This is important because the longer you leave your bookings, the harder it may be to get an affordable moving company. This also goes for moving, if you're allowing a firm to pack and move you. Packing firms may also need plenty of warning to be booked, so ensure you investigate this fully before committing to booking them with a month of time. Your small office may be the last thing you actually pack fully, but you can start by cleaning through your paperwork and ensuring everything you've got has storage - if you run a craft business or have a hobby that takes up space, its always good practice, as soon as you've heard you'll be moving, to start clearing and boxing up your non essential supplies. Simply apply to the smelly area (or leave a tub open in a cupboard or fridge) and the smell should be vastly diminished or gone within 24 hours. The same goes for activated charcoal, or a few drops of vanilla on a cloth. Baking soda is good for a whole month, so can be used continually, not just for cleaning for a move. These essentials should be packed over the last day, so don't leave out too much - or you'll find it very difficult to finish packing in time. Wardrobes, your garage, and shed can be packed as one of your first tasks - if you don't use your garage and its secure, you could then store any boxes there, or in cupboards. You'll need to go out and buy at least the basics saving the 'big shop' until you've unpacked your kitchen. You'll probably unpack that and your living room, and if you're not taking long off work, your home office first. Unpacking takes place over six to twelve weeks, depending on your family, and you may find that you have to permanently store items in a garage, basement or attic, because there just isn't the room for them. And while it, and de-cluttering while you go, is an essential aspect of moving, there are a few things you can do to make the time go faster. Clear out your biggest cupboards first - you can store boxes and other packed items in there - and those cupboards may just be full of clutter too - once you've cleared the cupboards, sweep and wipe down the surfaces and then use those cleared spaces for the boxes you're not using now and won't use until after your move.