My husband and I have a bit of experience moving but we've only done it once with children so I'm preparing like gangbusters for our upcoming move. With our last move our oldest daughter was two and I was pregnant. Now we have three children, which means more stuff but also, in theory at least, more helpers! (Hands up all you parents who are laughing right now.)

My plan includes booking the movers way ahead of time (six weeks, done!), storing up on boxes, and going through each room for items that can be taken to Goodwill well before I start packing. Once I'm ready to start packing (four weeks before M-Day), I will start with the basement and move on to each of the children's rooms. They will be responsible for packing their own rooms (I know, I know). The kitchen and bathroom will be left for the day before.

I've been told to pack a special box of items I will need the night of our move, so sleeping bags, toiletries, toilet paper, pillows, and a change of clothes for everyone. I would add the coffee maker to that list  because I can't go far without my morning cuppa. 

Tina, a friend in the office, recently moved without hiring movers. When I asked her the next day how it went she just closed her eyes and shook her head. I was so happy to get her tips:

1. Planning is key: Tina says, "Even if you think you have lots of time, forget it! Moving day creeps up and before you know it, you’ve forgotten to go through your storage or pack up your food, clean your fridge, pack your clothes... Pack as soon as you know you're moving. You have way more stuff than you think. We left too many little things to the last minute and in the end we were moving awkward loads that we probably should have gotten rid of beforehand."

2. Get the right equipment: "If there’s one thing you can do to save your back, rent a dolly, rent two dollies! Or buy dollies! It’s amazing how much you can move and how easily you can do it with a dolly," she says.

3. Rent a big enough truck: "Doing multiple truck loads is horrible. We rented a 10-foot truck but ended up doing two full loads. We didn't even think we'd need a truck that size but if we'd taken the 14-footer we could have done one big load. The double load hurt us for time and man-power. So, as much as you may not want to rent a bigger truck, it can be well worth it!"

We've decided to use a large moving company. We went with one that offers customers of our realtor a 10% discount and one free hour. The man who came to give me the estimate gave me some great tips:

1. Keep everything in your dresser drawers and pack other soft items like towels in empty drawers. 

2. When you pack your boxes, pack them heavy. I didn't expect him to say this but he said most people pack boxes so they weigh about 20 pounds but they should be packed so they weigh between 40 and 60 pounds. Fewer boxes, fewer trips. 

3. Be prepared! He told me about one move where the family hadn't started packing when the movers showed up and it ended up taking 29 hours!!  Remember, the more you have done the less they have to do when they get to your home.

4. Create a floor plan of each room of your new home and put it on the doors so movers know where to put your furniture. This can save a lot of time. Number each bedroom (Bedroom 1, 2, 3, etc) and mark boxes accordingly.

5. Clean on moving day. I had planned to clean my house the weekend before but was told I should clean each room as it's emptied on moving day. Just give it a quick once over with the vacuum cleaner and wipe the walls and move on to the next room. The exception is the refrigerator and oven. That way, when the movers are done, you're done!

6. Dismantle beds the night before and sleep on your mattresses on the floor. Pack all screws and appropriate hardware in a bag you will take with you in your car and label appropriately.

7. Before you buy moving insurance through the movers, check with your home insurance policy. Most home insurance covers accidents or damage while your goods are in transit but you might also have "Load and Unload" insurance, which would cover damage caused when items are going on or coming off the truck.

I feel more than ready to pack up my house to make this the easiest, stress-free moving day ever!

Next week: Moving Horror Stories 

Reni Walker (AKA Scotch Mommy on slice.ca) shares her moving mayhem on Wednesdays.