For most people, relocating is inevitable at some stage in life.

My husband and I moved many times during his 29-year career as a naval officer. Fortunately, the Navy always covered our moves and provided professional packers and movers who set us up at each new location.

Recently, we moved from San Diego to Paso Robles on California’s Central Coast after purchasing acreage overlooking a vineyard with plans to build our first custom home. But with dreaming comes doing—with plenty of steps in between.

As an interim home, while our house was being built, we downsized to a much smaller rental home in Paso Robles. The move was a success, but it took a lot of work. Good planning made all the difference.

The simple truth is that moving later in life can be more challenging. Over the years, most of us accumulate more and more “stuff.” Once our San Diego home went on the market, our first thought was, “Where do we start?”

8 tips for making moving later in life less stressful

Here are some tips we learned that made our transition more manageable.

1. Declutter before you move: start purging early.

Go through every room and closet, one at a time, and get rid of anything you don’t want or haven’t used in years. You’ll reduce clutter and make fewer decisions at the other end. Check your local area for donation services. We used Vietnam Veterans of America for donations — they’ll even pick up from your garage or driveway.

2. Create a moving checklist to stay on track.

It’s never too early to start planning. A moving checklist helps guide you through every phase of the process, from contacting movers to handling utilities and address changes. You can make your own or download a printable list from a local moving company’s website.

3. Compare moving companies and book early.

I recommend getting quotes from at least three companies. Depending on the level of service provided, the quotes we got ranged from $4,500 to almost $13,000. Check reviews and ask for an in-person visit for the most accurate estimate. On a telephone call, one company rep initially thought one truck would be enough—until he saw everything in person and revised the plan to two.

If you’re moving during peak season, schedule the moving company sooner rather than later and expect the quotes to be higher. 

4. Save money by packing your own boxes.

We initially considered having moving professionals pack our goods but decided to do it ourselves after a quick cost-benefit analysis. We’d seen the pros do it plenty of times and had a good idea of the boxes and materials needed.

Starting early helped reduce last-minute stress. We ordered most packing supplies online, but Home Depot was great for last-minute runs. Be sure to have a variety of box sizes—from extra-small to extra-large.

The benefit of self-packing was knowing exactly what was in each box. Professional movers often label things “miscellaneous,” adding to the unpacking chaos. The good news? Only one item was broken in all the boxes we packed ourselves!

5. Clever packing hacks: Clothing, towels, and labels.

Pack clothing in your suitcases—they’re going with you anyway, so why not fill them?

Most moving companies provide wardrobe boxes at no extra charge, but they must be emptied and returned on the same day of unpacking. These are perfect for hanging clothes, and the sturdy bottoms are great for shoes, purses, and hats.

After bubble-wrapping them, I wrapped candles and small breakable items in towels, which gave them even more protection. You’re packing the towels anyway — so it’s a win-win.

Always label both the tops and sides of your boxes with a brief description and the room in which they belong. That way, even when boxes are stacked, you won’t have to dig to find what you need on move-in day.

6. Secure small parts with Ziploc bags and tape.

Tape screws, nuts and bolts, and remotes to the back of furniture in a Ziploc bag. You may think you’ll remember where you packed that bag of bolts, nuts, hooks, and remotes, but trust me — nothing is more frustrating than getting to your new home and not being able to find “that box” containing the things you need to assemble the bed and turn on the TV.

7. Pack a first-night essentials box.

Keep all essentials for the first night in an easily accessible moving box: toilet paper, paper towels, scissors, pajamas, toiletries, chargers, and an outfit for the following day. It’s even better to bring the box with you in the car.

8. Keep important documents and valuables with you.

Take anything irreplaceable — passports, birth certificates, other documents, high-end jewelry, treasured collections, and other valuable items you want to keep safe – with you during the move. It’s better to be safe than sorry.

Fortuitously, I found a sign in a local boutique that read: “The only way to make sense out of change is to plunge into it, move with it, and join the dance.” – Alan Watts.

Moving creates change. But with thoughtful planning and wise execution, a new home can be more than a fresh start — it can be precisely what we need in this next season of life.