Moving house can be a wonderful thing, especially if you are moving into a bigger, better, or even dream home. A new start. A new opportunity to build your life into something even better. All sounds wonderful, right? Well, that’s because it is… except for the moving part!
The actual process of moving homes can be rather stressful. There are so many jobs to do and it all has to be done on a specific timeline. However, you can make it a little easier for yourself if you follow the steps below…
First, Declutter
One of the biggest issues people realize when they start to plan a move is just how much stuff they have acquired. It doesn’t take long to fill a house with things you have collected. Memories, old books, pictures, and even old technology start to pile up in cupboards, drawers, and under the bed. Before you know it, you’ve got thousands of items in your home and you need to start packing.
Well, stop right there. Before you even consider packing your boxes to move, you need to start decluttering. The process of decluttering does not need to be stressful. In fact, it can feel quite cathartic and relaxing, as you work your way through everything slowly and methodically.
Choose what is precious to you, things that you want to keep. Then, work through everything you don’t want to keep. Can it be donated to charity or recycled? Sort all your things into separate collections labeled keep, throw, recycle and donate. Before you’ve even started, you’ve just made your packing job a hundred times easier.
Hire a Removals Company
So, you’ve decluttered. Good start! Now, it’s time to consider hiring a removal company. Depending on the number of boxes and items to be moved, as well as how easily accessible your property is, the price will vary. The moving team over at evlmoving.com/explains that these costs can be sorted nicely and early on by pricing up the job with an advance visit. They state that “Seeing your particular moving needs allows us to offer the most accurate cost estimates possible.”
Reach out to a local removals company and ask them to visit your property and assess price based on your bulky items, amount of rooms, and property access points. An easier walk to the truck might make a job faster – and therefore cheaper – than a 3rd-floor apartment with no lift! It is worth noting that many removal teams are currently doing viewings remotely via Zoom or similar services.
Start Packing Right Away
Packing is not fun. That’s fine, we all feel the same. However, you can take almost all of the stress away by just starting! Even if your move is in two months, there’s no reason to delay starting packing. Start in a room you barely use, pack it into boxes over a couple of days or nights, then that’s one job ticked off. Then, move onto another room as and when you are ready.
Working slowly and methodically like this can take a huge amount of panic and stress out of packing. Yes, it means living with boxes for a few weeks, but that’s got to be nicer than panic-packing an entire home in the three days before you move!
Label and Direct
When packing, don’t forget to label things properly. Proper labeling means marking each box with its chosen destination in your new home; living room, master bedroom, and so on. It also means making sure you make it clear which boxes are extra heavy. This makes everyone’s job easier and less full of surprises on moving day. It also means that, when the movers arrive, you can easily direct them where to place each box.
Sort Utilities in Advance
Finally, one of the biggest stresses when you’ve finished moving… utilities! There’s nothing more frustrating than moving into a new home and having no TV, no wifi, or even no power. Fortunately, with a little prior planning, you can avoid all of this. You can ask your cable and broadband provider to switch you to a new address well in advance of your move. All the work is done behind the scenes, meaning you can move in, plug in, and relax.
Follow these few, simple steps to help take the majority of the stress out of moving houses. It’s still not going to be the easiest day of your life, but you certainly can make it a little less worrying. Before you know it, you’ll be settled into your new home.