Four weeks out
Book your crew, especially if the date falls near the end of the month or in summer. Start sorting the garage and any storage areas, since that is usually where the surprise volume in a house hides.
If you live in a gated community or HOA-managed building, check the moving rules now rather than the week of the move. Some require advance notice, an insurance certificate, or a reserved elevator window.
Two weeks out
Start non-essential packing: books, off-season clothes, decor. Label every box with the destination room, written on two sides rather than the top, since boxes get stacked and the top disappears.
Confirm utilities at the new address, including which electricity provider you are choosing if you are in a deregulated area, so the air conditioning is running when you arrive.
One week out
Finish packing everything except what you will use in the final days. Confirm the crew's arrival window and walk through any access details, like gate codes or a steep driveway, that they should know ahead of time.
Pack a first-night box with bedding, chargers, medications, and a change of clothes, and keep it with you rather than on the truck.
Set aside a folder with anything you will need quickly, such as school records or a lease agreement, so it does not end up sealed in a box you cannot find on the first busy day.
Move day
Point the crew to each room and answer questions as they come up. Trying to help carry heavy items usually slows things down and risks an injury nobody needs in the middle of a move.
Walk the truck and the empty house together before the crew leaves, checking closets, cabinets, and the garage for anything left behind.
Keep pets and young kids somewhere else for the day if you can arrange it. A house with doors propped open and heavy furniture moving through the hall is safer and calmer without them underfoot.