Organizing breakers in a panel

I'm adding some breakers to my new panel, and considering moving some of the existing ones around.
Can someone suggest how circuit breakers should be organized inside the panel??

Should I have pretty much a balanced load on each side. I know this may not normally matter, but I've got these undersized lines leading from the transformer to my meter?? Note from JN: See this link for a discussion of the undersized lines.

Any suggestions...
Thanks

 

Double pole loads are self balancing. Breakers across from each other are on the same leg as are every other one going down. It isnt a one side of the panel or the other thing. I sometimes check load balance but you really need an amp probe or meter to do it and it changes as things go on and off. I have improved loads on long runs on loaded subfed panels by balancing but am not sure how you might do it on a home since loads come and go, like the fridge and freezer, microwave, hair dryers.

 

Before you move any breakers around you better check for shared neutrals which must be on opposite legs.

 

If you have no spaces between breakers, and your empty spaces at the bottom of the panel you will have as balanced as possible. In a house it is impractical to try and have the panel completely balanced with its loading.

 

There was a festival in town and had a sub running on number 6 wire about 200 ft away. They had the band going on and a beer cooler trailer hooked to it too and some other stuff. Kept popping the breaker. I check it and voltage was terible, and 49A down 1 leg and 1A down the other. Ha, well we move the beer breaker and do 25 and 25. wa la,,, I am a damm genius. Voltage pops up by about 8 or so and the band can play on. There is no real moral to this story, except never run 6 and put a 60 on at 200 ft. Like gard says,, you never get a house to balance that close though.