Moving from an old house to a new one can be both a stressful and an exciting experience. All of the work involved with finding the new place, filling out the paper work, and securing the location is finally over. You can now make the transition and begin building your life in your new home! You can help reduce the stressful side of things by planning ahead and learning as much as you can about the moving process before the day comes. There are many details that need to be considered when moving, including whether or not to hire a company to help, how to handle the utilities at both locations, and the best way to transport things like pets and house plants. The following are some of the most frequently asked questions about the moving process. Reading through the below Q&As will help prepare you for your big moving day and make the process a little easier as well.

1. Should I Hire Movers?

A: You can hire professionals to help you move but this can be costly and isn't necessary. If you’re just moving across town and don’t have anything especially heavy or difficult to move, doing it yourself will save you some money. Moving on your own is also a good idea if you have friends or family who can help you. If, however, you are moving a long distance or have specialty items like pianos it might be a good idea to hire professionals. Make sure the movers are equipped to handle any specialty items and that they factor these into the estimate they quote you.

2. Should I Rent a Moving Truck?

A: Unless you live in a particularly rural area or are going to be driving a great distance, moving vans and trucks can usually be rented fairly inexpensively. The biggest ones will let you transport more items and take fewer trips, but keep in mind that there is generally one price for the day plus mileage. Since you’re paying for a whole day anyways it might be more cost effective to rent a smaller vehicle and make more trips as long as you aren’t diving too far with each trip.

3. What Do I Do with Plants and Pets?

A: Even if you hire a moving company most professionals wont transport living things. On moving day you should have a designated "fragile things" vehicle. This should contain only delicate things like fine china and any plants and animals. Don’t put your plants in this vehicle until you are ready to drive them to the new house. If you can drop your pets off with a friend at the beginning of the day and pick them up once the moving is done this will minimize their stress. If you can’t do this, confine pets in a room with food and water until you are ready to move them at the end of the day. Don’t leave your pets alone in the new place, wait till the chaos of moving is over and you can be there to help them adjust.

4. Should I Pack Some Essentials Separately?

A: You should pack an overnight bag with clothes for the next day, any toiletries you need, and anything you want guaranteed access to for the next few days. Packing a few outfits might even be a good idea too. This will allow you to have essentials on hand as soon as you reach the new house without having to unpack every box to find a work outfit for the next day or your phone charger before you can go to sleep that night.

5. What About the Utilities?

A: Generally, you should call the company and have the utilities turned off the day after you are done moving. If, however, you will still be showing the house you should schedule the utilities to be turned off the day you close on the sale. Call the utilities company a few days before you move and have them schedule the utilities at your new house to be turned on or put in your name the day of the move.