Moving is a pain. A poorly planned move can be incredibly taxing and stressful. Thankfully, the opposite is true. While you can’t always prepare for every bump in the road when it comes to moving, there is a lot you can do to make the task easier than ever before. These five tips can make moving virtually stress-free.
Start Early
A late start on any big project can induce unwarranted stress along the way. This is especially true for something as time-sensitive as moving. If you are even considering moving, start packing and purging long before you have solidified your plans. Decluttering early allows time for yard sales and donations. For items you would like to keep but don’t need day-to-day, consider packing them up in advance. Moving slow and steady can do wonders for your stress on moving day.
Get a Moving Binder
Moving requires a lot of important paperwork. From change of address forms, to lease agreements or home sale information, to utility information and everything in between, a lot of paperwork will be involved. Keep it all secure and easy to access by creating a moving binder full of relevant paperwork.
Hire Help
Packing and loading your items to move can be an overwhelming chore. Consider saving to hire help. Professionals can do any task from loading and moving your items to packing, unpacking and organizing once you’re at your new home. Hiring help can be a huge stress-saver and will allow you to take less time off work to complete the job. This may mean it is, relatively, cost-effective in the end.
Keep a Must-Have Box
As great as professional movers can be, there is always the risk that something can go wrong. If your items are delayed or even temporarily lost, be sure that you have the essentials with you for the first night. Any must-haves like keys, your moving binder, toiletries and small particularly valuable or sentimental items should go in this box with you. Have children? Keep their favorite stuffed animal and blanket in this box as well. This way, no matter what goes wrong, you’ll have your essentials right away.
Plan for Self-Care
Moving will likely get stressful; even the best planning can go awry. Keep this in mind and consider acts of self-care throughout the process. This can be as simple as subscribing to a meal kit leading up to moving day, or as big as pre-scheduling a massage in your new town after you have settled in. A little self-care can go a long way.
