I've been the 'new kid' 13 times, in 13 different schools, and 13 different towns. My parents, both military, create an art out of packing and repacking our family's booty. Here are 5 must-have tips when it comes to packing up for a big move:

1) Meticulously Label on 5 Locations: 

Dad always said a Box wasn't finished until it was labeled on top, and all 4 sides (excluding bottom). It was never enough to put "Kitchen". He always emphasized including a major item that was in the box like "Kitchen: mixer, dishes". We always included: the location: major appliances, and vulnerability. This helps during that awkward time when you need something, but you don't want to have to open 5 boxes that read 'Kitchen' to find a spoon. 

2) Pack HEAVY things in LITTLE boxes:

Sure, you might luck out and have some strong men carrying your boxes for you, but chances are you want to limit as many 2-man carrying projects as possible. This definitely helps will allowing little ones to carry their share instead of sitting around because boxes are too heavy. Always, always, always pack books into smaller boxes, and anything that is exceptionally heavy (that rock collection). 

3) When Packing up a U-Haul, put the huge things in first:

When you are packing up the U-haul, bring everything outside and separate it into categories of big boxes, medium size boxes, and small boxes instead of by room. If you put all of your big boxes in first, the small ones will fit around it, and you'll be able to fix a lot more

4) Establish an assembly line: 

our packing experiences were always full of assembly lines, and pulley systems. My dad would always leave out our old computer chair to put small boxes on and roll it to the next person in line. Use that big human brain of yours to create systems that expodite the process. It might take 10 minutes of planning up front, but will save you tons of effort than just everyone walking back and forth from the house. 

5) Downsize & Pack Smart:

We had a garage sale before every big move. Its smarter to get rid of unwanted junk, then tote it across the globe to a new location, just to have it go back into hiding somewhere in your home. Once you start packing, you can use soft things, like towels and linens, to wrap around valuables to save money on packing materials.