Is a move on the agenda for you and you’re feeling stressed just thinking of all it entails? Well, you’re certainly not alone! In fact, moving is listed as one of life’s most stressful events. But, don’t fret, a bit of planning always goes a long way.
Here are my 7 tips for a stressless if not stress free move.
1. Create a move folder.
Consolidate all the information related to the move in a folder including checklists, quotations, information about your new surroundings, etc. Keep it easily accessible until you’ve settled in your new home.
2. Make lists, plenty of lists…
Besides a master plan listing down all that needs to be done with deadlines set by working backward from the moving date and a list of the parties you need to inform about the move, there are plenty of other lists that could help you such as:
- Essential items you’ll be using on the last morning in your old home and the first night in your new one
- If you move countries, items that you’ll need to airship while waiting for your container to arrive
- Basic cleaning products and tools that you’ll need to clean your old home once everything has been packed away.
Lists keep you on track and come in handy if you need to delegate the execution of some of the tasks. Also ticking items off a list gives a great sense of accomplishment! This tip is probably the most important to ensure a stress free move for me.
Related: My 23 Favourite Lists That Keep Me Organised
3. Don’t drag the excess…
A couple of months before your move, go around your home and purge it of any items that are broken or expired, that you don’t use, or that you don’t like. You don’t want to pay unnecessary moving costs for these or spend an unnecessary amount of time packing and unpacking them, you’ll be busy enough with the essentials!! Read my blog post “De-cluttering, the quick-and-dirty way” to see how to do it without feeling overwhelmed. Unless you have time on your hands and the item is worth it, trying to sell it might not be an efficient option at this point. Consider giving it away to charities such as MINDS, Pass It On, The Salvation Army, The Red Cross, etc. Try to complete this step before you ask the moving companies to come in and give you a quote.
4. Get the moving company to pack.
The cost of packing is worth, in my opinion, the time it would take you to pack and the expertise you get which will help minimise the risk of damage. Also, bear in mind, moving companies are usually liable only for the things they pack themselves. The exceptions to this rule are your valuables and vital documents that you want to pack yourself and carry with you during the move.
5. Keep things together when packing.
When disassembling furniture, put screws and hardware in a bag and stick it to the corresponding piece. Don’t mix things from different rooms in the same box. This will save you a lot of time and frustration when you unpack.
Related: Packing tips when moving
6. Label.
Make sure that each box is properly labelled on its 4 sides. The label should specify the room the box belongs to, a brief outline of its contents, and whether the box should be opened in priority. Put a label on the door of each room in your new home e.g. son’s bedroom, study room, etc. so that the movers know where a box belongs.
7. Unpack one box at a time.
While I like the movers to pack on my behalf, I like to keep the unpacking for myself. This gives me another opportunity to toss items I no longer need and the possibility to assign the right home for the items I have decided to keep. When unpacking, empty a box at a time and flatten it (an empty box takes up a lot of space) before moving on to the next box.
With the proper amount of planning, you can get in control of your move and look forward to the new set of possibilities that the move will bring. After all, it’s a great opportunity to purge your life and leave behind what doesn’t belong in it, and make room for what’s truly important to you.
If you need help planning your move, let’s schedule a consultation. And if you need help with the decluttering, let’s have an onsite hands-on coaching session so you can confidently part with items you’ll no longer need in your future life.
Let me add a tip to your great list: Instead of packing stuffed animals separately, you can use them to cushion valuables. You can also utilize bed sheets, towels, blankets, and comforters to help insulate items and keep damage from happening to your valuables.
~ Brixton Man And Van Ltd.
Thanks for the tip Kevin. That’s an option indeed. I personally prefer to keep the items packed by category so that you know where things are when you need them and it’s faster to put them away when you move in.