Preparing for and handling a household move can include many details to make sure everything runs smoothly. Whether you're using a professional moving company or doing some or all the work yourself, with these tips and preparation insight, you can make moving day a bit easier.

Prepare Moving Day Essentials

Before the arrival of your moving day, it is important to prepare a box of essentials to help you through the day. As your movers are packing up and hauling items into the moving truck, you will need to have access to important items, such as medications, personal care items, baby essentials, moving paperwork, important personal documents, easy-to-prepare food, and paper plates, napkins, cups, and plastic utensils. Make a list of items you will need to use on moving day and collect them, placing them into a box.

Unless you plan to order delivered pizza on moving day, pack some foods you can prepare easily and eat. This can include sandwiches and other snack foods. If you have access to a microwave on moving day, you can have some frozen meals to heat and eat during moving day.

Pack Breakables

If your movers are packing all your items up, sit back and relax, as they will be properly and safely packing your breakables with packing paper and bubble wrap. Talk to your movers to find out what they plan to use ahead of time so you can give any special instructions for certain items.

If you are packing up some or all your household items, you can use various items in your home as cushion for breakables. Collect all your towels, sheets, blankets, throws, and clothing items from around the house to use as your packing materials. Wrap larger blankets around wall mirrors, framed art prints, and around fragile lamp bases. Wrap smaller throws and hand towels around separated plates and other dishes. Be sure to stand your plates on their ends—don't stack them flat within the box. Stacking them flat can cause their weight to crush the plates on the bottom of the stack.

Prepare and Move House Plants

When you have to move your entire household, this may include potted plants that can be difficult to move. Fortunately, you can take potted plants with you in your vehicle. Prepare them several weeks in advance by trimming off any excessively long branches. This reduces the number of branches on the plant that are at risk of becoming bent or broken during the move. Broken branches on your plant can put extra stress on it.

If any plants are in a heavy pot, replant them in a lightweight plastic container. Pack the heavy pot in a box for when you arrive at your new house, where you can re-pot it.

Place crumpled moving paper into the top of the pot and wrap plastic wrap over the top of the pot and around the plant to keep the soil from spilling if it tips over. Nestle the bottom of the pot into a moving box, surrounded with packing paper to hold it in place. Pack the plants in the car last so they can be removed first when you arrive.

Unfortunately, not all house plants can be taken on every move, especially when you are moving overseas or long distances. For this reason, you can take a cutting of your favorite houseplants, which you can carry in your flight bag or handbag with you to your new home.

Select a healthy stem that is 10 to 20 cm in length (approximately 4 to 8 inches) and cut just below a node on the stem where leaves are growing. Remove the lower leaves on the cutting and wrap its stem in a wet paper towel or cloth, placing it into a plastic bag. Once at your new home, place the end of the cutting into a jar of water. After a few weeks, the plant will grow roots and you can place it into a pot with soil.