Cities
Moving day goes smoother when packing starts well before the truck arrives. Start at least two weeks ahead with items you use least often — off-season clothing, books, décor — and leave daily-use items for the final 48 hours.
Label every box with its destination room and a short contents summary, not just "kitchen" or "misc". A box labelled "Kitchen — glasses, mugs (fragile)" tells the crew exactly how to handle it and tells you exactly where to look for it later.
Pack a first-night essentials box separately, and keep it with you rather than on the truck: chargers, toiletries, a change of clothes, basic medication, and any documents you'll need immediately. This one box saves the most stress in the first hours after you arrive.
For fragile items, use dedicated dividers or bubble wrap layers between plates and glasses rather than stacking them directly. Wrap each item individually for anything breakable, and fill empty space in boxes so items can't shift in transit.
Disassemble large furniture ahead of time where possible, and keep screws and small hardware in a labelled bag taped to the furniture piece itself — not loose in a toolbox you'll have to search through later.
Finally, do a final walkthrough of every room, closet, cabinet and drawer before the truck leaves. It's the single most common way people leave something behind — a forgotten drawer or a high shelf that's easy to miss in the rush.