While there are many benefits to moving house (you may save money, you could be upgrading to more room so you can start a family, or downgrading to something more manageable, you could be changing to a better neighbourhood or moving closer to family or friends), there’s also little doubt that it’s also often a very stressful experience.
Luckily, I have a few great ways for you to cut down on the stress, and ensure that the whole process goes nice and smoothly:
Focus on Organisation
I’m not sure about you, but I’m not the most organised person in the world- in fact, I have a big tendency to leave everything until the last possible minute. This just makes me more stressed and increases the likelihood that I’ll forget a key task, and even though I always vow that next time I’ll actually be organised, nothing really changes.
If there’s one thing I’ve learned though, it’s that being organised will make a huge difference if you’re moving house. It’s unlikely that you’re moving as a spur of the moment decision, which means you typically have months to get everything done. And while it can be tempting to procrastinate and wait until closer to the time, both yourself, and everyone involved will thank you if you get organised.
Make a list of all of the things that must be done in order for the move to go smoothly and successfully. This may involve enrolling kids into new schools, getting mail forwarded, dealing with pets, packing key belongs, and booking a moving company. Next, divide everything into small, manageable tasks that you (or the people you’re delegating to) could handle each weekend. Don’t forget to use Shiply which is the best way to make sure you have a trusted delivery company organised.
Lighten up
One of the worst parts about moving house is the fact that you’ll have to deal with all of your junk. If you’ve been living in your house for a few years or more, it’s likely that you have boxes and bags filled with stuff you’ve been ignoring and will now have to sort out.
Spend a weekend tackling this stuff, and throw out, give away, or donate anything you don’t think has any real value. Next, list items you think you could get some money for on eBay or have a garage sale so you can make some money and clear out your junk- two birds, one stone.
Visualise
Every time you feel like procrastinating, spend some time thinking about move-in day. It can either be a scattered, stressful event where things get forgotten, tempers are frayed and you vow to never move again, or a nice, stress-free day where you’ve already taken care of everything you need to, your delivery company moves your belongings, and you order takeaway and enjoy your first night in your new home. Which day would you rather have? This will keep you motivated to stay organised for sure.