We’ve all seen the statistics: moving house ranks as one of the most stressful life events to go through, right up there alongside divorce and losing a job. Despite that though, it doesn’t seem to put off the millions of us who move homes each year. For many, moving is a necessary evil. Nobody enjoys the process, but it’s something we have to put up with to either attain our dream homes, or in some circumstances, simply to keep a roof over our heads.
The problem is that it’s an incredibly personal task. You can hire people to help, but you’ll still need to put at least some work in. Only you know what things you’ll be taking with you, where you want to keep them, and so on. It can be exhausting, both physically and even mentally.
That said, employing just a few of these tips below will make your moving process more bearable.
Box items according to rooms
It’s a simple and well-known strategy, but you’d be surprised how many people still place a mish-mash of household items into a box when packing. This only serves to make it trickier for you when unpacking at the other end (at least, it did for me when I neglected to do this step once). For those unfamiliar, simply keep everything from a particular room in boxes marked with that room’s name. Once you arrive at the new home, it makes it so much easier to just transfer your items over to your new surroundings.
Hire a man with a van
I’ve done it both ways: moved house with a removals service, and done it myself. After my 36th round trip in my tiny Peugeot 206 when trying it myself though, I wished I’d hired someone. By the time I’d factored in the time and petrol I’d spent, it probably would’ve been cheaper too!
Professional firms such as The Man Van London, also have all the special blankets and trolleys to protect your items when transporting them. These are all little things that people tend to forget when trying to tackle a move themselves. More often than not, it’s a much better bet to get the professionals in!
Look into hiring a skip a week or two beforehand
It’s not until you start really digging through your stuff when packing, that you notice how much junk you actually have. Trust me, even if you’re living in a minimalist home, you’ll still find wheelbarrows’ worth of stuff you no longer need.
Why make your house move even harder by transporting items that you don’t even want anymore? Clothes in good condition can go to local charity shops, while some other goods might make you some money on eBay.
Delay the purchase of large items to synchronise with your move
This is a bit of a risky one if you don’t entirely trust your furniture seller, but it can save you a lot of bother if done correctly.
If you’ve been planning on updating a tatty sofa, temperamental washing machine, or any other large item, then it may be worth trying to get the new items delivered to your new house around the time you move. That way, you can throw out your old furniture or appliances without having to move them all the way to your new house. This can save you a bit of money too if it means less work for your removal firm.
In truth, it’s rare that anybody has a completely fuss-free time when moving house. If you utilise the four steps above though, you’ll definitely be able to bring your stress levels down a good few points though. I guarantee it’s worth it!