Moving is hardest; this is true even if you have a comprehensive movers – you know, the ones that take a look at your old home, pack literally everything and arrange it in your new home before evening. There are things that your movers won't take care of, and if you don't think of them early, your transition in your new home will be less than comfortable. Read on to find out what should be added to your checklist.

One month before move: Cancel your subscriptions and recurring charges

Depending on where you're moving from and to, you may need to cancel your gym membership and other charges like mail-ordered medication. This is especially important because most long-term service contracts have a thirty-day cancellation policy.

What's more, the extra time gives you a chance to make alternative arrangements (e.g. if there's a long-term contract you can't cancel, you can post it on online classifieds sites so that an interested person in the area can take it up).

Two weeks before: check auto insurance

This is especially important if you're changing states. You need to closely manage your auto-insurance to ensure that your coverage is not halted/voided at any point in the transition. Will your premiums be raised or lowered? Is there a way to transfer insurance if your insurer doesn't operate where you're moving to? What are the deadlines and requirements for changing address?

Two weeks before: submit postal change of address

Changing your postal address can be easily done online, and the earlier you do it the better. You want to be sure that your mail doesn't get lost somewhere between your old and new home. You can even notify organizations about your change in address, so that the transition is made even smoother.

One week before: Plan for your bills

Do not risk making late payments because you didn't change your utility addresses as well as set up a system of payment in time for your move. Talk to the service providers and your bank and find out details of your new utility metres to avoid getting late on monthly bills like rent, phone and mortgage. This is especially important if you have direct debit arrangements for these. Ensure that you have a little more than you need in your account to cover direct debits and contingencies; moves often come with unplanned-for costs.

Day before: set your home in order

Take a picture of the cables connected around your electronics, especially if you don't have movers that do all packing and unpacking. You may not remember what goes where when they're a tangled mess in a box. When packing, you can coil and label with masking tape.

Pack the things you don't want movers to handle like money from your safe, your grandmother's diamond necklace and prized plants. Plan for how they will be transported and stored until the moving bustle is over. If plants are in the ground and you want to carry them, this is the time to buy buckets and carefully transfer them.

Finally, put aside your go-to box(es) – the one(s) with all the things you need for the time before you settle in to your new home. If your movers don't unpack, plan for a much longer period than just 24 hours; it could take you days before you're completely unpacked and you've figured out what went where. Some of the things to include are clean bedding, some silverware and a few dishes, toiletries and cleaning supplies among others. You don't want to be frantically searching through every box to find toilet paper the night after your move.