How to reduce stress when moving house
September 18, 2018
Anyone who has ever moved house will be only too happy to tell you that moving day is far from stress-free. It doesn’t matter how old you are, how much you have to pack or how far you're travelling - moving is almost always guaranteed to be a huge pain!
Of course, things only get worse when you are the one organising the move. Packing, unpacking, transporting everything, changing your information and utilities, booking a removal company: it all adds up! Worse yet, you could let tasks slip through the cracks, only to remember them at the last minute or, even worse, on the moving day itself.
But is all this stress inevitable? Absolutely not.
With advice, careful planning and enough foresight, you can ensure your move goes off without a hitch. It may still be a chore, but as long as you follow these top tips, you should have no trouble cutting most of the stress out of your moving day.
Hire a removal company
Three factors go into planning a successful move: experience, the right equipment and plenty of help.
A removal company can provide all of these in spades. A professional will know everything you need to take into account during the planning phase, ensuring that no key details get forgotten. They will also be able to provide a large enough vehicle to transport your goods, along with the insurance to drive it safely. Equally, they will have enough workers available to make your move go as quickly as possible, giving you more time to relax.
However, you must be sure to book your removal company in plenty of time. If you wait until the last minute, you may struggle to get a slot, especially if your move is during a weekend or public holiday.
The more you can tell your removal companies in advance, the easier it will be to plan for all eventualities. For example, if you can't access your new home for a few days, your removal companies may need to arrange storage.
Another reason to start looking in advance is that it will give you enough time to find a reputable local removal company. When examining a candidate, be sure to read through the reviews from their previous customers. You should also pay close attention to what insurance coverage they offer.
Generally, it is usually best to collect at least five quotes before choosing a removal company, which should give you a clear idea of what constitutes a fair price in your area.
Remember, removal prices tend to be much higher in the south of England (particularly in London), so keep your search local.
Free up your day
At the risk of sounding obvious, book your moving day off work! Plenty of people leave it too late and can't get time off work, forcing them to do it after work or in their free time. Doing so can add unnecessary challenges, especially in the darker winter months.
Taking the day off will give you plenty of time to help with the move and deal with any potential problems as they occur. Even if you're using a professional removal company, it still pays to be on hand, just in case. Also, remain in contact with your estate agent, as they'll likely have the keys to your new home.
Make a packing list
One of the most stressful parts of any move is packing. To combat that, we've created a Moving House Checklist here. Not only do you need to gather up all your belongings, but you will also need to find some way to fit them into all the suitcases and boxes you have on hand. Even if you opt for a removal company to help with this, it's still a big part of the job.
To make things easier, start by listing all your belongings, which should include:
Things you need
What do you need to bring to your new home?
Things you can sell
Is there anything valuable you can sell?
Things to get rid of
Can you donate anything to charity shops?
Doing this early on will give you plenty of time to find new homes for anything you don’t need. Decluttering should be simple enough.
Plenty of charities will take old furniture or clothing, or you could even find them new homes on freecycling websites like Freegle. If your removal company is not supplying packaging materials, this should also give you enough time to stock up on some free moving boxes.
Ask for help
Nobody likes having to move on their own. It's time-consuming, strenuous and requires a lot of effort. As such, in the weeks before your move, you may ask friends or family if they can lend a hand. If they have moved recently, they may have some large boxes to offer you or maybe some helpful advice.
If you don't have a vehicle or can't drive, they may be able to help you with renting one - or can even lend you theirs. However, be mindful that these vehicles are often not insured in the same way as those belonging to a professional removal company.
If you're undertaking a particularly large or long-distance move, be safe; hire a professional.
Sleep before the move
When stressing about a moving day, it can be easy to stay up late worrying or going over the plans in your head. However, if you fail to get enough sleep, you will have far less energy and focus for the actual move, making it much harder.
As such, it is a good idea to try and get at least eight hours of sleep the night before your moving day. Naturally, this will be easier if you give yourself more time to plan everything.
It also brings us nicely to the next piece of advice.
Start moving day early
Another advantage of getting a good night’s sleep the day before your move is that it will make it easier for you to start early. The more time you have to get everything done, the more time you will have to relax once it’s all over, which can be crucial for long moves. You don't want to be unpacking in the early hours of the morning!
If you're in urban areas and know traffic can regularly cause deadlocks, the trick is to start either early or late enough for you to be able to avoid the rush hour.
It is also a good idea to keep checking traffic-related apps - or maps - on your phone. It's also worth keeping the radio on for local travel updates. After all, the more time you can save on the road, the less stress you will have to deal with once you arrive at your new home.
Updating bills, mail and utilities
When moving to a new home, you must let the right people know about your new address, including your bank and utility providers. Failing to inform them means you could miss bills or policy updates.
Equally, moving house can be an ideal opportunity to look for better utility providers. Unless you're tied to a contract saying otherwise, there's no reason to stay with who you currently have. Your current provider may even offer a better rate to keep you.
Certain providers, such as your internet or mobile phone carriers, can offer different service levels at your new destination - particularly if you're moving to a more rural area.
To ensure that you don't miss anything, it is also a good idea to use Royal Mail’s redirection service. Offering services for 1, 3, 6 or 12 months, the service should provide more than enough time for you to inform relevant parties about your new address.
Bag of essentials
When packing, it is easy to forget that there are some items which you cannot do without. Work clothes, toiletries, electronics chargers and other essential belongings could all be needed soon after you arrive at your new home, so it will be important not to pack these away in an unlabelled packing box!
To avoid this, place your most important belongings in a clearly labelled package or suitcase. If your removal company is handling all the packing on your behalf, let them know about your essentials in advance and leave them out in plain sight.
Hire a competent conveyancer
Conveyancers are vital for anyone selling their home. As annoying and tiresome as packing can be, it doesn’t hold a candle to the legal side of moving house!
Luckily, a top-notch conveyancer will come in handy here, as they'll be to let you know about any paperwork or red tape that needs your attention, such as restrictive covenants.
Again, it is a good idea to check the reviews of different conveyancers before comparing their quotes.
It is also worth noting that while many estate agents offer conveyancing services, they tend to be quite expensive. You can avoid overpaying by collecting several quotes from different conveyancers.
Just be mindful that the cheapest option doesn't always equal the best option!
Get to know your new home
Arriving in a new home for the first time is something you'll remember forever. But it can also become incredibly stressful.
One of the best tips to counteract this is to visit your new home a few times beforehand and get to know the area in advance. By doing so, you can better understand nuances such as:
Shopping
Where can you get the essentials?
Commuting
How will you get to work from your new home?
Takeaways
What options do you have on sites such as Uber Eats?
Celebrations
Where can you go to celebrate moving in?
Of course, this also brings us to a crucial point about the moving day - always check to see what the parking situation is like at your new home.
If you’ve hired a van or have removal companies, make sure parking is available. It will make unpacking easier and remove the risk of a costly parking ticket, which nobody wants.