Many experts believe that moving home can be one of life’s most stressful events. But with a little planning and preparation, you can take the anxiety, tension and pressure out of it. Check out these five ways you can easily minimise moving stress for a smoother, happier and more positive experience.
- Draw a budget
Moving home is not only a stressful experience, but can also turn into a costly one. To avoid unnecessary spending, your first step is to look at how much you have to spend on the actual moving process. By drawing up a budget, you will have a better idea on how much you can spend on moving services and how much you can spend on packing requirements like bubble wrap, boxes and tape. It should also give you a good idea if you can splurge on a packing service or if you may need to arrange that yourself.
- Decide on DIY or Professional Movers
Once you know how much you have to spend on the move, it’s time to decide on whether you will make use of the services of a professional mover or if you will do it yourself. Keep in mind that a DIY move isn’t always the easiest, best or most cost-effective option – especially if you’re moving a fair distance that will require you to make several trips back and forth. Aside from renting a trailer or truck, you will also have to hire labour to assist; and this can become an expensive exercise.
Instead, ask your friends and family (Facebook is a great place to start, too) to recommend movers they’ve used in the past – there might be smaller and independent movers that you might not know about and that might fit within your budget. Don’t just settle for the first recommendation either. Contact the various recommended companies for quotes; we’re almost certain you will find one that won’t blow your budget.
Once you’ve decided on what option works best, make sure you book it as soon as possible. Movers, in particular, are often reserved weeks in advance. Another pro-tip is to consider moving mid-week and mid-month; these are often cheaper, as the demand is lower.
- Notify relevant people
Your move may not necessarily fall on a weekday, but you may still want to take time off before and/or after your move – as said, moving can be stressful, and downtime can be just what the doctor ordered. So, chat to your boss about the possibility of taking time off.
Also notify your close friends and family about your move, so that they can assist with babysitting and/or pet-sitting, lend a helping hand with the actual move or, even, send you and your family a warm meal after a long day of moving.
- Pack like a pro
Once you know who is moving your home contents, it’s time to start packing. The key rule here is to start sooner rather than later: leaving things to the last minute will only add additional anxiety to an already stressful situation. Plus, working in advance of your move will give you enough time to sort through your possession, throw out or donate unwanted items, and wrap up and box the items that you’re taking with.
Here are a few pointers to pack like a pro:
- Source supplies: make sure you have all the right stuff for packing. You can source boxes from your local grocer or purchase new boxes or re-useable plastic boxes from specialist suppliers or moving companies. Don’t forget the bubble wrap or newspaper to wrap up fragile items and tape to ensure your boxes are well sealed.
- Keep track: Keeping track of what you’ve packed in which box is one of the trickier sides of starting to pack earlier. The easiest way around this is to pack the non-essential items room by room and clearly label each box with its destination in your new house and what some of the contents are – make sure you add the labels on the side of the boxes, so that you can still read them when they’re stacked. On the day of the move, make sure you instruct the movers to place the relevant boxes in the relevant room; this will prevent you wasting time lugging heavy boxes around yourself and will give you more time to focus on unpacking
Another pro-tip is to mark every boxed packed and, then, correlate the numbers (and contents, if you like) on a spreadsheet on your computer or physical notebook. This will make it easy to check that nothing gets left behind.
- Action items the day before your move
Turn your fridge and freezer off the night before you move, to allow sufficient time for it to defrost and to be cleaned out before your move. Make sure you empty the drainpipes and dirt traps on your dishwasher, washing machine and dryer; lock your valuables and very fragile breakables in your car the night before (please only lock your valuables away if you have secure, safe parking; alternatively, as a close family member to store them for you for the duration of your move). Don’t water your pot plants at least 2 days before your move, as this will make them heavier to carry and more likely to drip on or stain other items.
Lastly, don’t forget to keep a few essential items aside for the day of the move. These include a change of clothes; basic toiletries; a first aid kit with headache tablets and plasters; snacks and drinks to fuel up on the day of the move; a dustpan and brush; black bags; and a couple extra boxes and tape on hand. If you’ve not been able to arrange a babysitter for your kids on the day of day, make sure that you keep some toys, books and games aside that will keep them occupied while moving.
