Move-in day is approaching... How do you feel? Whether you're nervous, excited, anxious, or surprisingly content, there's still a lot of work to be done. Through all the emotions, it's easy to overlook some crucial details that could make the move-in day a little less stressful.

The first decision you have to make is whether you're going to hire a moving company or DIY and ask your friends and family for help.

Hire a moving company

If you have the opportunity to hire a moving company, it can save you a lot of time and hard work. If you're moving for work-reasons, ask your employer how they can contribute financially to your move. Some companies will partially or sometimes fully cover your moving expenses!

Ask around

There will be several moving companies that you can contact about helping you move. If you know anyone who has used any local moving companies, ask them who they suggest you use. Word-of-mouth is a great way to get honest feedback and find out who does the best job. Before you decide who to use, make sure you ask around for advice and get some reliable feedback about that moving company. 

Research each company in the area

In addition to word-of-mouth, it's a good idea to do your own research. What works for others might not fit your needs, so you should also make sure you know all of your options. You can even contact each company and ask about their availability, prices, and policies to make sure they're a good fit. You can also find some online reviews that are brutally honest about each company and see about experiences that other customers have had. 

Ask for estimates

Feel free to have different moving companies into your home to give you an estimate of how much they'll charge to move your belongings. This will give you an idea of who is the most reasonable option, and you'll get to speak to someone in person about their process. Make sure to get the estimates in writing, and see what extra charges they might impose for particular items. Get each person's name, so you have someone to contact if you decide to choose their company. 

Compare the estimates

Now that you've seen every option and talked to each potential business, you have the tough decision about who you want to choose. The price estimates might make it an easy decision. If one company charges much less than the others, as long as you're comfortable with their policies, it's a no-brainer. However, if the estimates are close, you should take a closer look at their extra fees and moving guidelines to help make your decision. 

Will you need movers insurance? 

Remember, you're entrusting your belongings to strangers. Talk to your home insurance provider to see how much of your items are covered during a move. Depending on their answer, you might need to purchase additional insurance for your valuable items. It's better to be safe than sorry. 

Another option is giving your most valuable items to a close friend or family member to maintain while you're moving. Then, you can meet up with them to get it back once you've settled into your new place. Either way, make sure you keep track of your valuable items through the chaos of moving day. 

DIY moving

First off, take a minute to notice how blessed you are for having wonderful friends and family that are willing to spend their weekend helping you move. That has to be a good feeling!

Now you can take a deep breath and start the planning. Here are some key steps you can take to get everything in order before the big day. 

Organizing and packing

It's not uncommon to allow 6-8 weeks to organize and pack your items. The more time you take to prepare, the smoother moving and unpacking will be once you get to your destination. Be sure to organize and label all of your boxes to help with unpacking. You can start with clothes that aren't in season or those fine china plates you probably won't use. Happy packing!

We also suggest transferring child records well in advance of your move so your kids can start school as soon as you get there. About a month in advance, think about transferring medical and pharmacy records, so you're good to go when you arrive.

Get a game plan

As moving day approaches, consider making travel arrangements. Think about how many cars you're going to need, which route you're going to take, and how you're going to get all of your items from point A to point B. If you have a long trip, think about where you're going to stop for lunch or even lodging for an overnight trip. Getting all of this planned ahead of time will help reduce stress when hit the road. 

Also, you're probably going to need trucks and trailers to move some of your more oversized items. Phone a friend with a truck and offer to buy them beer or pizza in exchange for their help. It's a lot easier with support, so don't be afraid to ask friends and family to help you move. For those who cannot help physically, see if they'd be willing to watch your kids while you are busy unpacking and moving items. 

Will you need to downsize? 

It's important to know if the square footage at your new place is less than your current. If so, you may need to think about what items you can leave behind. If the buyer doesn't want your furniture, you can sell it on an online marketplace. The extra cash can help offset some of your travel expenses or help replace it with smaller furniture for your new place. 

Sometimes it's helpful to request an extra trash can from your garbage service for the week of moving. You might find some things that you don't need to take and can't sell on a marketplace. Contact your waste management service to see what they charge to take extra trash or get an extra trash bin for the week. 

Give yourself plenty of time.

Make sure you allow for more than enough time to pack and move your belongings. If everything goes as planned, that's fantastic! In reality, you might get delayed somehow, and you don't want to miss work the next day or miss an appointment because you weren't there on time. In a perfect world, give yourself an extra day or two for the whole moving process so you can settle in before life begins.