Your job too plays a huge part in picking a house - can you easily travel to your place of work, and more importantly, is the area able to offer a similar job, should the worst happen? You can also balance isolation and city life with what you prefer - if you prefer a quieter pace of life, its better to move to a town, though you may find that houses further out of cities may cost slightly more. Most companies provide insurance and are consummate professionals, but some can cause more damage than the cost of hiring them, and its important to have redress when moving belongings. Their insurance should be carefully examined to make sure it covers everything - this will also give you an idea of what they will and won't pack - and what extras (such as mattress covering) they'll provide. You can also get boxes from supermarkets, and sometimes from recycler and on Craig s list. Some removal firms also supply them if you're using their vans, or their moving men, or provide them if you are letting them pack for you. Packing clothes into suitcases or bags means that they are easy to transport, and easy to fit into spare spaces in your transport, but you need to make sure that the bags or cases are sturdy enough to contain your belongings well. Some people like to pack their living room last - some like to pack rooms in two lots - one round to remove the non essentials, and one round to complete packing, others still like to pack where they can, when they can. Deciding on what's unimportant and can be packed first is a good place to start. After de-cluttering thoroughly, packing any books, and out of season clothes, you can start deciding on a packing schedule. If you're de-cluttering, you can also begin packing whilst doing so, but considering some houses sell up to three months before you're planning on moving OR up to a year after you've moved, its also important not to plan to sell straight away, unless your house is in a highly sought after area, and you've got a good, competitive price. You should have chosen your new utility provider by now, and have any forms you need to fill out for your bank, so that there's no delays in changing your details to your new home. If you're letting, you should also have a lease by now, with details of what you are going to have to take care of on moving in.