If you are like most people getting ready to move, you might be more concerned about the square footage of your new home or that upcoming furniture sale than you are about orchestrating moving day. However, while that carved four-poster bed might make your new bedroom look like a palace, failure to plan your move can cause a lot of trouble later. Here are two simple mistakes that will slow down your move, and what you should do to avoid causing problems:

1: Poor Packing

Are you packing your own boxes? If so, you might be tempted to toss everything into those extra laundry bins and move your unprotected furniture. Unfortunately, incorrect packing can slow things down and damage your stuff. Here are a few tips for packing different items around your house:

• Electronics: The more delicate the item, the more work it will be for movers to transport the object. If you ask your moving team to simply stack your flat screen televisions in with your beds and dressers, they might have to take extra time to figure out how to keep your stuff safe. To avoid problems, always use professional-grade electronics boxes. These boxes contain interior static-guard bags to keep electricity away from your stuff, and cushioning to protect expensive, easily damaged screens.
• Furniture with Moving Parts: As your movers carry huge dressers down your stairs, it might be frustrating to have cabinet doors and drawers fall open. However, you can keep furniture with moving parts in check by wrapping it with shrink-wrap. This special plastic wrap clings to itself, so you can protect your stuff without using loads of extra tape.
• Stored Goods: To pare down your moving inventory, go through your attic, garage, and spare bedroom to throw away things you don't want. Not only will fewer things mean a quicker moving day, but you won't fill your new place with junk. 
• Prohibited Items: Most people don't realize it, but movers aren't allowed to touch certain things around your house. Weaponry, pets, and priceless possessions are a few things that might slow down your move. Before moving day, talk with your moving company to get a list of objects that movers aren't allowed to transport, so that you can make other arrangements.

In the weeks leading up to your move, take some time every day to pack your belongings carefully. Not only will well-packed boxes and furniture make things easier for your moving company, but it will also keep your things safe during the journey.

2: Surprises For Movers

For a mover, nothing is worse than expecting a job to go one way, and then coming across a slew of bad surprises. To avoid glitches, most moving companies call a few times before moving day to discuss the details of your relocation. Here is more info on a few things that you need to mention:

• Inventory Levels: Are your bedrooms positively packed with stuff? If you know that you have higher-than-normal inventory levels, make sure to mention it to movers.
• Heavy or Large Furniture: Heavy pianos, bookshelves, and giant sculptures can be difficult for movers to load onto a truck. In fact, since 47.8% of moving companies employ less than 5 people, your moving team might not be able to transport giant objects unless you let them know beforehand. Talk with your movers about heavy belongings so that they can send the right truck and enough people to tackle the job.
• Storage Unit Information: Are you planning on having your movers deliver some of your stuff to your storage unit? If they arrive at the facility without your gate code or key, you might end up dealing with some serious delays. Before moving day, call your storage facility to let them know about your plans, and create an information packet for your moving team.

Taking the time to carefully prepare for your move will help you to streamline the entire process, so that you can start enjoying your new home.