Moving property can be a stressful experience, but with a little preparation and allowing as much time as possible, you can reduce that stress to make it a bit easier for you.
Part of a move that people find most stressful is the packing side. Psychologically, the idea of having to pack up all your stuff and move them is a big job that can be put off due to it being stressful – unfortunately, it kind of is! However, you can reduce that stress by being organized and starting it as soon as possible. Once you know the move is happening, immediately start making small changes daily to make the whole move easier in the long run.
Start by going through all your belongings and throwing away anything you no longer need – this can often build up the longer you have lived in your home for. Convince your friends or family members to join you in getting rid of stuff as chances are they are going to be more ruthless than you. Try not to overpack as this can cause boxes to break as well as items to be lost due to them getting mixed up with others and ensure you pick the removals company as soon as possible – this is one job you can tick off quickly.
To help you with your move below, we have put together some tips on how to make your packing as stress-free as possible.
Choose your removals company as soon as possible
Start by choosing a removal company as soon as possible. This is a quick job that you can tick off your list and by booking them sooner, you can save some money. Make sure you get multiple quotes and check for additional offerings like helping you pack or unpacking when you move into your new property. Ensure you read up on the reviews of the company to make sure they are legit and have positive feedback. If you know anyone who has moved recently, personal recommendations are always useful.
Declutter in advance
We mentioned this above as this is an important step to making sure the move is as stress-free as possible. Over time you are bound to have collected plenty of junk that you no longer need to use anymore. As soon as you can, start going through each room one by one, throwing away anything you don’t want anymore. Try to be as ruthless as possible, remember if you haven’t used it in a while, then chances are you don’t need it. Enlist a friend to help you as they can be strict with you and make the process of decluttering a lot more fun than on your own.
Don’t overpack your boxes
You are going to be tempted to pack as much as you can in each box in order to reduce the number of boxes that you are going to have to bring with you to your new home – don’t! This is a mistake a lot of people make, but by over packing you are likely to break things as well as lose items. Not to mention that the heavier the boxes are, the harder it is to move about and the more likely they are to collapse during the move. Try to keep each box categorized and only pack items that are relevant to that box. Don’t be afraid to use more boxes to help you be more organized.
Pack room by room
Just like tidying, you often start a room and find it hard to finish as the room is a bigger job than you first expected – This rule applies to packing! When moving, instead of having every room a mess due to all your items being moved around, try to stick to one room at a time. This way you can gradually pack each room and keep the rest of your property tidy. Plus, you can then easily tick off your checklist room by room.
Start with the rooms you use the least
Talking about packing room by room, when you do this, start with the rooms you use the least. Moving can take months, so by doing this you can cause yourself less hassle during the busy periods of your move. The last thing you want to do is be so prepared that your living room is packed but filled with boxes for three or four months due to the move not happening sooner.
What tips do you have for making a move as stress-free as possible? Which of the above tips did you find most useful? Let us know in the comment box below.