Staying organized helps to relieve much of the stress that people feel while moving. On top of knowing where to grab supplies, taking the time to plan for how you’ll organize the moving boxes also helps to ensure that nothing goes missing before or after you arrive at your new home. These eight ideas are all time-tested ways to help everyone stay on the same page as you pack and transport your household’s belongings.

1- Make Stacks for Each Size

Moving boxes come in a wide range of sizes, and you’ll likely need multiple types to manage a typical move. Since the boxes tend to come in flat packs, it’s easy to set up little stacks where everyone can quickly find the size they need for a specific task.

2- Place Boxes in the Rooms Where You’ll Be Packing

You’ll also need some boxes that are designed for special purposes. For instance, kitchen boxes have special partitions that help to protect dishes and other fragile items during transport. Putting these items in the rooms where you’ll need them makes it easier to pack faster.

3- Use Colored Tape to Indicate Each Room

Color coding the boxes is a simple trick that many professional movers use to streamline the unloading process. Give each room a special color, and use the right shade of tape or a marker to let everyone see with a quick glance where boxes go.

4- Create a Numbered System to Coordinate With Lists

Figuring out what is in each box is a major stressor that you can eliminate by taking a few moments to jot down the contents. To keep this part of packing organized, assign each box with a number. Then, coordinate this number with a list that you make of what is inside each one.

5- Write Essential Info on the Outside of Each Box

While you might keep a separate list of what’s in each box on paper or an online form, you may still want to add a few details to the outside of each one. For instance, you might want to note that a box contains fragile items or needs to be stored in a special way.

6- Label Boxes That Need to Be Opened Right Away

Many people choose to pack a special box for the first night, or you might prefer to know where your bedding is so that you can make your bed for a good night’s sleep. If you have special boxes that need to be given priority, then put a label on them to make sure you find them right away.

7- Store Packed Boxes According to Weight

Property damage sometimes occurs before items ever get loaded on the truck. To avoid this, try placing packed boxes in storage spots according to how much they weigh. This also makes it easier to find the heaviest boxes to load on the truck first.

8- Ask Movers to Place Boxes in Designated Rooms

The unpacking process can get hectic, and labeling the boxes early on helps to eliminate confusion. Simply make sure that your professional movers know that you prefer to have their help putting the boxes in their designated rooms, which makes unpacking a breeze.

Once the movers unload the truck, you should be able to quickly identify the boxes that you’ll need to unpack first. Then, make sure to create a space to place your old boxes after unpacking, which makes it easier to send them out for recycling. As a final note, remember that you can also ask your movers to handle the unpacking, which eliminates any worries you have about managing leftover boxes and supplies as you adjust to your new home.