Disclosure: This is a collaborative post about your moving house
When moving house, it can sometimes feel like stress lurks around every corner.
After all, whether you’re working your way through complicated contracts and paperwork or getting your current house ready for the market, it can often feel that you’re dealing with a never-ending to-do list. As such, it’s easy for stress to take hold!
However, as the moving process, on average, takes “between 12 weeks and 6 months,” it’s important that you don’t begin to view stress as the norm and instead find a way to tackle it. After all, experiencing prolonged periods of stress can take its toll on both your mental and physical health, leading to a variety of health complications.
With that in mind, here are some useful tips that you can follow to reduce your stress levels when moving – whether you’re moving abroad or to another property in your hometown!
Table of Contents
Give yourself time to plan moving house
Planning as far in advance as possible for your move is always useful. After all, this gives you plenty of time to work your way through the formalities of moving, such as getting your current house valued and attending property viewings. This is particularly important if you are buying your first home and have only ever rented in the past.
As such, try to remove some of the urgency from the process. While you may be keen to move into your own space as soon as possible, taking your time means fewer mistakes and less stress. It also gives you time to save up more money, which means you can add to your budget quite considerably!
Of course, this level of forward planning isn’t always possible. For example, you may be offered an amazing job opportunity that requires you to move within just a few weeks. In these instances, it may be worthwhile to work with an experienced real estate agent who is able to carry out much of the work on your behalf – whether this be getting your current property ready for sale or helping you find your dream home. This way, you can focus on moving as quickly as possible (and start thinking about your outfit for your first day of work).
Get your home ready to sell.
One of the biggest barriers you’ll face during the moving process is selling your current home. In fact, any delays in the process may leave you questioning whether or not now is the right time to move. However, the truth is there will never be an ideal time to move, and the housing market changes so rapidly that it’s hard to predict what will happen next. Furthermore, there are plenty of things you can do to increase your chances of securing a quick sale, even if your asking price is relatively high for your area.
For example, carrying out some simple maintenance ahead of time can go a long way toward winning over potential buyers who are looking for properties they can move into right away instead of “fixer-uppers.” Learning how to stage your home before viewing and improving your curb appeal can also increase the chances of viewers putting in an offer! As such, working your way through the above tasks is a great way to ensure your home is sold as quickly as possible, even in the current climate.
Invest in a storage unit for moving house
There are many reasons why you may want to invest in a storage unit when moving house. For example, if you’re preparing to move by giving yourself a head start on packing, you can store any items you won’t need until after the move in your unit so that you aren’t constantly surrounded by boxes and clutter. As exposure to clutter is scientifically proven to elevate our stress levels, removing it from your property can help you remain cool when moving.
Having access to a storage unit is also useful post-move, as it means you can take your time when unpacking. For example, you can store any furniture or belongings away until you’ve finished redecorating, reducing the chances of any of your belongings getting damaged (or covered in paint).
Hiring a storage unit gives you a chance to get a head start on packing – sometimes weeks before you even have to move. For example, you could kick start the process by taking seasonal items, such as Christmas or Halloween decorations, to your unit alongside other items you won’t need until long after the move. If your new property is on the smaller side, you may want to consider renting out the storage unit full-time in order to maximise the amount of space you have available to you.
Put together a to-do list.
Putting together a to-do list when moving can also help to reduce your stress levels during this time. After all, this allows you to make effective use of the time you have available to you and also reduces the chance of you forgetting to complete an important task.
Your to-do list may include tasks such as:
- Completing and filing paperwork
- Carrying out a property inspection of your new home
- Forwarding your mail to your new address
- Registering to vote under your new address
- Sourcing packing supplies/materials
- Contacting local movers
Look for potential, not perfection.
When looking to buy a house or apartment, it’s crucial that you have an idea of exactly what you are looking for ahead of time. Otherwise, you’ll find that you attend viewing after viewing without finding a space that feels right. For example, your requirements may be based on factors such as local, access to amenities, or the number of bedrooms and bathrooms. There may also be specific design choices and styles that you’d like to look out for.
However, it’s also important to remember that it’s unlikely you’re going to find your dream property by chance – it’s often something you have to curate yourself. As such, whenever you attend a viewing, remember that you are looking for potential, not perfection. Think about the kind of changes you can introduce to spaces through renovation or redesign, and allow this to contribute to your decision on whether or not you put in an offer.
In some cases, buying a property that is less than perfect can save you money, as the asking price is generally lower. However, you should also figure out roughly how much the repairs and renovations will cost ahead of time to determine whether or not this is worth your while.
Consider hiring a moving company.
A lot of the stress commonly associated with moving house comes down to money. As such, it’s unsurprising that many buyers attempt to cut costs by moving their furniture and belongings themselves instead of hiring a moving company. However, while this may seem like an easy way to save cash, you must remember just how labour-intensive moving is. For example, taking a DIY approach means that you’ll have to do a lot of heavy lifting yourself, especially if you own a lot of bulky or heavy furniture. If you aren’t prepared for this, it could lead to an accident or, injury, or damage to your belongings. As such, in order to save yourself a lot of time and effort, it’s often better to hand this work over to the experts!
Give yourself a break.
As mentioned previously, moving house is somewhat full-on – there’s always something to be done, which leaves you with very little downtime for several weeks on end. However, it’s also important to remember that you can take a break when you need one. After all, attempting to push through burnout, exhaustion, or high levels of stress will likely only make things worse. For example, you may be more likely to make mistakes or rash decisions that you’ll come to regret later.
Therefore, you should ensure that you give yourself a break whenever you feel overwhelmed or anxious. Even a short 10-15 minute walk could make a real difference to your mindset and may even provide you with the clarity of thought needed to tackle whatever challenge stressed you out in the first place! While your move may be time-sensitive, nothing is more important than your mental well-being!
Final Thoughts.
In short, there are various steps you can follow in order to leave the stress behind when moving to a new property. For example, you should:
- Give yourself time to plan.
- Get your home ready to sell.
- Invest in a storage unit.
- Put together a to-do list.
- Look for potential, not perfection.
- Consider hiring a moving company.
- Give yourself a break.
It’s also important that you’re able to stay focused on the benefits of moving house during this time, as this can also help you stay positive and stay on track, as opposed to becoming derailed by stress and anxiety. As such, you may find it beneficial to write down a list of things that excite you about moving and refer to this whenever you begin to question whether or not the stress is worth it!