Many things can cause stress in your life. A new job, a new baby, moving. Moving is one of the highest stresses that people can go through. At first it sounds silly, because moving can symbolize so many great things. You may have a new dream job, met someone wonderful, or you are finally getting to live in a place you’ve always been curious about! However, when you take into account the fact that you are basically uprooting some of the most stable parts of your life, like where you sleep, where you shop and what you see every day, that stress makes sense. Check out our tips on how to have a stress-free move.
Start Right Now
As soon as you know you are going to move, you can start preparing for it. We're not saying that you should suddenly stuff your television, your wall art and your five year old into a box, but there are definitely things lying around that you are not going to want before your move. For example, you probably aren't going to want your heavy winter clothes before you move if you are moving this summer. Starting early also lets you make good decisions about what to take and what to keep. At least, it prevents the frantic part of the move where things just get swept into boxes whether they are junk or not.
Label Your Boxes
Perhaps you have dreams of itemized lists on every box, but unless you are super-organized, those get lost pretty fast. Just pack with a marker in your hand and write down the box's destination room and a quick inventory of what is in it. It makes the unpacking a lot easier, and it allows you to move in very quickly.
Make Every Trip Count
During the last few days before your move, make every trip count. If you are going to the store, make sure that you are bringing trash out to the garbage or that you are coming back with something you need for the move. If you are putting things into a storage unit, make a quick run over whenever you are in the neighbourhood. If you are looking at something, do something about it. Small things like this can keep the stress low and the move, well, moving.
The Day of the Move
On the day that you move in, if at all possible, set the stage at your new home. Get there quickly and make sure that there is toilet paper in the bathrooms, that the refrigerator is plugged in and that there are cool drinks and snacks in it, and get the air conditioning going if you are moving in the heat. These sound like small things, but when you and the people who are helping you finish up, it's amazing to have these things available.
Take Breaks
On the day of the move, it is very tempting to try to get it all done at once. This is a bad idea, and in hot climates, it is actually courting injury and heat stroke. Work diligently, but every few hours, make everyone stop and take a drink and eat some kind of sturdy snack. This is something that can make a big difference, and it will stop the move from grinding to a halt as things get down towards the wire.
When you have a move on the horizon, take a moment to breathe deeply and relax. It is stressful and tiring, but with planning and pacing yourself, you will be just fine. Soon enough, you will be in your new space and ready to start a new phase of your life. Just relax, stay calm, and it will all be fine!
Photo credits: shutterstock.com
Posted by Terry Paranych on
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