With the Animal Crossing: New Horizons 3.0 update just around the corner, now is the perfect time to get your island ready. While there’s no need to rush through the new content when it launches, preparing ahead of time will make the experience smoother, more flexible, and ultimately more enjoyable. Below are the most important tips to help you start the ACNH 3.0 update.

1. Build Your Catalog (The Most Important Tip)

Your catalog is one of the most overlooked systems in Animal Crossing, and it becomes extremely important in the 3.0 update. Every item you’ve ever picked up, purchased, crafted, or received as a gift is saved in your catalog, including its color variants.

With the introduction of Slumber Islands, players can only decorate using items available in the host’s catalog. Even more importantly, guests visiting your Slumber Island can only use the items and color variations that you have unlocked. If your catalog is limited, so is everyone’s creativity.

To prepare:

• Buy daily items from Nook’s Cranny

• Pick up furniture from friends’ islands

• Host or attend catalog parties

• Collect multiple color variants of the same item

• Use treasure islands if you prefer faster progress

A strong catalog means more freedom, better designs, and a much better multiplayer experience.

2. Get the Right Amiibo Cards

The 3.0 update itself is free, but Zelda and Splatoon collaboration items are locked behind amiibo compatibility. Without the correct amiibo, you won’t be able to access those characters or item sets unless you use a treasure island.

Each compatible amiibo unlocks specific characters and content. For example, certain Link amiibo unlock Tulin, while Splatoon amiibo unlock Cece and Viché along with their themed items. If you want full access, now is the best time to pick up the amiibo you need before prices rise.

3. Stockpile Nook Miles

Every major Animal Crossing update has introduced new features and items that require Nook Miles, and the 3.0 update is expected to continue that trend. Hairstyles, reactions, paths, fencing, furniture, and even new systems often require large amounts of Miles.

You don’t want to miss out on new content because you’re short on Miles when the update drops. A good target is at least 50,000–100,000 ACNH Nook Miles.

The fastest way to grind:

• Focus on Nook Miles+ tasks

• Complete high-multiplier challenges (x2, x5)

• Chain easy tasks like selling hot ACNH items, crafting, or chopping wood

Unlike ACNH Bells, Nook Miles can’t be traded, so this is something only you can prepare.

4. Grind Crafting Materials

One of the new systems introduced in 3.0 involves hotel tickets, which can be earned through crafting projects. On top of that, crafting will now pull materials directly from storage instead of your pockets, making large-scale crafting easier—but also more demanding.

Even if you think you have enough materials, you’ll likely burn through them faster than expected once the update goes live. Stock up on:

• Wood (all types)

• Iron nuggets

• Stone and clay

• Weeds

• Seasonal materials

This is easy to do passively while watching a show or listening to a podcast, and it will pay off immediately.

5. Choose Your Villagers Carefully

Slumber Islands only allow villagers who already live on your main island. That means if you want specific villagers for a themed island—cats, dogs, personalities, or aesthetics—you need to move them in before the update.

Now is the time to:

• Villager hunt using Nook Miles Tickets

• Scan villagers in using amiibo cards

• Decide which villagers fit your long-term island vision

If a villager isn’t on your island, they won’t be available later.

6. Clear the Dock Area

The dock will play an important role in the 3.0 update, as this is where the new hotel system will be introduced. If your dock or nearby beach is heavily decorated, it’s safest to move those items now.

While Nintendo will likely store displaced items safely, clearing the area avoids confusion and protects valuable decorations.

7. Take Your Time and Enjoy It

Finally, don’t rush. The 3.0 update could be the final major update for Animal Crossing: New Horizons, and there’s no reason to speed through it. Preparing ahead lets you relax, experiment, and enjoy everything at your own pace.

If there’s one takeaway from all of this, it’s simple: build your catalog. It impacts Slumber Islands, multiplayer creativity, and long-term enjoyment more than any other preparation step.