You’ve bought a home and you’re excited to start enjoying the new space. However, you’re already stressing out about the move, and you haven’t even picked up the keys yet. The easiest way to simplify your move is to hire the professionals, but this may not be in your budget when you’re also trying to get new furniture and accessories for the house. The good news is that there are a few steps you can follow to move the right way and make the entire process easier.
-
Start Decluttering Immediately
Whether you are going with the professionals or doing it yourself, you don’t want to move items that you don’t love, use, or need. As soon as you know that a move is in your future, start taking a hard look at the items around your home and ask yourself if you really want or need them in your new living space. Put a box in the garage or guest room, and drop unwanted items in that box as you come across them. When the box is full, get it out of the house. You’ll smile knowing that you just made your move easier and your next home more enjoyable.
-
Gather Supplies
Moving requires more supplies than you realize. The boxes are only the beginning. You also need tape, pens, bubble wrap and stretch wrapping for furniture. As soon as possible, start gathering supplies so that you’ll be ready to go.
-
Consider Off-Site Storage for Logistics
If you’re doing your own packing, then you may want to start early. This is a great idea, but it can become a logistical nightmare as you start tripping over full boxes. Identify furnishings and other items that you don’t use regularly but still want to keep. These can easily be moved into The Storage Center locations or at a company near you. As you pack boxes, close them up and add them to the unit. It will be easier to see what still needs to be done around the home, and you’ll keep your stress level down. You can also store the packing supplies in the shed to maintain some peace and tranquility at home.
-
Add it to Your Calendar
According to Forbes, you’ll make the move less stressful by blocking off time to work through the process. It doesn’t matter if you give yourself a single day each week for a month or decide to do everything in one straight shot. What does matter is that you don’t have anything else booked during this time so that you can just focus on the packing and moving. Take the time off work, have a friend watch the kids, and turn off the phone and other distractions. If possible, ask a friend to come over during the scheduled time to assist you with the process.
-
Label Everything
The permanent marker and tape will be your best friends when packing. If a box has fragile items, mark which end is up and that there are fragile belongings inside. Try to pack each room separately to make unpacking easier. Label each box with the items inside and the room it goes in. Once you know how many boxes you have for the space, label them as box 1 of 7, box 2 of 7, and so on. It’s easier to unpack if you know that there are seven boxes for the kitchen and can quickly count off the numbers to see that everything is accounted for.
Moving can be stressful, but it doesn’t have to be. With a little planning and these smart tips, you can take the stress out of the move and focus on the joy of moving into a new home.
