There is an urban myth that moving home is the third most stressful life event we can undergo. It isn’t true.
That said, moving house is typically experienced as a stressful event for most people, especially if the move includes buying that new home and maybe also selling a home to facilitate the move.
But even for renters, it’s not a walk-in-the-park unless it’s their first time and they haven’t that much by way of possessions.
I sold my little house back in 2006, and I have been a serial renter since. I have moved eight times in the last fifteen years. And somewhere between 20 and 30 times in my adult life.
It hasn’t become easier, but I have realized that a good deal of the stress involved is within my own control.
I can minimize it or let it blow out of all proportion by adequately preparing — or not.
So, somewhere along the way, I wrote up a checklist for myself to take some of the pain out of the process.
If you’re undertaking a move soon, these tips might help it feel less disruptive.
1. Do an audit of all your furniture.
What do you have? What do you need? What do you love? What will fit in to/with your new home?
Put simply, look at each individual item and honestly assess whether it needs to come with you. If it doesn’t, then what? Identify a new home for it — a friend, a thrift store, Craig’s List customer. And move it on to its new home ahead of moving day.
2. Start packing well in advance and declutter as you go.
Leaving packing to the last minute will often result in everything having to be hauled to the new place because there is no time to mindfully sort through all your belongings and filter out what you no longer need. This means more stuff to move, more time to move it and more time to unpack at the other end.
And the decluttering will still have to be done.
3. Outsource as much as you can afford.
Cleaning, for example. When we’re moving on, we need to leave our old home shining like a new pin, almost without exception.
And while it’s reasonable to expect our new home to be in that condition too, it isn’t always the case. Sometimes — typically the case for me — we need to clean both our old and new homes.
The need to clean before I can start unpacking has reduced me to tears on more than one move. In the midst of packing, moving, and unpacking mania, the need to clean as well can be overwhelming.
So, consider hiring somebody to help ease that pain — and book them well ahead of schedule.
4. Get a man with a van.
No matter how many friends offer to help with car-loads, they can’t compensate for the difference a van that can fit all your furniture — and a strong man (or two) to lift it — will make to the whole proceedings.
Having said that, gratefully and promptly accept all help offered by friends and make a plan for what they will help with and when.
Winging it on the day could see you with less help available than if you had jumped all over the offer the second it was made.
5. Label all your boxes.
What’s in them and what room are they going to?
To some this would seem obvious, and to others, it would seem superfluous.
Let me tell you, ‘obvious’ is the right answer. Do this for every single box, not just some of them.
Failing to do this can result in disastrous and time-consuming searches for needed essentials at the other end — adding to the feelings of overwhelm and the desire to cry.
6. Prepare the two most important boxes.
Put your overnight things — duvet, pillows, sheets, toiletries, pajamas, clean socks, and underwear — into one box. Put your kettle, cups, tea/coffee, milk and snacks into another.
Unload the kettle/snack box first.
Unload the overnight box second. You don’t want to face the need to make up the bed after running out of steam.
As soon as you’ve fortified yourself with a cup of tea, make up the bed so that you’re ready to climb into it and fall into a well-earned sleep, at a moment’s notice.
Once these two tasks are complete, the rest of the unpacking can begin.
7. Get a takeaway menu for a selection of restaurants close to your new home.
You aren’t going to have the time, energy or clear worktop space to prepare home-cooked meals. And you’re going to need the fuel to keep the unpacking going.
Unlike many of life’s top stressors (death of loved ones/separation or divorce/losing your livelihood/serious injury or illness), moving home has the potential to be a joyful experience.
It can also be disruptive over a protracted period of time. In my experience, the latter comes from postponing the jobs that were going to have to be done anyway.
Postponing doesn’t save me from the tasks. It just makes it more stressful to complete them on time.
Next time you’re moving, be like prepared-me, not procrastinator-me. Our homes are supposed to be our own personal sanctuaries — a place where we can relax and revive our drooping spirits and tired bodies.
An organized house move will speed up the transition of a new house or apartment into our own restful retreat.