If you have ever moved before, you know how stressful it can be. There are so many things you need to plan for when moving, last minute changes, and curveballs that always seem to pop up. All of these items can make moving extremely stressful. Moving is always going to be an involved process, but there are some steps you can take to make it a much less stressful experience. Below, we’ll share five tips that can help make your next move less stressful.
1. Reserve Your Moving Company As Soon As Possible
Nothing might make you more stressed when moving if you wait until the last minute to book a moving company. You don’t want to run into a situation where you need to be out of your current place by a certain date but are unable to find movers who are available. This is why you want to find a moving company and reserve their services as soon as you have a moving date set. Knowing that this essential task is completed will allow you to breathe a sigh of relief and will reduce your stress level some.
2. Create a To-Do List
Before you start getting overwhelmed thinking about everything that needs to be done before you can move, sit down and create a master to-do list. Have a to-do list will help keep you organized and will allow you to keep track of your progress towards completing everything that needs to be done. Additionally, having everything written down will help ensure that you don’t forget about something until the last minute, which would definitely increase your stress levels. When you have everything written down on your to-do list, it will be easier to break things into smaller tasks or determine the order in which the tasks should be completed. You can also assign “due dates” to the different items on your list to make sure that you stay on top of what needs to be done and get everything finished in time for moving day. On her website, Martha Stuart offers a moving list that lists when different tasks can be done. You may choose to use her list as is or modify it to meet your specific needs.
3. Enlist Help with Packing
There is absolutely no shame in asking for help. Now is the time to cash in those IOUs or ask for favors from friends of yours. Also, everyone in your house should be helping with packing as well. If you have kids, even if they are young, they can still help with packing up their toys and other non-breakable items. Having an army of packers can really move the packing process along and can reduce your stress and ease your worries about not getting everything done in time.
Another option that will help reduce your stress is to hire your moving company to pack your belongings. You could have them pack everything for you. Or, you may deice to just put them in charge of some of the more time-consuming tasks, such as individually wrapping every piece of china in your china cabinet.
4. Create a Master Packing List
Staying organized while you are packing is key. Pack one room at a time and pack similar items together. Label your boxes and create a packing list to help you keep track of what is in each box. This will help remove some of the stress associated with unpacking everything once you are in your new space. If you can easily locate which box something is located in, you won’t have to search for it or worry that it somehow got lost in the move.
5. Take Care of Yourself
Finally, don’t forget to take care of yourself. If you aren’t getting enough sleep, proper nutrition, and exercise, it will only make your stress levels worse. Set aside some you-time each day and try some breathing exercises designed to help reduce stress. This website walks you through how to complete a few different breathing exercises.
If you take the proper steps, you will be able to reduce the stress that is so often associated with moving. If you stay on top of everything that needs to be done, accept help from others, and just breathe, the whole moving process will be much less stressful than you may think!
