Moving is officially one of the most stressful life events, along with divorce, breaking up and starting a family (wonderful, but overwhelming!). We thought we’d share some tips on how to have a smooth and less stressy move, which involves forward planning and some self discipline and is kind to you and your mental wellbeing. 

1. Declutter before you need to

Having a declutter will unburden you in the long run. If you have filtered out all the belongings you don’t need and haven’t used in the last decade that will make life a lot easier when it comes to packing your whole life away, and may not seem as overwhelming as once thought. Having a good clean out is not only good for your home, but it’s great for the mind. Giving away, or throwing things away that you don’t need breaks down attachment to things that we quite obviously don’t need anymore allowing us space in life for new belongings and memories. 

2. Figure out a removal strategy early on

Whether you are planning to use a removal company, or you are hiring your own vehicle and roping in some pals to help, get this plan formed and confirmed weeks in advance. It’s one less thing to worry about when it comes to the stressful part of moving everything you own. You then know how everything is going to get from A to B. 

3. Make a list and stick to it

It might sound very obvious, but making a list helps you set yourself guidelines and rules. This list should consist of everything you have to do in the run up and during the move consider your timeline. You may have only just had your offer accepted and be months away from completion. But that doesn’t mean you should wait until the week before your move to start preparing.

4. Get your paperwork in order

It’s easy to lose things when chaos unfolds and the moving starts, but make sure you have all your important documents in one handy place. These could include; passport, insurance, wills, or possibly the house deeds - these might all be hard copies, so it’s probably wise to have electronic copies of these documents too, as a handy backup. It’s also important to remember to take final meter readings, which can be a quick picture taken on your phone in preparation for when you’ll need it for move out day. 

5. Pack a moving day survival kit

It’s always handy to have a kit of essentials that will make the overall moving experience easier for you, and whoever you are moving with. This includes all manner of things including a trusty phone charger, water, toiletries needed as well as any food that might be needed throughout the day, as it’s super important to stay hydrated and fed on high energy days such as moving day. This sounds simple, but planning ahead will stop any stress or worry around this on the day and will allow you to focus on the job at hand! 

6. Take it easy

Moving day is stressful enough, flapping and being disorganised will make the day manic. Take time to process things and set yourself realistic expectations - there is a very small chance (unless you have super powers) that you are going to pack up, move your things to a new property then unpack it all in the same day. Give yourself a realistic timeframe. It will take time to adapt, and get your new home the way you’d like it, but this doesn’t need to happen instantly. Assess what you vitally need for the first week or so, and just relax it isn’t a race. Once you firm in your mind what you need, everything else will start to fall into place.