Moving to a new location can be exciting, but it’s stressful and can become overwhelming if you don’t make plans ahead of time. The last thing you want to be doing is throwing things in boxes willy-nilly, struggling to get in touch with utility companies to arrange cut on’s and cut-offs, and dealing with the movers, the kids, and other obligations at the last possible minute.

Any planning for a move should begin at least a month before the actual moving process begins, which includes dealing with things like putting new windows or calling in an appliance repair technician to fix the refrigerator or the water heater in your new home. In this article, you’ll find a few tips to help you pull off your next move with ease.

1. Have a solid plan in place.

Many people think that packing is the first step in the moving process. However, any homeowner who has relocated can tell you that it’s not. Before you even consider putting something in a box, you need to have a plan in place. First, you need to set a definite moving date, then start making sure that your home is ready for you to move in when moving day comes.

For example, if you’re moving from Honolulu to Connecticut or vice versa, you don’t want to get to your new home, only to find that the windows are broken, or they’re such old windows they are still single-paned and uninsulated. If you’re going to be in Connecticut for a bit, or if you have a friend there, go ahead and make arrangements with a professional to install replacement windows in CT. You certainly want your replacement windows to be there when you get there, so you don’t have to worry about energy-efficiency problems or intruders because your old windows are unsafe.

2. Remove distractions.

You can easily remove distractions by not only having a checklist to pack by, but also by planning the days you’re going to pack in advance. Make sure that you wipe your schedule clean on the days that you’re going to be packing so that you can get a good chunk done without being distracted.

In other words, you don’t want to start packing, then have to stop to go to dinner with friends, run errands, or talk to the service handling your appliance repair in Honolulu. Whether it’s the washer, dryer, refrigerator, or the freezer that came with the home you’re moving into, make sure to schedule the appliance repair or appliance replacement with the professionals in advance so that you don’t have to talk to them or be bothered on packing days.

3. Contact utility companies in advance.

A few weeks before moving day, you should contact the cable, water, and electric companies where you’re going to be moving to set up the transfer of services or have your services connected. Give the companies a concrete day on which you’re going to be moving so that your utilities and other services will be waiting on you when you get there.

It’s also important to get in touch with your post office to change your address ahead of time. You don’t want to get to your new home, only to find out you’ve been missing important mail later on.

4. Work with the professionals.

One thing you want to do is work with professionals to move from one location to the other. While it may seem like a good idea to move DIY style, it’s just going to cost you more money and cause added stress.

These are a few tips to follow when you have to relocate. Moving is never going to be easy, but these four tips will, at least, make it easier.