Moving from home to home can be an exciting and stressful time. It takes a lot of planning and patience. The average American moves 11.7 times in their lifetime, so if you’re someone who has moved before, you likely have a better idea of how this goes. However, if you haven’t ever moved before, here are a few suggestions for how you can make the process go as smoothly as possible.

Where Are You Moving To?

The first thing you should really consider when planning a move is where you’re going. You need to make sure the house is ready for you or, if not, have a plan for renovations. One area to check is the heating and cooling system. Today, the average family spends $2,000 annually on energy bills, with half of that going toward keeping their homes cool or warm. For this reason, checking the heating and cooling system as well as windows and doors will be important to make sure you don’t waste money.

You’ll have to decide if a home that needs work is what you want or if you want something that’s ready for you to move in to. You’ll also need to consider the location of where you’re moving. If you have children, the schools nearby will likely be a big factor for you. Similarly, the distance to your job will be important to consider. You may also want to stay near family. All of these things should be thought about prior to actually making the move.

Working With a Realtor

When considering where you’ll be moving to, be sure to consider working with a realtor. About 88% of homebuyers are working with a real estate agent or broker. Working with a realtor is a good idea for a variety of reasons. The most important is that they have a lot of helpful knowledge and experience. They’ll be able to help you with pretty much every step of the process. They’ll have knowledge of the area, the market, and be able to let you know if the home will need renovations or if it’s move-in ready. A realtor will be able to help with all of the factors mentioned above about where to move.

The Move

When it comes to actually moving, the best way to go about it is to make a plan and take it step-by-step. You’ll want to pack up room by room and be sure to label everything. Packing room by room will help you to keep track of everything and also make the packing process less overwhelming. If the whole house has stuff thrown around and boxes all over, it’s going to make the entire process that more stressful and disorganized. Go room by room, label things, and put everything that’s ready to be packed away in one place.

If you’re looking to move or are already in the process of moving, consider these tips to help the process go more smoothly. If you plan things out, take it one step at a time, and get help from a realtor when necessary. With all of these tips, it should be relatively stress-free.