Mention the word “moving” and you’ll most likely receive a barrage of negative comments and opinions: “It’s a nightmare.” “My moving company held my items hostage and ripped me off.” “My friends all avoid me when it comes time to move.” “I hate moving!”

With careful planning and a little bit of advanced research, your move does not have to be a struggle. Follow these 7 steps to a smooth move.

STEP ONE - DO YOUR HOMEWORK

NEVER choose a moving company at random from the phone book. Instead, ask your family and friends for referrals. Which local moving companies have they used recently? Were they pleased with the service? Was the pricing fair?

Once you have a list of recommended movers, check to see if they are all registered with your state’s Department of Transportation. All reputable moving companies are registered with the DOT, and will have a current certificate of registration — you may also call your DOT to verify the registration.

Check with your local chapter of the Better Business Bureau to see if any of the movers on your list have complaints against them. If they do, read through the complaints to determine if there is a consistent pattern, or if the complaint was a one-time problem.

Armed with this information, trim your list down to the top three candidates and call each moving quotes. Make sure they give you a “binding” quote that cannot be adjusted up dramatically after the move is completed. Get these quotes in writing to protect yourself, and then make your choice based on the total price as well as your comfort level with each moving company’s customer service level.

STEP TWO - PACK CAREFULLY

If you pack in a careless manner - just tossing your things into boxes and then taping them shut - you can expect to find a lot of broken items at your destination. Take the time to wrap fragile items individually, pack them tightly together to avoid shifting during travel, and use quality boxes. Those used banana boxes from the supermarket aren’t going to protect your items as well as brand new shipping boxes purchased specifically for your move. Go ahead and spend the extra hundred dollars to pick up a nice collection of moving boxes from your local warehouse superstore — your belongings will thank you.

STEP THREE - LABEL EVERYTHING

Label each box with the room the items came from as well as the name of each major item inside. When you get to your new home you will be faced with a sea of boxes, and detailed labeling will save you hours of searching. Proper labeling will also help the moving company place your items in the proper room of your new home so you have less work to do after they leave.

STEP FOUR - EVERYTHING IMPORTANT STAYS WITH YOU

Do NOT pack medications, contact lenses, jewelry, laptop computers, passports, mortgage papers, or anything else that would cause you great distress if they were lost, stolen, or damaged. Keep all of these items together in a box or two that always travels with you in your vehicle - NOT on the moving truck. Include some bottled water, snacks, cell phones, and any other items you may need within arms reach. Your move will go much smoother with some careful forethought.

STEP FIVE - TRIM DOWN, SAVE MONEY

Moving is an excellent opportunity to trim down your belongings. As you pack, set aside the items you no longer use on a daily or weekly basis, including clothes that are worn or no longer fit. Sell everything you can at a garage sale and then donate the rest to charity. Do not just pack everything and tell yourself that you’ll sort through it at the new house - you’re paying for every box moved, so why move junk? You may find that the proceeds from your garage sale will cover the entire cost of the move!

STEP SIX - ACTIVATE UTILITIES IN ADVANCE

So your belongings are stacked neatly in your new home and you’re ready for a nice meal. You go to turn on the stove, but nothing happens! You forgot to get the utilities turned on! You make some calls with your trusty cell phone, but find out that it will take a couple of days to get everything turned up.

With proper planning, this will never happen to you. Call the phone company, the electric company, the cable company, etc. TWO WEEKS prior to your move-in date and get the process started. By the time you move in, everything will be in working order and your life will be a lot less hectic.

STEP SEVEN - SUPERVISE EVERYTHING

Always be on hand during the moving process - both during loading and unloading. Never assume that your instructions will be followed. Watch and direct your moving company on both ends of the process, and always make yourself available for any questions or problems that may arise. If you’re off doing other things, you may be in for a big surprise when you get back.

Also, make sure to tip your movers for a job well done. Tip each mover individually to insure that each of them is rewarded in direct proportion to the job they have performed. You should make it well know up front that you will be tipping based on speed, careful handling of your items, and careful treatment of the walls, paint, and floors of your new home.

If your moving company did a good job, keep a few of their business cards available for your friends to begin their own moving process.

Enjoy your new home!