I’m sure you’ve experienced the home-moving process at least once in your life…and all the feelings that go along with it. Perhaps you described your move as exciting? Nerve wracking? Anxiety inducing?
Of all the colorful adjectives you might come up with to describe a move, I doubt the term stress-free every sprang from your lips and, let’s be honest, even we aren’t sure such a move exists. After all, you’ve likely hired a team of professional, but unknown to you, removalists who are responsible for safely transporting the totality of your life in a moving van.
It’s a big deal.
However, there are ways to reduce the amount of stress you feel on moving days. Let’s look at 5 tips to reduce moving day stress.
1. Budget Ample Time for Packing
Packing up all your belongings is a monumental task—and one that is often postponed until the last minute. While putting it off may make you feel better in the moment, coming into the last week before the movers show up with only a half dozen boxes packed is a sure-fire way to send your blood pressure through the stratosphere.
Don’t procrastinate. It can take anywhere from 50 – 80 hours of labor time to pack up a single-family home. So, take a breath, take a look at your calendar and your moving date, and start working backward to determine how many days you need to spend packing boxes. (Hint: Be sure to factor in weekends when you may reserve full days for packing.)
2. Make ALL the Lists
Though some might find them annoying, lists will become your best friends during moving prep and can really help to reduce stress.
You’ll want a general moving list, one that tells you what task to do and when in order to be prepared for moving day. Because we are a thoughtful removalist company, we happen to have created just such a list for you, our beloved customers (you can view our ultimate moving checklists by clicking here and here).
You’ll also want to create a box content list in whatever format is most comfortable for you. Do you make your lists neat and tidy using Excel? Go for it. More comfortable jotting things down with a pencil using a ratty old spiral notebook left over your days at university? Knock yourself out. Use whatever method rings your bell, but you’ll need to come up with a system that lets you know what is inside every box you pack.
Number each box and keep track of the contents on your packing list. You can be as specific or as general as you like—but, when your teen is beside himself because he cannot locate his blue sneakers (No, not those blue sneakers. The other blue sneakers the OTHER blue sneakers. Those sneakers are navy. Ugh.), you’re going to be awfully glad you wrote down “blue sneakers” rather than “shoes”. You’re welcome…and, don’t worry, he’ll grow out of it.
3. Code Your Boxes
In addition to giving each box a unique number, you should also code them according to what room the items belong to. Your code could be as simple as writing “kitchen” on all appropriate boxes, or you can use colored stickers, reserving a different color for each room.
When moving day comes, label each area in the new home with the corresponding label found on the boxes. This helps your movers know exactly where each box belongs, saving them time, and potentially reducing your moving costs.
4. Cut Out Clutter
Embrace your inner Marie Kondo and get rid of as much clutter as possible. Whether you realise it or not, clutter contributes to stress levels. So, do what you must to reduce the mess—hold a garage sale, donate to local resale shops, or give to a homeless shelter. Not only will you feel better, but it will also save you time and energy since you won’t be packing up items you don’t even want.
5. Reserve a Few Moving Day Supplies
There are few things you’ll want access to on moving day.
First, reserve a box of cleaning supplies so you can clean up any last-minute surprise messes on the day of the move (be honest, when was the last time you saw the condition of the floor under the sofa?). Keep a broom, mop, rags, paper towels, dust clothes, and spray cleaners in a box that will stay with you during the move.
Similarly, you’ll want to keep a box of personal toiletries so you can access them once the move is complete. Toilet tissue, a couple of towels, soap, and shampoo are all items to set aside so you can quickly stock one bathroom in the new home for that hot shower you’ll so desperately deserve.
And that’s it. While they won’t eliminate all stress on moving day, implementing these tips will ensure you’re prepared for your move and reduce stress levels. And if you happen to be looking for the perfect moving team to reduce your stress even further, contact us at Holloway Removalists. We’d love to provide you with a custom quote for your move.
