Moving survival guide
Credit to Author: rebeccakeillor| Date: Wed, 21 Aug 2019 13:00:52 +0000
We’ve all heard it said that moving is one of the most stressful things we can experience, up there with planning a wedding, getting married and having a child, apparently. It’s even been ranked alongside getting a divorce, though that seems pretty extreme.
The good news is moving is a common experience and as such, we’ve learned a thing or two about what makes it so stressful. Here are eight things to keep in mind that will not only help you survive a move, but perhaps even enjoy it and allow you to focus on the exciting opportunities that await.
Procrastination when it comes to packing and planning a move can be the single biggest stress contributor for many people. The way around this, says Brian Hawkins of Canadian moving and storage company Big Steel Box (which has assisted with over 38,000 moves) is to make sure you have all the materials you need — boxes, tape, markers etc. — commit to one room at a time, and methodically label your boxes as you go, with the room they’re intended for in your new home.
Treat this move as the ultimate clear out experience. As you pack your items, be ruthless about what you really love and what you no longer care for. If it fits into the latter category, bag the item and schedule a day, preferably two or three days before your move, to swing by Value Village or a similar donation centre. Offloading will feel amazing.
Do your research into moving services and be selective about who you recruit.
Put some time into researching different moving services before you commit to one, and don’t go with the cheapest one on offer. Anyone can buy a van and call themselves a moving company, but experience goes a long way in helping make your move less stressful, Hawkins says. A lot of traditional moving companies quote the move based on weight and it’s not uncommon for some of the less experienced outfits to change the quoted price halfway through the move, he says.
“Price change is unnecessary stress,” Hawkins notes.
It’s a classic rookie mistake to buy furniture for your new pad before you move in, only to discover it doesn’t fit or suit your new home. Interior designers recommend moving in first, and live in your new home for a few days or weeks before committing to new furniture.
Being surrounded by a sea of boxes in your new home can feel overwhelming, but a trick learned from a pro (a mother of four who moved over 25 times in 40 years) is make up the beds in your new home before you do anything else. When you reach the end of the day and everyone is ready to crash, having beds for them to fall into makes all the difference. Everything else can wait until the following morning.
The days of new neighbours arriving with a casserole on move-in day might be behind us — particularly in big cities. But that doesn’t mean feeding hungry people needs to be stressful. Before moving day, do a little research into what’s available in your new neighbourhood. Plan what you’ll be having for dinner and who is nominated to go and pick it up.
The move out clean seems to be a major stress factor for many people and this is easily avoided by booking a cleaning service for the day after you go. You’ve enough on your plate with unpacking and cleaning on the other end.
This might seem counter-intuitive when we’re talking about reducing stress, but planning a housewarming within a week or two of arriving will stop you procrastinating when it comes to unpacking your boxes. Deadlines work, and if people are coming over to check out your new pad on a set day, you’ll be amazed at what you can get done.