How to make a house move stress-free

Moving house can feel quite overwhelming, follow our easy steps for a smooth and stress-free move!

Moving house can be quite overwhelming; there’s a lot to do and when working, there’s often not enough hours in the day to do it! Stress levels can quickly rise when feeling unorganised and not in control – here are some top tips to making your house move a breeze!

• Make a to do list and get organised - Don’t underestimate that by just writing down what you need to do and who to contact can make you feel instantly relaxed. Sometimes it’s just the not knowing what you’ve got to do that makes you feel stressed. Grab a cuppa and write a list – then plan what you can do and when. Just remember to put the list in safe place and tick things off… you’ll feel a sense of relief that you’re getting things done when you do!
• Make time to de-clutter - When you decide to move home, take the opportunity to de-clutter. Give yourself time to get rid of things that you no longer use or really need. It will make you feel better when you start to pack, you won’t be taking with you the things you don’t want.
• Packing and labelling
  
  When packing, make sure you get decent boxes and reinforce with strong tape where needed. Don’t underestimate labelling the box too and adding a number i.e. Box 1 of 4 etc. If you’re really keen – tape on an A4 piece of paper and jot down what’s in the box. Failing that – adding the room it’s to go in is a definite must.
• Plan ahead and set aside time to prepare
  
  Don’t underestimate how long it might take to clear the house and pack. Set aside time on the calendar to do just this. Make sure you also plan for a treat at the end of the day… dinner out at a local pub in the evening, or a trip to the park with the kids for an hour in the afternoon. Packing can get a little bit boring so add some fun too. Oh – and don’t forget you have to pack the loft too… yes, we’ve had clients that only remembered on the day of the move!
• Essentials box
  
  No matter how much planning you do, on the day and for the first few days in your new home you may be a bit tired and finding the essentials can feel like a mission. Pack an essentials box - we’re talking toiletries, medication, phone chargers, couple of change of clothes, a towel, books/toys for the children, toilet paper, soap etc. You can download our Moving Day Essentials Checklist here.
• Keep a document folder
  
  Make sure that all important documents like passports, house deeds, wills and insurance are kept to hand and in one place. You want to be able to find them with ease in case you need them in the first few weeks of the house move.
• Pack food and plan dinner
  
  Sounds trivial, but working on empty often leads to higher stress and grumpiness! Pack some snacks for moving day and have in mind what you will have for lunch/dinner. When you’re tired and hungry – fighting over what take away you might get could tip you over the edge!
• Plan some time off
  
  If you can, take a few days off, whether it’s to prepare for the move, moving day or afterwards. Fitting in a house move whilst working, and potentially looking after a family can leave you feeling tired to say the least. If you’re feeling the need… treat yourself to some down time which you can look forward to that isn’t packing or unpacking boxes related! A day at the seaside, a spa day, lunch at your favourite restaurant – anything that isn’t to do with moving house.
• Take snaps of your items/electric cables
  
  This may sound a little strange, but take photos using your phone of your TV/system cables and other particular furniture or equipment. You’ll be grateful when you get into your new home and can quickly set up your lounge or play area with your favourite gadgets and child’s toys!
• Call in the professionals
  
  If you’re short on time, why not hire a company to pack your boxes? Reputable moving companies will help sort and pack boxes so you don’t have to. This removes the need to buy cardboard boxes and bubble wrap that you may not use again. They are also pro-packers so unlikely to damage your contents and will pack a lot more in a box than you can!

We hope you found our top tips useful and your house move is as calm as it can be!