Moving may feel like an enormous task, especially when you look around your home and realize how much you’ve packed into it over the years. Now that you’ve selected your Texas Hill Country home design and have a closing date, the clock is ticking…

The best way to approach projects of this scale is to break it down into small pieces. If you identify each task required and apply a suitable order in which they should be tackled, the job will feel less formidable.

A first decision must be made on whether you’re going to take on this task yourself or hire a professional company.

Professional movers take away the workload and the stress that can come with it. Not only are they skilled packers, but they’ll have the right vehicle for the job and store your belongings if there’s a few days gap between leaving your current home and occupying your next.

If you’re on a budget, you may want to take on this task, but be aware that you’ll have to hire a truck, buy packing materials, organize any storage, and do all of this without insurance.

We’ve broken down the essential tasks and how to tackle each of them into weekly increments.

4 Weeks to Go

Begin to go through all of your belongings. Do this room by room. While it is tempting, do not fall into the trap of doing this in multiple places simultaneously as the task will quickly become overwhelming.
Separate unwanted items into piles that you believe you can sell or are prepared to give to charity or friends. Be brutal here!
If you’re doing your own packing, buy boxes, labels, and bubble-wrap from a local storage facility or home improvement store so you can begin packing. Purchase varying sizes of boxes and any packing suitable for framed pictures and fragile items, such as glass vases.
Don’t buy boxes that might be too large to lift.
Sort through all your bills and notify suppliers of dates to turn off or move service to your next residence. Don’t forget to change your driver’s license and notify your bank and insurance provider.
As your sorting through your belongings, make sure you set aside your important financial documents in a place you can easily find them. Your lender will request documents from you during the process. And don’t put them away just because you think you’ve turned it all in – lenders can ask for documents well past the appraisal and the way up to the closing day (and even after in some cases!).
If you need to find accommodation for your pets during the move, do this now.

3 Weeks to Go

Combine your packing and labelling of boxes with taking down pictures, frames, and other items that you’ll take with you. Some will require special packing, so don’t leave this until the last minute.
If you have a freezer, it’s a good time to start working through its contents so it will be empty and can be cleaned in good time.

2 Weeks to Go

By now, you’ll start to see light at the end of the tunnel. Most of your rooms will be packed away. Any items that you have borrowed should be returned, whether that’s a neighbor’s ladder or library books.
If you have delivery of magazines, newspapers, or weekly food items, you should now cancel those and, if possible, redirect them to your next address from a prescribed date.
Plants that you wish to take should be potted and gathered in a single, easily accessible area for transport.

1 Week to Go

You’re just days from the deadline now. Defrost your fridge and freezer and clean them, so they are ready to be used immediately on arrival at your next home (or they’ll be clean for your buyers if you’re leaving them with the house).
Start to take boxes downstairs as this will ease the physical burden on moving day.
Prepare and box items that you’ll need for the first days in your new home. This includes anything from toiletries to coffee makers, favorite toys or teddy bears, medication, and some snacks. This box should be kept separate from the others or be the first off the van. Make sure you label this box!
If you have a family home, make sure you hire the truck at least one day before the move so you give yourself plenty of time to load up. It will be hard work, and not everything will fit the first time. It’s a brave amateur who’ll try to get this done in a single day.
Try to hire a truck with a gate that raises automatically. This means you will not need to lift every box into the back.
If you cannot hire a truck that can take all of your belongings, be prepared to make multiple trips and know that it can be exhausting.
A dolly or hand truck will be a godsend to help you take boxes from the property to the truck and is worth purchasing from a hardware store.

Moving Day

Make a few boxes available for moving day. You’ll need them to store bedding and other sundry items.
Lock up the property. Check all the windows so they’re secure.
Hand the house keys to your agent for the next owner.

Now for the fun part – moving in to your new house!