When it comes to the big move, chances are you are already stressing about getting everything out of your place in time and into your new place smoothly. You have plenty to look forward to, for better or worse. Moving all of your furnishings from place to place doesn’t have to be such an aggravating hassle. Make sure you have everything you will need when you start packing so you don’t have to make emergency trips to the store. Here are some items you might not realize your needed:

Sandwich Bags

Keep screws, bolts and other small items secure and organized in small sandwich bags. This can be especially helpful if you’re moving furniture and need to keep up with all of the various washers, screws and other odds-and-ends. Don’t forget to mark each bag so you can keep track of which items go where when you try to put them back together. Once you have all your baggies labeled, place them in a box that you won’t misplace.

Bubble Wrap

Bubble wrap can save the day when it comes to protecting your most fragile items, including fine china, appliances with easily-scratched finishes and more. There are several inexpensive types of bubble wrap available depending on what you plan to move and how much cushion you’d want for your belongings while they are in transit. Just a basic layer of bubble wrap taped around your tables or dressers could protect them from bumps against doors and corners as you move them in and out of the truck.

Shock Cords

A shock cord (also known as a bungee cord) helps keep all of your things strapped down securely. You don’t want to worry about all of your items sliding around during the move. Unlike ordinary rope, shock cords offer greater flexibility and resist tangling, making it easier to tie down items securely. This is essential if you are planning to move your belongings in the back of a truck or car.

Tarp

If you’re moving items on the back of a truck bed, you’ll need something to hold everything down. While a tarp might clash with your fashion sensibility, it’ll prevent your furniture and other items from flying away during the move. You can use a tarp in conjunction with shock cords to keep larger items bundled up while they’re being moved around.

An Overnight Bag

When you do arrive at your new place, chances are you’ll be too exhausted from the day’s activities to unpack. Your overnight bag should have all the things you might need for that night and the next day, from essential toiletries to an extra set of clothes. An overnight bag also serves as a relatively safe place to keep your laptop so it doesn’t turn up missing after the move.

The items above should help you when it comes to successfully moving all of your belongings from one residence to another. After all, you don’t want to be caught unprepared when the day finally comes. Don’t forget to make sure everything is nice and tidy and that you have your cleaning supplies out of the way before the day of the move.