Three to four weeks out
Start with what you are not taking. Walk each room and pull out anything you would not pay to move, then book a donation pickup or a trip to a resale shop. Garages and closets hide the most surprise volume, so sort them first while you still have the energy.
This is also the point to confirm any building requirements, such as an elevator reservation or a certificate of insurance, so there is no scramble later.
Two weeks out
Begin boxing the rooms you use least, such as a guest room, off-season clothing, or books. Label the destination room on two sides of every box, not the top, since boxes get stacked and the top disappears.
A short note of contents helps too. Coffee maker, mugs, and filters written on a box means breakfast is found on the first morning instead of six kitchen cartons being opened one by one.
One week out
Pack the kitchen last among the main rooms, keeping a small set of dishes and utensils out until the final day. Confirm utility transfers, since providers in the area can take a few business days to switch service.
Set aside a first-night box with bedding, towels, chargers, medication, and a change of clothes, and keep that box with you rather than on the truck.
Move day itself
Once the crew arrives, your job is mostly to answer questions and point at rooms. Trying to help carry heavy furniture usually slows things down and risks an injury nobody needs in the middle of a move.
A final walk-through together, checking closets and cabinets, closes the day cleanly and catches anything left behind.
What people forget until the last minute
Wall art and mirrors are easy to overlook until the truck is nearly loaded, so give them their own box or crate rather than leaning them against a wall to deal with later. Keys, garage remotes, and mailbox keys for the old address are another common last-minute scramble, so set them aside in a labeled envelope early.
Plants often get forgotten entirely until someone spots them sitting alone in an empty room. Decide ahead of time whether they are riding in your car or the truck, since a hot trailer is rarely kind to anything alive.