How many times have you moved a house? Have you noticed a pattern to the process of moving? Every house move has a certain pattern. Finding the perfect home with your house viewing checklist, the offer acceptance, the excitement when your house sells. The initial days are filled with excitement as you begin to get your packing supplies and boxes. You also begin to psych yourself up for the hard work in the coming days. You finally get to those days and the reality hits suddenly. You thought a process would take just 10 minutes but it actually takes 30 minutes. In short, everything takes five times longer than you thought.
All the packing is done and the moving day is finally here. You’re expecting a long and sweaty day that involves heavy lifting and some last-minute hiccups. Finally, you’re able to move into your new home and you sit there a bit relaxed. You look around and there are boxes that need to be unpacked and that is when you realize that a lot of stuff still needs to be done. However, life doesn’t stop as pets, kids, jobs and everything else needs your attention. On top of that, you are unable to get the Internet service going as the company just called to tell you that it might take another week.
It’s not a surprise that people find moving a house to be a stressful experience.
I don’t want to disappoint you. Moving is stressful but it’s not that bad and at the end of the day, everything works out fine and you get on with your life. However, it is important for you to know how to deal with the stress of moving and other things you should expect. Here are seven tips on making a move less stressful.
1. A Move Is Always Going to Be Stressful
The first step in dealing with stress is to accept it. If you accept the fact that the move is going to be stressful, it is unlikely that the stress will set you back. Take some time to think about times in your life when stress has been a part of the process and you just worked through it. Think of such occasions while you were working or in school. Stress is completely natural and everyone experiences it when there are demanding circumstances. Do not think of it as the end of the world. Stress can be good. Just accept it and make sure it does not deter you from the things that need to get done.
2. Allocate Enough Time for the Move
Time is always at a premium when moving a house. And lack of time is one of the major sources of stress. Moving stress is usually a result of not allocating enough time for various parts of the process. It’s not possible to keep a move completely free of stress but the whole process can be a lot easier if you make sure that there is enough time for everything.
A good rule of thumb is to allocate two days for packing up a one bedroom or a studio. If you are packing a three bedroom house, allocate at least 5 to 6 days and 3 to 4 days is right for a two bedroom home. Make sure there is enough time for other parts of the process. For instance, you would need to spend some time on researching and finding the right moving company or a rental truck. You will also need time to set up utilities in the new home and you will also need time to clean the home you are going to leave. Things will always get more stressful if you leave things to the last minute.
3. Always Start Small
Moving a mountain begins with moving small stones. A move works in a similar manner. You should take care of the small things first and you will quickly find that all these small things add up to really big stuff. If you have developed a paralyzing feeling and you are struggling to start, the only need you need to do is to do something. Begin with a single kitchen drawer or start packing your books.
You need to make progress regardless of its size. It will go a long way in helping you manage stress. Do not think about how everything is going to happen. Don’t worry about the task of packing things, shipping them and unpacking them. Just focus on getting things done one thing at a time.
4. Keep Things Organized
The key to having a stress free moving experience to is to keep things organized. It applies to everything including sorting and labeling of boxes which will make it easier when unpacking. For instance, labeling the boxes correctly will allow you to quickly find the documents you need at the new house such as your new lease and contract with the movers and other such things. Prioritizing the organization right from the beginning will allow you to experience fewer headaches.
5. Hire the Services of a Professional Moving Company
If your budget allows, you can make the move much less stressful by hiring the services of a professional moving company. Professional movers will not only help you with the heavy lifting on the day you have to move but they can also pack up the things and make sure delicate items such as lamps and art are wrapped up and transported properly.
In addition to hiring an actual moving company, you should consider hiring a car transport company to ship your car so that you will not have to worry about driving all the way to your new home.
Professional movers will take care of most of the things and you won’t have to work as much on your move and that will take a lot of stress off you. The only thing you need to make sure of is to hire the services of a moving company with an excellent reputation for reliability and trustworthy service. Choosing the wrong company might lead to much more stress. Check out our moving company directory to get started.
6. Get Help
Don’t be shy to ask for help whenever you need it. If you are experiencing a great deal of stress, do not hesitate to ask for help from a family member or friend. Having someone by your side goes a long way in relieving stress. One of the ways to minimize moving stress is to get an extra set of hands. Having a friend or family member around is also a great distraction and will allow you to take care of the things that might seem overwhelming otherwise. If possible, you should ask for help in advance to make it easy for the person you’re planning to ask to accommodate your request. Do not forget to show proper gratitude and remember to return the favor at the right time.
7. Sleep Is Good
It’s not unusual to not get enough sleep when you need to get a lot done. However, proper sleep is the best way to relieve stress. If you don’t get proper rest, stress is likely to overtake you easily. Prioritize your sleep during the move and get complete rest as much as possible. Moving takes a physical and mental toll on you. On top of that, lack of sleep will quickly make you empty. Sleep is nature’s way to recharge you and you should give yourself enough time each night to get your energy back. Proper rest will make things a lot less stressful and much more efficient.
