AD Collaborative Post // Moving house repeatedly ranks top of “The Most Stressful Life Events” polls. And it’s not surprising. There is so much to arrange and organise, whether you’re flying solo or with a young family—not to mention anxiety about the sale falling through last-minute.
Photo by Minh Pham on Unsplash
So how can you stay organized and make your move as low-stress as possible?
1. Start Planning Early
When moving house, lists are your friends. And the sooner you start planning; the easier moving day will be. Remember that some services will need booking weeks in advance. For example, removal companies often book up during peak moving seasons.
With traditional, on-market house sales currently taking up to a month longer than usual due to a backlog of transactions accumulated during the first COVID lockdown in March 2020, you’ll have plenty of time to prepare.
Lists you might want to start making include people and organizations to update your address with, items to pack or store, documents required to buy or sell and service providers you have booked or plan to book (removals companies, house cleaners, insurers etc.).
2. Declutter Your House
Every house has collections of never-used items that take up space and look untidy. Don’t take your clutter with you to the new home. Moving is the perfect time to declutter and start afresh.
Use the time leading up to the move to sort through clothes and donate what you never wear to charity. Venture into the loft or the “junk room” and get rid of anything that has been gathering dust for years. It can be difficult to part with belongings. Make the process fun and potentially boost the moving house coffers by holding a garage sale or inviting friends over to take any items they can make use of.
Waiting for the next stage in buying or selling a house can be frustrating, and it often feels like nothing is happening. Use the time available to do something productive and organise your current home before moving to the new one.
3. Label Everything!
Packing your belongings with care will make it much easier to find what you need and get organized in your new home.
How you choose to label boxes is a personal choice but adding a room and a brief description of the items is a good start. Unpacking for many people is a gradual process that takes place over several days or weeks. At least if you know where to put each box, there will be some semblance of organization until everything is neatly put away.
It’s also a good idea to have one or two boxes labelled as “moving day essentials”. This will make it easy for you to find items like the kettle and radio when you first arrive in your new home — unpacking is much more fun with a cuppa and some music!
4. Enlist Professional Help
Why kill yourself managing it all when there are countless services available that will make moving house a lot easier?
Buying and selling property is an expensive business, and for many of us, the biggest financial commitment we’ll ever make. The cost of a few luxury services that will keep your stress levels in check will be a drop in the ocean, yet could make you feel much more organized and in control of the move.
Consider upgrading your removals service to include packing and unpacking at either end. If you choose to hire a move manager, they may even help you create a packing plan to make your move virtually effortless! If you have children or pets, treat them to a day or two with a professional minder when the big tasks need to be completed, such as dismantling furniture and last-minute packing.
5. Take Control of the House Sale
If you’re selling a house, remove the uncertainty of a traditional on-market sale with an estate agent by selling privately, preferably to a cash buyer.
Cash house buyers offer a number of benefits. There is a lower risk of delays or a failed sale because the buyer is not part of a property chain that could collapse and there is no risk of them pulling out of the transaction because they are refused a mortgage. This makes the sale more secure, making it easier to plan and organise your move. You might be able to find a private buyer, alternatively, consider using a cash house buying company like Leave The Key Homebuyers Staten Island.
Finding a buyer on the open market can take months and there is no guarantee that an offer will progress to completion. This makes it incredibly difficult to effectively organise a move.
6. Focus on the Positives
If it all becomes too much — too many lists, too many bills to pay, too many uncertainties — take a break and allow yourself to feel the excitement of your new adventure. Any stresses and challenges involved in moving will be temporary, and soon you will have a beautiful new home to enjoy!
Keeping calm and re-focusing on the positives when stress levels rise will make it easier for you to stay organized.
Moving house does not need to be a stressful, chaotic experience. Start planning early and indulge in a few “luxury” services to smooth the way for a seamless, beautifully organized move.