How to take the Stress out of Moving Home

Moving home is stressful – one of the most stressful events in our adult lives, in fact. But there are ways to reduce the pressure and make it a much calmer task. A key to making it simpler is to just be as organised as possible.

 

One of the major factors in moving house is time. Once you’ve got a buyer, arranged your mortgage for your new home and done whatever is needed to get your house move started, it seems that there is a long wait before anything else will happen. During that time, while lawyers are doing their searches and whatever other legalities need arranging, you can feel a little in limbo. And then everything will happen at once as you complete and get a moving date. 

 

However, that limbo period is actually a great time to get prepared for your house move. So, here’s a few ways you can prepare in advance and take the stress out of moving home.

 

One of the big decisions you need to make is which moving firm to use. Start by getting some quotes and reading reviews for the local firms. Remember that cheaper is not necessarily better. You do want your belongings to turn up in one piece, so make sure you choose a professional firm with a good reputation. 

 

Moving firms will also get booked up quickly, and their busiest days will be Fridays, Saturdays and bank holiday weekends that allow people moving a little more time to settle in. So, if you can plan a definite move date or have them on standby, get your dates booked in.

 

If you love a list or two, this job is something that will definitely help with your stress levels. Start making some lists. Plan out the stages of your house move. Make a list of every official business, bank and utility that needs notifying of your new address. Order your new address cards to send to friends. Create a list of questions for the current owners of your new home, such as their utility suppliers and where the stop cock is for the water. The more you can plan out now, the less panic you’ll have at the last minute. 

 

Although our homes are usually full of our belongings, if we are honest we only need a few things for everyday life. The rest is made up of items we have gathered along the way. So, start by packing up each room and considering what you will need as soon as you move into your new home, and what could really stay in its storage box for a month or two after you get there. 

 

Things like books, records, camping gear, boxes of mementos in the attic – anything that you won’t need urgently – can be boxed up ready for the move. And, if you really want to take out some of your house moving stress, considering putting these items in a self-storage unit near your new home right now. That way you’ll have everything close to your new home when you want it, but safely out of the way on moving day, which means far less to worry about in the short amount of time the moving firm have to pack up your furniture. This also gives you time to move your furniture into your new house at your own pace.

 

On the day you move house you’ll have removal people in and out all day long – in both your old house and your new home. Doors will be held open, and the removal people cannot be responsible for your pets. So, you need to plan how you’ll manage in advance. The easiest thing to do is ask a friend to watch over cats and dogs. Remember that smaller, caged animals will need space in your car. If that’s not possible, see if you can book animals into a local kennel or cattery overnight to give you some breathing space. Knowing that your furry or feather friends are safe will be one less thing to worry about. 

Finally, moving day will be long and busy. Make sure you have one box within easy reach that you can unpack first – the box with the kettle, coffee and cups in it. And if you can, plan an easy dinner by ordering in a takeout or getting some fish and chips – which also means there’s no need to wash up on your first night. Then sit back, relax and enjoy your evening in your new home.