I wouldn’t blame you if you were searching for “the secret to a stress-free move.” Buying or renting a new home is one of the most exciting things you’ll experience, but it can also be one of the most stressful. Moving is not easy, but you can reduce your stress and make it a little easier for yourself. If you want to avoid a stressful move, you’ve come to the right place.
The Moving Secret
There’s only one thing you need to do for a successful (stress-free) move: Plan your move and do everything in advance. That’s right, the secret to a stress-free move is not waiting until the last minute. For many people, the excitement of moving can cause them to forget about a plan altogether, which can lead to procrastination. Instead, start planning your move as soon as you know you’re moving. Here are tips to help you stop procrastinating and start moving earlier.
Clean and Organize First
Before you do anything else, clean and organize your home. Many people will find this step unnecessary, but it can help you solve future problems by making sure you don’t miss anything. A clean and organized home will also make packing much easier.
If your home is cluttered, it will be much harder to organize your belongings well enough to pack. Essentially, clutter leads to delay when it comes to unpacking. By organizing before packing, you can make unpacking simple.
After you’ve moved out, you likely won’t have time to come back, so anything left behind will become the property of your landlord if you don’t give yourself enough time to return. Getting everything sorted before packing allows you to make sure you bring all of your belongings with you and leave nothing behind.
Get Used Boxes
Buying moving boxes can get expensive, so use as many used boxes as you can. Instead of recycling your Amazon boxes after you get a delivery, store them in your home so you can use them to pack. You can also ask family and friends if they have any boxes you can use.
Read more: 27 Amazon Hacks to Save You Money
Hire a Professional Moving Company
As soon as you know the date you’ll be moving, call up your local moving company and set a date. This will allow you to get the best rates and schedule your movers, which can motivate you to immediately start packing. You’ll need to have all of your belongings packed for when the movers arrive on your move-out date, so use this as your final deadline for ensuring you are ready to go when they arrive at your home.
Many people make the mistake of hiring the moving company a week before they have to move, but this can result in a stressful situation paying more as many companies might be booked weeks in advance. So instead of calling them at the last minute, make sure you call in advance and lock in your date.
Turn Off Your Utilities
Call your utility company as soon as you know the day you’ll be leaving so you can have them turn off the utilities on your move-out date. By doing this beforehand instead of waiting until the last minute, you can focus on your stress-free move. You also ensure you won’t forget to turn off the utilities so you won’t have to pay for them later when you no longer live in your previous home.
Sleep
If you want to reduce stress during a move, make sure you get enough sleep. During this time, you’ll be going through a lot of emotions, which can make getting quality sleep difficult. However, the best thing you can do to keep stress at pay is rest. Even if you hire professionals to do all of the heavy lifting, you’ll still need mental focus to accomplish all of the tasks that go into moving. Before the big moving day, make sure you get enough rest so you’re not overwhelmed.
Pack an Overnight Bag
Even if you get to your new home in the morning, nobody expects you to unpack in one day. Instead, pack an overnight bag so you won’t have any trouble finding the things you need the next day. Your bag should include:
- Toothbrush and toothpaste
- Snacks
- Clothes
- Beauty products
- Pajamas
Make sure every member of your household do the same so they have their essentials with them and won’t have to tear the boxes apart looking for them.
Plan for Children and Pets
If you have pets or young children, you should make a stress-free plan for them on the day you move. You’re going to be busy dealing with a lot of tasks that day, including working with your moving company, so make sure there’s someone to keep an eye on your children and pets so they don’t find themselves in trouble.
Dogs, for example, can become increasingly anxious during (and even after) the move. To make the day less stressful for everyone, have a plan for bringing children and pets into the new home. For example, you may find that having them stay with a relative until you’re all moved in is the easiest way to introduce them to your new home. This will keep both your children and dogs calm, while you can deal with all the commodities and open doors of moving.
Related: How Much Does it Cost to Own a Dog?
Label Boxes
When you begin packing, make sure you label boxes by room or owner. For example, all kitchen utensils should be labeled “kitchen” so you and the movers know where to put the box. This will also make unpacking much easier.
Most people start packing at the last minute or are too lazy to label their boxes and organize their belongings by room. Don’t make these mistakes because it will make finding things later difficult.
If you begin packing the items you don’t use daily as soon as you know you’re moving, you can prevent yourself from becoming too lazy to pack correctly. For example, if you’re moving in the summer, you can pack up your winter clothing immediately so you don’t have to worry about it later. Make sure to label it before moving onto a new box. We hope you enjoyed this article about stress-free moves and wish you luck!
