Stock up on packing material for the kitchen.

Consider packing everyday dishes, bakeware, Tupperware, and silverware separately. Crumpled newspaper, bubble wrap or corrugated cardboard will help prevent your fragile items from breaking, but just about anything can be used to pack breakable items. Utilize dish towels and even paper plates to create buffers. Remember, crystal, china, ceramics, and keepsakes need to be carefully packed with lots of padding. Pack these items in smaller boxes with appropriate packing materials and labeled as fragile.

Set a timer and pack for an hour a day.

Don’t bite off more than you can chew. When it comes to packing, break down your packing into steps. If you procrastinate and try to pack everything the night before, you’ll likely become overwhelmed with stress. Tackle one room at a time and spend an hour each day packing up items into boxes. Pack pairs or sets together and make sure your box is the appropriate size to hold a complete set of belongings.

Don’t over pack a moving box.

One mistake a lot of people make when moving is trying to cram all of their belongings into a few cardboard boxes they have around the house. Use as many boxes as you need to create easy-to-lift loads. Keep your largest boxes to no more than 50 pounds.

Don’t pack these items with other household belongings.

Consider what should not be packed in the moving truck. Some things can be hazardous during the moving process, so it is best to move them separately or dispose of them before moving. Tools, painting equipment and cleaning chemicals should be packed together in clearly marked boxes. You may want to use plastic totes to prevent messy or dangerous leaks. Pack bottles and medications together and keep them separate from other belongings.

Repurpose household items for packing.

Think about how you can repurpose things you have — like hampers, suitcases and laundry bins for storing some of your clothes and household items. To help take up as little space as possible, use vacuum sealing for your clothes.

Pack a moving essentials tote.

When you first move into a new home, it’s unlikely the first thing you’re going to want to do is to unpack clothes, do laundry, and go grocery shopping. Moving can take a lot out of your family, which is why creating a moving essentials tote ahead of time is tremendously helpful.

Use the right size boxes.

Place heavy items like books, in small boxes, and lighter items in larger boxers. This makes it easy for movers to organize and pack boxes into the moving truck. Be sure to pack heavier items on the bottom and lighter items on the top to avoid damaging breakables.

Don’t leave empty spaces in boxes.

Fill in any gaps with packing paper, clothing or foam peanuts to prevent items shifting around during the move. Use tape to close the bottom and top seams and around the edges where stress is concentrated.