My suggestion would be to pack an open me first box. I usually pack a box with towels, shampoo, soap, toilet paper, pj's. I also put in sheets, blankets for the bed so I don't have to hunt for that stuff. I also do a box with paper plates, plastic forks, things of that nature. I haven't moved in 15 years so just thinking about that makes me tired.

I won't use cork for lining drawers bcs it's too thick; my kitchen drawers came out unexpectedly shallow, so I use the Duck paper-thin shelf liner.

Find places you want hooks. Use the Command hooks, bcs if it turns out later you goofed, you'll have no regrets about removing the hook.

Back of the sink-cabinet door, inside closets, etc.

If you aren't moving it in your own car, the "open me first" box or boxes should be marked, in big red letters, "LOAD LAST" so that the movers don't bury it. I also like to hold out my small toolbox for last (or even in my own car) so that I have the basics on hand.
If your bath and kitchen drawers are cleanly finished inside, consider not lining them at all, but instead putting wire mesh organizers in them to corral the stuff. Cork seems nice at first, but it's a bear to clean...the drawer itself is much easier to clean if there is nothing there. Sticky things leave residue, paper crumples and tears, fabric slides all around, and the process takes too much time and energy anyway. I like the mesh things because you can just sling them into the dishwasher from time to time.

Are you living near enough to your new house to make a few trips yourself? If you do, consider moving a load of clothes to hang in the closets for each of you; taking enough bed and bath linens to load your linen closet with sheets for each bed and towels for each bath, stocking the fridge and pantry with what you will need for the next meal and the first breakfast, plus paper towels and plates, and juice or sodas and cups for you and the movers; and setting up the baths so you all can take showers without having to dig around for things. (Think about what you would need at hand if you were going to a hotel.) Then you will be able to function the minute you get there, no matter how exhausted and brain dead you are!

My final tip, and I have done this for my last two moves, and been crazy happy about it, is to hire someone or a maid service to come in while the movers are finishing the loading to dust, vacuum, and quickly mop the old place. Just the basics...but you will be too tired and distracted to want to do it, and it will make you feel so competent and responsible.

dd50 and brownysmom, Thanks so much for your great tips! I guess I didn't mention..... we moved OUT of our old house over a week ago, so that part is behind me and I didn't do much of what you suggested, 1. because I didn't think about it, and 2. because we're staying in an apartment that is fully furnished (it's ours) in our airplane hangar, so we have the basic things there. I wish I'd packed more clothes! We weren't expecting to be homeless this long! I did hire a house keeper to clean after we moved out - awesome! I didn't have the little yucky stuff to do, and the new owner said it was cleaner than any new house she's ever moved into! It felt so good.

What I need help with is ideas for things I can do in the EMPTY house to get ready for living.

talley sue nyc, thanks for the cork heads up. I think I have deep enough drawers to not have trouble, but I'll look at that Duck paper. I haven't seen it. We do have some hooks around, but mostly in bathrooms and the mud room. I'm sure there will be needs for more.

What is a back of the sink cabinet door?

Lot's of great ideas here already. I can't really add much, but I will say I totally agree about no drawer liners and using 3M Command products.

We've been in our new DIY home for just short of five years now and if I did it all over again I'd hang everything with 3M Command products and do away with drawer liners unless I used a decorative vinyl wallpaper glued in place. The insides of new cabinets anymore are smooth and easy to clean. So no real need to line them unless for looks.

I too use drawers organizers. I prefer the Rubbermaid ones for smaller items like in a junk drawer because they are solid. Nothing small can get through them. I use the little plastic baskets in my bathroom drawers. The wire mesh ones would also work like Bronwynsmom mentions.

As for kitchen utensils, when we moved in, Target had some wonderful frosted plastic drawer organizers I found when looking for a wood knife holder for a drawer. Never did find the wood one, but the plastic ones are working just fine.

I did find a wood organizer for my silverware. If at all possible I recommend placing it in the drawer so the silverware lays side to side. This keeps them from sliding when opening and closing the drawer and damaging the wood container.

Good suggestions, hopefully we will be moving into our DIY house in spring. The "open first boxes" is a great idea. Even though its only down the street, I still want to make it as easy as possible.

You want to do things now that will be more difficult when the boxes and furniture show up. For us, that meant sealing all the grout in the house and painting the basement concrete floor. The floor painting was a big project, but it made a huge difference in how the basement looks and in keeping it clean. And realistically, this is the last time it will be complete empty.

Also consider where the movers are going to be walking. You may want to buy cheap runners so they aren't damaging your hardwood or wall-to-wall carpeting.

Window coverings - do you have some sort of temporary covers for bathroom and bedroom windows?

Movers move quickly and you need to make split second decisions on where things go to get boxes in the right room. I taped a piece of paper on the door frame of each room to label it to correspond to the labels on my boxes, so that they could identify the rooms easily: Bedroom 1, bedroom 2, bedroom 3. You may know the difference between the family room and the living room, but don't expect the movers to. Also, if you want the boxes in a room to be piled in a certain place, put a sign on the wall saying, Put Boxes Here and a down arrow.