Moving day is the great revealer of relationships. Your acquaintances suddenly become very busy, but your friends show up, especially if you promise pizza and beer as a reward.

     After years in the real estate business, I’m confident that what separates smooth moves from stressful ones almost always comes down to preparation. So whether you're moving across town or across the country, here are some tips worth passing along.

Start by Lightening the Load

     Before you start packing, do everything you can to get rid of stuff you don’t need. Have a garage sale, donate items to the Ukiah Senior Center Thrift Store, then list whatever is left online. Finally, rent a dumpster and toss what you can’t sell or give away. Don’t do what I did during my last move—carefully pack everything in your pantry, including heavy cans, without really examining it. I was pretty disappointed when I realized I’d paid to move food that had expired ten years earlier. Move less, not more.

     For boxes, think strategically: large boxes for light things like blankets and pillows, smaller boxes for heavy items like books and canned goods. Start collecting boxes early, and stop by UHaul for additional moving boxes, especially specialty boxes like wardrobes. While you’re out collecting boxes, swing by and pick up a pack of Sharpie pens and rolls of colored duct tape. You’ll thank yourself later when you can quickly identify which box goes where: a strip of blue duct tape for the master bedroom, yellow for the kitchen, green for the living room, and so on. It may sound like overkill until you're directing friends and/or movers and trying to make sure everything ends up in the right place.

     One more tip on sequencing: pack your kitchen last. Accountants call this LIFO— last in, first out. When you arrive at the new place exhausted and hungry, you'll be glad you can find a pot and a spatula without excavating twelve boxes. As a side note, Costco storage crates are sturdy and good for moving heavy stuff; plus they’re reusable.

Measure Twice, Move Once

     If you're downsizing, measure your furniture before moving day. Not every sofa will make the turn down a hallway, and not every king bed fits a smaller bedroom. Project Sanctuary and other charities often gratefully accept bedroom sets. Facebook Marketplace and Craigslist can handle the rest. It's far better to sell something intentionally than to discover on moving day that it simply doesn't fit. Don’t be that family who moves in and leaves a “Free” sign on a sofa on the front lawn the next day.

Match Your Move to Your Distance

     For a local move, friends, coworkers, and a rented U-Haul can usually get the job done over a weekend. For a long-distance move, not so much. Professional movers offer varying service tiers: full service means they pack, load, transport, and unload; partial service means you pack and they transport (and the unloading may be up for negotiation—whether they unload to your driveway or to the upstairs bedroom).

     Read the contract carefully so you understand what's covered if something breaks. As a rule, the more you pay up front, the less likely you are to be filing damage claims. And if friends are helping you move, consider whether Uncle George should be handling the delicate wine glasses.

     If you’re doing a move with friends and family, start early, because by the time three o'clock in the afternoon hits, everyone’s energy drops and things start to take longer than they should.

Don’t Forget to Handle the Practical Details

     Before you move out, cancel your utilities or, in the case of Redwood Valley, transfer water to the new owner so they don’t lose hookup rights. Make sure whoever moves in after you knows to establish service in their name.

     At your new place, turn everything on before move-in day. Test the appliances. Note that water heaters sitting idle for several months have a habit of failing the moment you need a hot shower after a twelve-hour move.

     Be sure to notify the post office of your address change and update your online accounts, such as payment platforms, shopping sites, and subscriptions.

     With a little planning, pizza, and patience, a long day of moving can end with a wonderful sense of accomplishment and a gratifying new beginning.

     If you have questions about property management or real estate, please contact me at [email protected] or call (707) 462-4000. If you have an idea for a future column, share it with me and if I use it, I’ll send you a $25 gift certificate to Schat’s Bakery.

     Dick Selzer is a real estate broker who has been in the business for more than 50 years. The opinions expressed here are his and do not necessarily represent his affiliated organizations.