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A Guide to Handling the Five Most Stressful Stages of Your Move
It's no wonder you're excited! After all the time spent researching and viewing homes, you have finally found the one.
In anticipation of living in your new perfect place, the stress of moving may come as a shock. But don’t panic! While stressful, with the right preparation moving can be an exhilarating time.
We’ve compiled a list of the five most stressful stages between signing the contract, and settling in; and advice on how to make it through moving day still loving your new home.
Early Preparation
Once your excitement settles, the preparation stage begins. Proactive planning during this stage of your move will decrease the stress you encounter over the next several weeks.
If you are moving an entire household, you’ll need to decide whether you will hire movers, or not. Even though a DIY move could save you money, you might find hiring a moving company worth the added expense. Make sure to ask for help if you choose a DIY move. If you decide to hire help, make sure you do your research and hire a reputable moving company.
If you are downsizing homes, consider selling some of your current home’s contents, especially items too large to fit in your new space. Craigslist, Freecycle or garage sales are an excellent way to move with less stuff.
This is the right time to change your address information with your employer, the post office, on your driver’s license, and anywhere else applicable. Also, don’t forget to schedule a transfer of service, or a cancellation/start of new service, for your moving date on any utilities you’ll require.
Pack it Up
Once the prep stage is well underway, it’s time to begin stage two, packing. While this may seem a daunting task, there are a few things you can do make boxing up your home as smooth and stress-free as possible.
Before you begin packing, take a physical inventory of each room in your home and decide which items will move with you. Sell or donate items that are not making the move.
Once your inventory is complete, begin packing. Start with items you use least, and won’t need until well after moving day. Be sure to label each well-packed box for contents and room. Be sure to pack smaller boxes with heavier items, like books or dishes, and specifically note boxes with fragile contents and those that will be immediately needed. Only things essential for everyday life should be left unpacked, including a few empty suitcases for moving day.
The Week Before
Now that the big day is close, you may be experiencing some burnout. This week is about keeping it simple. Use the food you still have on hand for meals you plan to cook this week and avoid grocery shopping to limit packing perishable items. If possible, plan to order out for the few days before and after the move.
Keep some cash on hand for unexpected incidentals, where other forms of payment may not be accepted. Confirm your help if you planned a DIY move; this way you can find a replacement if someone needs to cancel.
Remember to arrange child care for moving day and reserve spaces for boarding your pets.
Moving Day Eve
By now you’ve gotten each room packed, and boxes stacked. It’s time for the final walkthrough, and you’ll need your empty luggage. Pack enough personal items and necessities for the first week in your new home. Make sure things like prescription medications, personal identification, and cash are all easily accessible. All other unpacked items should be packed into boxes and labeled accordingly.
It is also the perfect time to stage the boxes in your home for tomorrow. Place boxes in the most convenient space for loading tomorrow. This step reduces the number of items lost in the move or broken during the loading process.
Moving Day
It’s finally arrived! Hopefully, your careful preparation makes this day run smoothly. But remember, it’s not uncommon for the unexpected to happen. Try to stay calm, your almost there!
Once the moving van arrives, either you or your hired help will load your belongings. Ensure that heavy boxes are loaded first, to avoid putting stress on lighter items.
Look one last time around your home and grab anything accidentally been left behind.
After unloading your belongings in your new home, be sure to tip your movers if you are satisfied with their service. The average tip for moving professionals is between 10-20%. If you enlisted friends to help, be sure to thank them; feeding them is acceptable, compensate them for their time if you are able.
When everything is unloaded, relax! The next week is the home stretch, and you’ll appreciate that you took this night off.
Settling In
The day after moving in, it is common to be overwhelmed by the task ahead. Remember, you have weeks or even months to settle into your new home. You don’t have to finish it all today.
If you hired a moving company, the first step in this stage is damage assessment. Make certain you carefully look over any furniture for new damage and document any you find. Reputable moving companies can compensate you for items their movers are responsible for damaging.You may also contact companies like findremovalists.com who provide you with a bunch of free moving quotes. You then compare and pick the one that fits your need.
Boxes labeled for immediate use should be unpacked first, followed by all other boxes. Pace yourself. A good rule of thumb is to set a goal to empty a number boxes each day. But remember to be flexible, if you don’t make your goal one day there’s no reason to feel added stress.
Try to put things away properly as you unpack, organizing as you go will save time later.
Finally, you’ll have all the boxes you’ve emptied. Recycle, save, or donate these to someone else making a move.
As you find places for your belongings in your new home, you should start to feel more settled. You’ll finally be rewarded for months of planning and hard work. Open that bottle of champagne and celebrate moving into your new home!