You'll need to check any company out thoroughly before hiring them - each company should be vetted to your satisfaction, with viable references, if possible. You should also search for any complaints or comments about them online, and see what comes up. These recommendations should also contain information on whether they were prompt, priced fairly, or added additional costs. It's also a good idea when you have too much furniture for your new house, and no where to store it yourself and while garages and basements are great for short term storage, they aren't protected, in some cases against the elements, nor, possibly insured against accidents, such as fires or flood. Garages and basements also, while accessible, may also need to be used for other things. Get rid of any papers that you don't need (though keep all important documentation) - consider donating any magazines, books, old toys or clothes in good condition to a local charity - or sell them on Ebay or similar, to make some cash. These donations and sales make mental and space sense - you're not wasting perfectly good items you will probably never use again, and you could sell the really good condition items in a variety of places. This will all help in your new house. Always remember to mark bags you're using for belongings clearly so that they don't get mistaken for rubbish - or buy completely different bags for your rubbish and your belongings. 5) While it may only take you a couple of weeks to pack, it can take eight weeks - or MORE to unpack at the other end - so though you're 'just boxing items up for a couple of days' remember that you may not find it for up to two months, or perhaps more. With two weeks to go you'll probably want to consider telling your mobile phone provider that you're moving, and consider letting your regular clients know that you'll have a new address. Most businesses have items shipped to them if your suppliers deliver to you regularly, you will need to contact them to let them know that your address is changing. By far and away, the most awkward items to move are computer monitors and TV are the hardest to move unless you've kept their boxes, you'll find it very difficult to either fit them into a box that you have acquired, or find that you need the boxes for other things. These can be wrapped in sheets or dust covers and placed, with padding around them, in the van once the boxes are in.