Anita Clark Realtor

Tips To Make Your Move Easier

9 Tips To Make Your Move Easier and Less Stressful Key Tips To Make Your Move Easier

When it comes to moving, most people tend to have mixed feelings. On the one hand, they are excited by the prospect of getting to live someplace new, but on the other, they dread the moving process. And that is no surprise…it is also why I put together this guide on tips to make your move easier!

Moves are not just logistically challenging, but they also require a lot of patience and energy. And let’s not even get into the fact that they are nerve-racking, no matter the circumstances.

So what can you do to make your move easier and less stressful? Well, you can start by applying the following tips.

Plan Ahead for Your Move

How to Easily Prepare for a Move

The first rule of making your move as easy and stress-free as possible is to create a plan before you desperately need one. And that means a whole lot of things.

In addition to finding a new place, you will also need to:

  • Find a moving service
  • Create a budget
  • Transfer your utilities
  • Change your mailing address
  • Become familiar with your new neighborhood
  • Order any furniture or appliances you need
  • Schedule time off from your job
  • Reserve parking you’re moving to the city
  • Check whether you need to book a service elevator if you’re moving to a high-rise building

Putting together an in-depth to-do list is the best way to do this. Whether you like to keep track of things on paper or prefer digital solutions is up to you. But, having everything written down in a single place will ensure you do not forget anything. Plus, it will prevent avoidable stress on the days preceding your move.

Time-wise, the best course of action is to start planning and materializing your move approximately eight weeks before D-day. The closer you get to the date, the more you will have to do. Try to get as much out of the way early on, and you will definitely minimize your future stress levels.

Tips for Moving Last Minute

Sometimes, life catches us unprepared. If you find that you have to move without a comfortable two months notice, the main thing you have to do is keep calm because you got this!

When finding yourself in this type of situation, accept that things probably will not be perfect. You might not have enough time to pack your possessions perfectly. Or, you may have to rent out a short-term storage unit until you can comfortably unpack. On some occasions, you may even have to live without a couple of things for a few days.

But remember, while these circumstances are far from ideal, they are nowhere near a tragedy. So do not lose energy worrying about them.

Instead, direct your focus towards the big things. Get all the paperwork out of the way as soon as you can. Pay attention to packing so that your valuable and fragile items are safe for the move day. And try to find ways to counter the high costs of a last-minute move.

Get Extra Familiar With Your Old & New Lease

One of the things to prioritize before you get down to packing and shopping for your move is to go through your old and new leases if you decide to rent. That way, you will be freshly acquainted with your obligations and will not find yourself negatively surprised by unexpected costs.

For example, most places expect you to leave a property in the same condition as when you moved in. And that doesn’t just mean giving it a thorough scrub. You should also check for damage on walls and windows, make sure the appliances are working properly, and check taps and fixtures.

Some people also suggest taking time-stamped photos of the place as you left it to ensure you are not held responsible for damage you did not cause. Of course, you will want to do the same in your new place too. That way, you will not be automatically saying goodbye to your security deposit.

Decide On What You Are Leaving Behind

One of the more difficult things about moving is figuring out what you need to take with you and what to leave behind. All the more reason to follow these tips to make your move easier and possibly faster as well.

For the items that do not “spark joy,” that’s relatively easy to do. If they are in good condition, you can sell them on Facebook Marketplace, donate them to charity, or find them a loving home in your community. But what about the things you are not sure about?

For example, items that once held value but you no longer use. Or things that you will have to replace anyways but which are not essential in your day-to-day life. Chances are, you will be able to go without them for a couple of weeks (or even months).

How To Plan for Your Move

The following is a good rule of thumb for such situations: If there is a chance you will be getting rid of an item in the near future, see whether you can make the cut right away. That will help you not only keep your new home less cluttered but also cut down on moving costs – especially if it is bulky furniture that you are on the fence about.

Moving Advice: Have Something to Look Forward To

While moving is inevitably stressful, it also has its good sides. Most of all, it allows you to have a fresh start in some regards of your life.

Always wanted a big kitchen where you could whip up delicious meals for your family? Look for a new place that will meet your criteria. Want to improve your quality of rest? Set up your new bedroom with a brand new supportive mattress that will have you sleeping like a baby. There is no substitute for quality rest.

Moving is also a wonderful chance to make lifestyle changes that were unattainable at your old place. If you are a yoga enthusiast, your new floor plan might allow for some extra room to do your daily practice. If you have always dreamed of having your own herb garden, your wish could finally come true. Or, if you are thinking about becoming a minimalist, moving to a new place can be an excellent opportunity to set up your living space in a way that will allow this type of change.

Pack Strategically for the Move

Packing is one of the major sources of stress for those who have to move. And the mistake that most people make is that they leave it for the last minute. But here is the thing…Packing can be a logical thing. And you do not have to be a rocket scientist to get it done (almost) flawlessly.

Here are a few tips to make your move easier you can implement and make it less stressful too:

Start early – ideally, a couple of weeks before your actual move day.

Go room by room. Start from the spaces inside your home you use the least and work your way up to the bedroom and kitchen, where you probably spend most of your time.

Use up as much of the food from your fridge. Transporting perishable items is risky, as you never know what could go wrong. Plus, it also takes up a lot of room and requires a precise packing and unpacking schedule.

If you are on a budget, don’t buy boxes. But, if you can afford it, invest in uniform storage solutions that will be much easier to stack and will not take up as much space.

Use labels! Indicate where each box needs to go in your new home (living room, bedroom, basement, etc.). Furthermore, try to include a list of the items inside (plates, books, decorative pillows, etc.).

Try not to create unnecessary bulk. For example, if you can, leave your clothes in your drawers. Or tuck smaller items into larger ones.

Take photos for tricky electronic set-ups or decorative items. That way, you will know how to put them together at your new place.

Once you start unloading boxes and furniture at your new place, make sure that each item is put in the room that is indicated on the label.

Pack an “Open First” box. This should contain fresh sheets, towels, a couple of glasses, plates, and utensils. Chances are, you will not manage to unpack everything on the day of your move. Having such a box will ensure you have the essentials on hand.

Mind your valuables. The ideal way to get these from point A to point B is to carry them on your person. If that is not possible, ship them registered and insured.

Have an overnight bag ready with PJs, a change of clothes, a toothbrush, toiletries, and anything else you might need during the first couple of days in your new home.

Unpack the Bedroom & Kitchen First

The challenging part about moving is that as soon as you are done with one job (putting everything you own into boxes), you need to undo the process at the new location. But, you can be just as strategically prepared for unpacking as you were for packing.

Ideally, you will tackle the kitchen and the bedroom first. Chances are, you will not have enough time (or energy) to finish the whole move in a single day. So making sure you have a nice place to sleep and somewhere to eat will make a huge difference.

How To Make Your Move Easier

Once you are done with those, try not to procrastinate with the rest of your tasks. Sure, leaving them for “future you” to handle seems like an easy enough solution. But keep in mind that fully relaxing in your new place will not be possible until you have put everything in its right place. Taking an extra hour to hang the photos or place the keepsakes will go a long way to finishing the move so you can fully relax.

For this reason, it is not a bad idea to set a (realistic) unpacking deadline. Make it a couple of weeks at the most. That way, you will be much quicker about getting those chores out of the way and will make it easier for you to have some much-needed rest and relaxation.

Plan for Breaks & Sustenance

Moving is a physically taxing job, especially if you are carrying heavy items without any help. For this reason, it is essential that your plan includes room for breaks and plenty of foods that’ll provide you with the right kind of energy.

Try to take a 10-minute break every hour or so, just so that you can have some rest. If you have been on your feet, sit down and relax. If you have been stuck in a sitting position, do some light stretches to keep your blood flowing and wake up your mind.

As for snacks, get them a day early, and make sure they are energizing. Trail mix, granola bars, PB&J sandwiches, and anything else you can grab and go works perfect.

As for dinner at the end of a long day, you have two options. You can either prepare something simple and filling the day before and heat it up at your new place (stew works great, for example). Or, you can give yourself a break from your diet and order in. Either way, plan in a way that will allow you to spend as little time as possible having to cook and prepare meals. That way, you will at least have one less thing to worry about.

Make the Moving Process Fun

Finally, as you plan for your move and look for ways to make it less stressful, consider whether there is anything you can do to make it more fun.

Something as simple as playing your favorite music can motivate you to get things done. Or you can ask your friends for help, which will inevitably make the time go by faster.

And if you are struggling with keeping kids entertained throughout the process, why not turn the whole thing into an adventure? You can all camp out in the living room for the first night, have a little party, or organize an unpacking competition to see who can finish their room the quickest.

Do not forget the housewarming party at the end of the whole process. Whether you have people over or just get together as a family with good food and music is entirely up to you. The main thing is that you find something to enjoy in the whole process. That way, even the tricky bits will not cause that much stress and worry.

Stress-Free Moving Final Thoughts

As you can see, there is a lot you can do to make your move less overwhelming. By having a detailed plan, being organized about your packing, and minimizing the number of items you carry from your old home to your new one, you can eliminate a lot of potential sources of stress from your move.

But the one thing you have to keep in mind is that there is always a possibility of a hiccup during a move. It is usually an unexpected cost or a schedule delay. So, the absolute best way to minimize the amount of stress you are exposed to won’t be to manage every little detail of the move. Instead, it is to accept that some things simply are not in your control. The best thing you can do about them is to handle them in a way that will not cause you unnecessary emotional damage.

If you found these tips to make your move easier helpful, please share the article so more consumers can also benefit from the information provided.

Smart Advice & Key Tips to Make Your Move Easier

About Anita Clark Realtor

Anita Clark has written 645 posts on this blog.

Anita is a residential Real Estate Agent in Warner Robins Georgia, with Coldwell Banker Access Realty (478) 953-8595, aiding buyers and sellers with all their real estate questions on her Warner Robins blog.

  • Anita Clark Realtor

    470 S Houston Lake Rd
    Warner Robins, GA 31088

    (478) 960-8055

    anitaclark160@gmail.com

    Coldwell Banker Access Realty

    (478) 953-8595

  • Get Social With Us

      
  • Categories

  • Recent Posts

  • css.php