Moving is much easier to manage when you start early, declutter before packing, label boxes clearly, research your moving company, and keep your first-day essentials with you. A little planning before moving day can prevent many of the last-minute problems that make a move feel overwhelming.

Moving usually comes at the end of an already busy season. You may be selling one home, buying another, coordinating closing dates, changing utilities, packing your life into boxes—and still managing everyday life at the same time.

You can't control every part of a move, but you can make the process much more manageable.

Here are seven common moving mistakes to plan around before moving day arrives.