Just thought I'd share one of things I did before my official quit date to help make things a bit easier.
I did a few 'practice sessions' of not smoking for a particular period of time, just so that it wouldn't be as scary and so that I had an idea of what it would feel like.
I did one full day (as in wake up til go to bed), a few 24-hr stints, a 'go to work without one first' and a 'couple of pints (ok, 3) down the pub'. I made sure I had some NRT on me (not patches though) to 'substitute'.
Although it's not the same as when you fully quit, it did help me to get used to some trigger situations, as well as some daily life, before they happened on the real quit.
I also quit on a weekend away in York, with lots to see and do, which helped keep my mind off the fact I'd quit - too busy to waste it smoking