Moving to a new house or office is an exciting time—but it can also be stressful, especially when you’re planning a move in the midst of everyday life. Here, the moving professionals from Tom Carlton Movers in Cincinnati, Ohio, share their top tips for preparing for a location change. Whether you’re packing up your family or switching business headquarters, keep these movers pointers in mind.

Professional Movers Give Their Top 5 Tips

1. Nix Unnecessary Items

A change of scenery is the perfect occasion to dispose of items you no longer need. From clothes you never wear to that extra printer you’ve been keeping around “just in case,” odds are you have some things that don’t need to make the move. Consider selling unwanted items at a yard sale or donating them to charity.

2. Consider a Storage Locker

Moving is also a splendid time to think about putting things you rarely need, like seasonal holiday decorations, into storage. If your new location has limited space or is only a temporary stopover to something more permanent, you can save stress by having movers transport boxes you won’t need to a storage facility.

3. Set Aside Essentials

There’s nothing worse than arriving at your new home and spending the first night rifling through boxes looking for your toothbrush—or opening up a new office space only to discover not a single pen in sight. Put aside one box of essential must-have items that you’ll want right away after the move.

4. Invest In Packing Materials

Don’t skimp when it comes to moving boxes and other packing materials. Buy secure, sturdy boxes, as well as tape and packing peanuts. If you’re moving furniture, you may want to cover delicate fabrics with plastic and use foam to cushion sharp edges.

5. Get Help Where You Can

At one point or another, pretty much everybody has to move. There’s no shame in asking friends and family for support! If you’d like help packing the items you’ll be moving to the next home, ask a friend or family member to help with this. If you’d like someone to be there with you while the movers are packing up the house, ask!

If you need a reliable moving service in the greater Cincinnati, OH, area, look to Tom Carlton Movers. For more than 40 years, this storage and moving company has been helping residential and commercial customers get their goods safely from one home to the next. Visit their website or call (513) 579-0007 for a free quote.