When you’re getting ready to move, you’re probably already exhausted. Looking at all the real estate for sale, dealing with realtors and open houses, organizing and packing up all of your stuff… it can get exhausting. But don’t let the realtor drama get in the way of you making your new home the best it can be. Here are some tips to help you pack up your home essentials in the most efficient way possible:

Make a list – This goes two ways. First, you’ll want to make a list of everything you know that you want in your new home. And if something isn’t on the list, when you’re packing, donate it or throw it away! If you didn’t remember it, chances are it’s probably just taking up space. After you do that, you’ll want to make a list of everything that you do decide to keep, so that when you’re unpacking, you can keep track of everything that gets moved. This way, you’ll know that everything is present and accounted for!

Get things labeled – When you get each room packed up, make sure that you get everything organized and labeled, so you know where things go. You’ll save a ton of time you’d normally waste searching for which things go in which room. But beware of over-packing; the last thing you want is for all your dishes to end up in a pile on the floor.

Unpack right away – Even though you’ll probably be tired from all the moving, this is the most important step to making your new home exactly that. By getting all your stuff moved out and moved in, you’ll make sure that you don’t end up living among all your boxes, which will give you less chores to do later. Then you can really focus on settling into your new space.

So when you’re looking at real estate for sale, don’t forget about the things that make your home what it should be: comfortable, organized, and ready to live in!