Selling your home and moving to a new place is one of the most stressful life events that a family can go through. Hiring movers can make the process easier, but many people opt to save money by doing it themselves. Try these tips as you get ready for your big move and be less stressed on moving day by packing and moving your own furniture and breakables.

1. Plan Out Your Move

Well before moving day, sit down and plan out your move. Make a timeline with different goal dates that you want to have everything done by. For example, you might want to have rooms packed by a different date or deep clean the day after the move. Next, measure your large furniture. If it won’t fit into your new home, consider donating or selling these items. Determine how big of a moving truck you need to rent based on these measurements. Finally, make a chart and get color-coordinating stickers to organize each room by color. This chart can be put up in your new home and will make it easier to get boxes to their correct location.

2. Gather More Supplies than You Think You Will Need

Spend a little extra and invest in high-quality shipping boxes. There is nothing more frustrating than packing a box only to have it break under the heavy load inside of it. Used boxes from grocery stores or friends can be damaged from moisture, bugs, or wear-and-tear. Opt for sturdy, high-quality boxes and get more than you think you need to prevent last-minute runs to the store. You will also need plenty of bubble wrap, foam peanuts, packing paper, and packing tape for packing. As you begin packing, put heavier items on the bottom and lighter items on the top in the box.

3. Take Pictures of Furniture Parts and Accessories

Don’t take a chance that you will remember how to assemble your furniture once it is taken apart. Take pictures before, during, and after disassembling your furniture. Try packing all of the loose parts and accessories together and tape it to the back of the furniture in a sturdy bag. Use painter’s tape to tape drawers closed to prevent them from breaking. If possible, track down the original assembling instructions and warranty information and keep them with the parts. Most importantly, don’t mix disassembled parts of one piece of furniture with another, as you don’t want to lose track of what parts go where.

4. Bundle Breakables

Bundle your breakables together with packing paper, foam peanuts, or even extra blankets and clothes. Wrap each item individually and put paper or foam peanuts around the items in the box. Fill in any gaps and don’t leave space in these boxes. If you run out of packing material, you can also use blankets and towels to fill the gaps. This will prevent breakables from being shuffled around and broken during the move. If possible, however, it’s best to keep things organized and separated.

Don’t feel overwhelmed as you begin to pack and move into your new home. By making a strategic plan and taking the proper steps, you will pack your home with time to spare and enjoy moving into your new place.