For most people, moving to a new home is a major undertaking. While often exciting, the process also comes with significant stress. It is like pulling a band-aid off, which people often try to get out of the way quickly. Unfortunately, this is not the way to go about things.

Though stressful, home moving is something you must prepare for and get right the first time. Without careful planning, a move can quickly become complicated and difficult to manage. You'll likely make life much more unpleasant for yourself, and your move will also be way harder and stressful than it needs to be.

The good news is that, by taking your time, preparing, and packing properly, you can make your move a breeze. Here are six tips to help you prepare for an organized, efficient move.

All these hanging organizers feature strong boards to support the weight of your belongings safely and to keep the shelves from losing shape. They also have useful side pockets to hold your smaller items while giving you easy access to the contents. The elegant, minimalist style means they can be employed openly, and they will blend into your decor with ease. Ideal for storing sweaters, shirts, knitwear, pants, handbags, shoes, hats, socks, ties, etc. Also, they are all collapsible, meaning that they can be easily stored when not in use.

Throw Out Any Clutter in Advance

Packing and moving is already stressful enough, without having to sort through piles of clutter that have been accumulating dust in corners for years. To ensure the move is as smooth and effortless as possible, start throwing your clutter out in advance.

Instead of cramming worthless clutter into boxes and worrying about finding a new home for them, take the time to carefully evaluate each item and decide whether to throw it away, sell it, or donate anything you no longer need or want. 

This process of decluttering beforehand streamlines packing and ensures you start fresh in your new space, unburdened by items that serve no purpose other than gathering dust.

Carefully evaluate each item and choose whether to keep or donate it to charity.

Begin Packing in Advance

After disposing of any old and unwanted clutter, you can start to think about packing up the things you do want to take with you to your new home.

Again, begin packing well in advance to make life easier and avoid having too much work to do just before the big move.

Prioritize items and pack up any items and belongings that you know you aren't going to need until you're in your new home. By packing in advance, perhaps a box at a time, you can get everything boxed up that you'll need, without overwhelming yourself as moving day draws closer.

Start packing well before your move date by prioritizing and boxing up items you won't need right away.

Pack Up a Room at a Time

When moving home, you need to be organized and methodical, which is why you should pack up a room at a time.

Instead of packing a bit here and there, begin with just one room at a time. Don't even think about starting on another until you've packed up everything that you need. Again, begin by packing up items you aren't likely to need until you've moved into your new house. Once you've packed everything in that room, you can then move on to the next room.

Systematically pack up one room at a time and label each box.

Clearly Label Boxes

A tip to make life much easier when moving is to label your boxes clearly.

Not only should you write down the name of the room the items are from, but you should also make a note of what's inside.

Write down things like "Kitchen" followed by "pots and pans" or "crockery" etc. You should also emphasize the fact that items inside are fragile, by writing down things like "FRAGILE" or "This Way Up" followed by an arrow perhaps.

Wrap Valuable Items Carefully

When moving, the last thing you want is to get to your new home, open up the box, and find that a prized, valuable, sentimental, or expensive item has been broken because it wasn't wrapped properly or packaged correctly.

When you pack up your belongings, use parcel wrap or bubble wrap to wrap up any belongings you want to protect and ensure they reach their new home in one piece. It may seem like extra work, but you'll be so glad you did it when your prized possessions are unscathed in their new home.

Take time to carefully wrap prized, valuable, or sentimental possessions.

Leave Essentials Until the Last Day

Finally, to make moving day easier than ever, make sure you leave everyday essentials until the last day before you pack them.

This includes things like:

• Clothing you'll need over the next couple of days
• Toiletries and medications
• Dishes and utensils for meals
• Bedding and towels
• Electronics you use regularly
• Important documents and items you may need access to

Keeping necessities like these handy until the very end prevents you from having to dig through packed boxes just to find a clean shirt or your toothbrush in the last few days.