You just bought a house! Now, are you packed yet?

Many people will start packing their belongings as soon as they know they are ready to sell their homes, but whether you’re ahead of the game or are just starting to prepare your belongings for the big move, there are plenty of time-tested packing tricks to help make sure your move goes smoothly.

Here are our four packing tips to help you get ready to move into your new home!

Don’t Pack These Essentials

It’s easy to get a little packing-happy when you’re ready to move, but there are a few items that you should never package up with the rest of your belongings. Make sure you’re setting these essential items aside, so you have easy access when you need them.

1.     Toiletries and Medication

2.     Important Documents (i.e. social security card or financial information)

3.     Cleaning Supplies

4.     Bathroom Essentials (i.e. a shower curtain and toilet seat)

5.     Phone and Laptop Chargers

6.     Pet Toys and Bedding

7.     Wine

Make a “For Sale” Pile

While you’re cleaning out your closet, attic or basement, you’ll probably find some valuable items you don’t really want or need anymore. Put them into their own pile and set aside a specific day you can start creating some online listings.

Need some inspiration?

Head over to Facebook Marketplace or Craigslist before you begin to see what’s being sold right now.

Contact the Post Office

USPS offers free, mail-forwarding service when you change your address. It’s a good idea to set this up in advance, so important documents don’t get lost in the mail — especially those related to your new home!

It can take USPS seven to ten business days to set up mail forwarding, so you should request mail forwarding at least one week before your official move-in date.

Want to try something really cool?

USPS has a new service called Informed Daily Delivery. This feature allows the postal service to email previews of what you will receive in your mailbox the next day. When you go to change your address, you can easily set up this new service online.

Stop Buying Groceries

It won’t be long before your refrigerator is either packed or replaced and moving groceries can get super messy.

Consider stopping your grocery shopping at least a week before your move. Go through everything, and don’t re-stock until you have a place to store your food permanently.

If you have a bunch of non-perishables in your cupboards, this may be a great time to make a donation to your local food bank!