You are moving to a new home. You already picked a moving company that is up to your standards. Whats next? A whole lot of planning, work, work, and more work thats what. Even if you hire a professional mover, expect your hands to still get dirty. That is no reason to fret, though. Theres plenty of help available, especially online. Here is a couple of moving general dos and donts to get you started.

1. Do start early. Plan your move a couple of months before hand. As soon as you have picked a moving company to go with, ask them for advice. Pack household and personal items that you will not need immediately. You might also want to consider notifying your service and utility providers ahead of time.

2. Do make a list. List anything and everything that is related to your move. Believe me, you will thank yourself later. From household items that you will pack to who to notify of your move, list them all down. While youre at it, why not make it a well-organized chart as well?

3. Do stock up on materials. You would not want to go to the hardware store in the middle of your packing. Save yourself some trouble and purchase moving materials that you will need (and a little bit more) in one outing. Take special note of packing tapes and bubble wraps, as they tend to run out quickly. If there are any left to spare by the end of your move, you can always give them away or keep them for later use.

4. Do get help. Sure you can pack your stuff all alone, but wheres the fun in that? Call up your closest friends and ask for a little of their time. Not only will this help you physically, the company would also help ease your stress and worries about your upcoming move.

5. Do be there on moving day. Make sure that you are at hand when the movers arrive. This way you can dispense specific instructions for certain items. If you cant be there, then have a trusted someone to take your place.

6. Dont rush. Think before you act. Have a couple of deep breath and relax. Once you have composed yourself, plan your actions. It would help a lot if you will make a list of things to do and organize them by priority.

7. Dont expect too much out of your movers. Yes you will pay them (and hopefully pay them well), but there as some things that you yourself should take care of. Dont get angry at them for every screw up. It is best that you contact your moving company and ask for advice.

8. Dont be too thrifty. Times are hard, I know, but sometimes it is worth it to invest money on something as important as your move. You might be patting yourself on the back for getting such a good deal on second-hand moving boxes, next thing you know your plasma TV is laying on the concrete because the box caved in. The point is if you want to save on your move, do it right.

9. Dont pack too much. Dont try to bring everything you own with you. Assess every item before deciding to pack them. Once you have sorted out the things you wont need, have a garage sale or give them to your local charity.

10. Dont try to do something you cant. Again, dont be a penny-pincher and do everything by yourself. Do you know how disassemble your queen-sized bed? No? Then have someone do it for you. You might damage it or worse, you might get hurt.