In 2021, over 26 million people moved homes in the US, and while not everyone moved far from their previous home, with many staying local, one thing they all had in common was navigating the moving home stress and packing chaos that inevitably comes with a house move.
But does it always have to be stressful? With 9 out of 10 people surveyed saying moving causes them stress, it doesn’t have to be as stressful as you think it might be. In fact, with careful planning and preparation, it might even be a positive experience; here’s how one of our contributors thinks you can make it so.
Start Early
The earlier you start preparing for your move, the better. If you leave everything until the last minute, it goes without saying there will be many hiccups and stressful situations that will impact your experience.
Draw up a master list of everything you need to do and how early you can do it. Then, assign tasks to do on a daily or weekly basis so you get everything ticked off ahead of time. Don’t forget to add in things like changing your utilities, measuring up rooms in the new house, planning any decorating or repairs you need to make in one or both places and changing the locks or rounding up keys, too.
Get Help
Help when moving home can come in many guises. It can be asking your parents or family to look after children or pets come moving day, so you have one less thing to worry about.
Or it can be booking a removal company such as Expedient Movers to assist you with your move and booking your required service as early as possible, or it could be getting both your current and new property deep cleaned by a cleaning company so both houses are spick and span and you don’t have to worry about getting everywhere clean before you move your belongings in or after you’ve moved them out.
Change your Address
Once your move is confirmed, you need to start the process of changing your address with all of your suppliers, schools, workplaces, insurance, credit cards, and healthcare providers. The earlier you get this changed, the better. You will have a better chance of getting all of your posts and making sure you aren’t missing any important information and that you aren’t charged for using services prior to or post moving.
Declutter
The last thing you want to do is to haul any junk to your new place that you really don’t want. If you leave everything to the last minute, then chances are this will happen as you panic pack and throw everything in boxes. Make your packing easier by decluttering as you go and removing anything you don’t want. Don’t just leave it lying around; sort it, make a plan, and get anything you no longer need gone to free up space, make packing easier, and, more importantly, reduce your moving costs as you’re taking less stuff with you.
Book Storage
Now, this might seem like an unneeded expense, but booking a storage unit means you can move anything you do not need into your unit to free up space in the house. This is particularly important if you live in a small place now or you need to carry out repairs or decorate before you leave. Then, come moving day, your removal company or yourselves, if you are self-moving, can collect your belongings from the storage unit and take them directly to the new house once you’re ready for them to go. Items you can temporarily put into storage include seasonal decorations or equipment, toys, ornaments, photographs, excess clothing you won’t wear, bedding, etc.
Buy Equipment
One thing that can often be overlooked for moving home is the equipment you will need. The exact things you need will depend on your sitation; however, packing boxes, tape, labels, permanent markers, box cutters, scissors, bandages, paper towels, and garbage bags can all come in handy in the run-up to and during the move. Make a list of what you think you need to help you ensure you can pack up with ease and aren’t hindered because you don’t have the right supplies to hand.
Label Boxes
Boxes don’t need to be overly detailed; however, at minimum, having the room on the box will serve you well once they’ve left your current home and have been placed in the new property. Make sure everything is clearly marked to help them make their way to the right place at the final destination.
Moving home doesn’t have to be overly stressful; by taking your time to put the prep work in before the move, you can reap the benefits of a smoother, more successful house move when the time comes.