Our 7 Steps to a ‘Stress Free’ Move

We will move house several times during our lives and it is often ranked as one of the most stressful thing we can do. In a poll of 2,000 adults who had moved house within the past three years, almost two in three placed it at the top of their stress list, above divorce and starting a new job!

Much of the stress on moving day comes from misplaced possessions and realising furniture does not fit. But, if you are currently planning to move house – don’t panic! There are ways to make the whole process simpler and easier, meaning you have a ‘stress free’ move:

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Family moving house – image courtesy of Shutterstock

1 – Give yourself plenty of time

Time won’t always be on your side when you are moving house, for one reason or another. But, give yourself as much of it as you can. This will enable you to do plenty of research and not rush into any decisions, ensure you have enough money and budget for each stage, and have longer to sort out your belongings and pack and so on. Don’t put off the packing – as soon as you make the decision to move, start the decluttering and sorting, it helps so much in the madness of the last couple of weeks of packing!

2 – Create a checklist

One of the reasons moving house is so stressful is because there is so much to think about and remember. Trying to keep on top of it all can result in you forgetting even the most important details, such as organising a removal van, perhaps. So, do yourself a favour and make sure you don’t forget anything by creating a checklist (and a bonus tip – pieces of paper get lost. Keep it on Evernote so you always have it to hand whether you suddenly remember something in the middle of Waitrose, or just as you’re heading to bed – install it on all your devices and it syncs neatly across them all for you)

3 – Start packing early

The worst thing you could do is start packing a couple of days before you are due to move. You aren’t going on holiday, you are moving all your belongings out of one house and into another!

4 – Label boxes

Label everything! This may make the packing process longer, but it will make the unpacking process much quicker and easier. Label boxes with the room it is going in, and write down the contents too. This way you’ll know what everything is and where it is going.

5 – Pack a ‘moving day survival kit’

You will be so grateful for a survival kit on moving day! This box should include everything you know you will need as you leave the old house and enter the new one, so you don’t have to be desperately searching through all your boxes. Suggested items include teabags/instant coffee, mugs, teaspoons, milk and a kettle, plus some quick easy snacks so that you can pause and refersh when you need to!

 6 – Organise storage

This might not be something you had thought of, but storage is great for two reasons. Firstly, you can store belongings somewhere if you don’t need or want them in your new house straight away. Secondly, you have somewhere to take any items that cause you issues on moving day – such as your beloved sofa that just won’t fit through the front door. Check out these services in Heathrow and book your self-storage!

7 – Treat yourself

Once you have moved in, sit back and relax with a takeaway and a bottle of wine – you deserve it after the months of hard work it has taken to get you from your old house to your new home.

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Author: Laura

A 70's child, I’ve been married for a Very Long Time, and appear to have made four children, and collected one large and useless dog along the way. I work, I have four children, I have a dog… ergo, I do not do dusting or ironing. I began LittleStuff back in (gulp) 2004. I like huge mugs of tea. And Coffee. And Cake. And a steaming cone of crispy fresh fluffy chips, smothered in salt and vinegar. #healthyeater When I grow up I am going to be quietly graceful, organised and wear lipstick every day. In the meantime I *may* have a slight butterfly-brain issue.

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