to check exactly what the policy covers before you make your move. If you’re transporting valuable and fragile objects, such as antiques, you may want to purchase additional insurance so you’re not left out of pocket if they are broken during the trip.

Moving can be one of the most stressful events in a person’s life, but it doesn’t have to be. Take these tips to heart along with other resources like housetipster.com for house moving advice the next time you’re relocating.

✏ Bea Elle is an interior designer and writer based in New Jersey. She lives with her partner and three little monkeys in the mountains.

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Do you have any additional tips for moving? Let me know in the comments!