Practical Tips for a (Nearly) Stress ÂFree Move
What’s the most stressful part of moving to you? Is it:
· Finding a place to stay
· Packing /unpacking
· Balancing your schedule
· Cleaning
All of these things can contribute to what makes a move stressful. Even if you plan to have professionals do most of the work, there is still a checklist of things you have to do on your end to make their job go smoothly.
Create a Schedule
There is a lot going on during a move. With all the chaos and clutter, you may forget to do something important. You can solve this problem by creating a to-do list.
Plan ahead. Write down everything you need to do that’s important to the move. Create your to-do list as if you are creating a schedule. Each day write down what you are going to do, and the time you’re going to do it.
Be reasonable. Take out a block of time you know you can work with. As an example, packing for four hours a day may not be feasible. Instead try packing for one or two hours a day. This should still give you time to relax and have time to yourself.
Make all of your appointments at least two to three weeks in advance. This will give you time to reschedule them or cancel if something happens.
Get Rid of What You Don’t Need
No matter where you are located, you will find that professional movers in your area are natural problem solvers. They can fit your big furniture into the smallest spaces without a scratch on them. This goes for movers in big cities like New York and Chicago, as well as movers in Alexandria, VA.
Despite this knowledge, you may still be uneasy about having professionals move your things. That’s perfectly fine. One way to combat this is to get rid of the things you don’t need.
Once you start cleaning out your home in order to begin packing, you will find you have a ton of things you’ve either forgotten about or didn’t know you had. Get rid of it. We’re not talking about mementos or keepsakes. We’re talking about things like:
· Games you never played
· Electronics you never use anymore
· Furniture you don’t plan on using in your new home
· Clothes you don’t wear
· Movies you don’t watch
Have a yard or garage sale. You can turn your unwanted junk into cash that you can put towards something you really need in your new home. If you’re feeling charitable, drop those things off at a local charity. You may get to write off the value on your taxes. Either way, you’ll have less to pack away, which means that’s less work for you to do – and less things for the movers to move.
Have Everyone Participate
There is no shame in asking for help when you move. It is a big project. Take some of the stress off by asking for help.
You can ask family and friends to help you with simple things, like:
· Taping up boxes
· Labeling boxes
· Wrapping up fragile items
· Helping you label items for sale
· Helping you drop things off at local charities/donation centers
Remember, many hands make light work. Get as many people as you can to help you. That will make things much easier.
Take Time Out for Yourself
Taking time out for yourself will help you unwind and keep calm.
Regularly schedule a slot of time where you do something you want to do. Your social life doesn’t have to stop just because you’re moving. In fact, the time you spend with people you love is going to help make things less stressful for you.
One final tip: the day of the move, get up earlier than usual, and sneak out to treat yourself to something amazing. It can be a cup of coffee and a donut or your favorite breakfast. It can even be a walk. The important thing is that you reward yourself for all the hard work you’ve done.
