Moving can be one of the most overwhelming things you do in life, next only to getting married and having a baby. Packing a home’s worth of belongings into little cardboard boxes can feel daunting. Leaving the place you felt so ‘at home’ with, literally, can be an emotional process. With a few clever tips, however, you can minimize the stress that comes with packing and moving.
1. Give Yourself Time
Don’t go looking for brown boxes when the moving truck arrives. Falling short of time is the biggest stress in moving. Don’t leave your packing and other crucial tasks to the very last day. Instead, plan ahead and begin packing and preparing well ahead of time. It can take well over a month to get the entire house packed up, plan the move, arrange transportation, and handle a myriad of other activities associated with moving. Unless it’s a really short-notice move and you have no choice, be sure to begin preparing for the move well in advance.
2. Plan and Organize
There’s more to moving that meets the eye. In your head, you may have the entire process mapped out and every important aspect nailed. It all looks easy when you’re making a mental list. When you get down to it though, there’s a lot more to do than you thought. Dismounting appliances, taking down wall decor and fixtures, dismantling assembled furniture, safely wrapping glassware and china – one piece at a time – while these all sound like just another item on the list, they are time-consuming tasks that often take longer than anticipated.
So organize. Make a proper hard-copy to-do list and follow it. This would give you a roadmap to the multifaceted, filigreed process.
3. Visit the New Place
It’s a good idea to set aside a free day and visit the new property. This will help you plan your transportation better, pack appropriately and in general, just prepare better and avoid any last-minute surprises. You may want to have some changes made or features added to the new home before moving all your stuff in there.
4. De-clutter
Clutter is like a law of nature. Spend enough time in a place and clutter just shows up like it practically grew there. When moving though, clutter can really sabotage your packing process. Luckily enough, moving is also a great time to get rid of all the clutter. Now that you are dishevelling all arrangements anyway, just segregate all items and pack only what you need. For everything you don’t need and haven’t used in a long time, it’s time to get rid of it.
Simply discard things that are useless and everything else can be given away, sold or donated.
5. Collect Boxes or Buy Them Online
When you know you’ll be moving soon, it’s time to start sourcing boxes. Having to buy them at the last moment will not only stress you out but also cost you more than it should. Just take notice of boxes lying around the house or in the garage, basement or attic. Repair them with duct tape if there’s minor damage. If you need more (and you probably will), look for deals online. When you plan ahead, you have all the time to search around and compare prices for the best deals so you can save money.
6. Pack Efficiently
Packing is by far, the most overwhelming part of moving. To tackle it in the best possible way, it’s a good idea to pack one room at a time. Start with the one used least. While you’re at it, label the boxes roughly outlining what they have. It may seem trivial at first but will save you a tonne of time and stress when unpacking.
Also, remember to pack a moving survival kit. This is the bag or box you keep handy and unpack first when you are done moving. It should have the most important items that you will need soon after you move to the new home.
7. Inform Services
This one’s often overlooked. You have to inform your electricity company and gas company that you’re moving. Also get your mail forwarded. Let your newspaper agency know and basically update your new address on all necessary channels.
8. Say Goodbye
You probably want to meet all your friends and neighbors to say a proper goodbye before you go. Once you begin packing and the house begins to look like a crime scene, throwing a party may get a little uncomfortable. It is wise to plan your party, however small, before getting knee-deep into moving. This way, you’ll be able to enjoy your party and have fond memories of your neighbors after moving.
As a bonus, now that everyone knows you are moving and when they may bring you food on the final day when you are in no position to cook or order.
9. Find Someone to Care for a Child
Packing and moving can be extremely stressful with a child around. Though you can’t always avoid it, you could try to have someone in the family take care of them while you are hauling boxes to the truck. Grandparents, close friends or aunts and uncles may help.
10. Don’t Lose Out on That Deposit
If you are vacating a rented house, pay attention to what you leave behind. If there are any damages made during your stay there, try to get them fixed. Clean out shelves and kitchen completely. It’s also worthwhile to pay someone to do a thorough cleaning after you vacate. Anything that upsets the property owner may end up affecting your deposit that you really want and need back now.
Conclusion
So those are our top tips to plan a move effectively so that there is no stress on the final day. Have you moved recently or are planning to. Do share your experiences with us.