If moving home is one of the most stressful events in your life – surely, moving home in the midst of a pandemic must make the process even more stressful! No matter how many times you have been through the process, it does not usually get any easier and additional challenges at the moment could make things even more difficult. So, what are the best ways to reduce stress for an upcoming move?
Proper Planning
Proper planning prevents poor performance – this is the sort of pithy statement which you will be familiar with if you have aver attended a corporate training course or read a book about getting organised. As clichéd as it sounds though, it is true that thorough planning is an essential ingredient in any event which relies on a number of factors coming together at the right time. Moving home is definitely one of those events. In the run up to your move, make a plan for how you want things to go on the day – try to think of all the things which might trip you up and pre-arrange things like child-care, school pick-ups and pet-care in plenty of time. Even thinking about and organising what or where you are going to eat on the day you move is not an excessive level of planning! Consider the impact of lockdown on shops and businesses you may need to visit and factor in possible delays in getting things done.
Out of sight, out of mind?
Areas of your house which often get overlooked when you are moving house are the loft and outside spaces. It is surprising how long it can take to empty and pack up the contents of a loft, garage or garden shed. As these are items which you are least likely to miss in your day to day life – it is worth getting those areas boxed up well in advance of moving. If you don’t have a room or area in your property where you can store packed items – consider investing in a storage unit to accommodate them until you are ready for them in your new home.
Working from home?
As we head into a new period of lockdown here in the UK, as many of us as possible have been asked, once again, to work from home if possible. Whilst you may be in a position to take time off work when you are moving, you will probably need to make sure your new working from home space is up and running fairly quickly once you are in. Make sure that you consider things like your telephone and internet connection far enough in advance of moving to make sure you are not left unconnected when you move in. Feeling unconnected and not being able to work effectively will only add pressure to an already stressful period of time.
Think about where your furniture fits
Create a floor plan of your new home and think about where your furniture items are going to be best placed before you move in. Created cut outs of your furniture items to scale so that you can have a good idea of where things will fit beforehand. This will make it easier to unpack at the other end and you can even direct your furniture removals to place things exactly where you want them which will you save time and energy later on.
Moving Day
Having the things to hand you are going to want to find easily when you arrive at your new property is a good idea. Things like kettles, coffee machines, cups, milk and snacks will be particularly welcome. As moving day can be a stressful time for pets as well - it is also worth keeping things like animal beds and food bowls to hand so that stressed animal companions can have familiar belongings available to help them settle in.
Don’t expect to be able to get everything done straight away
Buy yourself some time by having somewhere to store boxes until you need to start unpacking them. Even with the most meticulous organisation, moving into a new house can create a disrupting level of disorganisation and chaos in your life. When you are packing, think hard about those things which you will need to be able to organise quickly when you move in and those which you can do without. Items like out of season clothes, documents and paperwork, books and other collections may be best off stored away from home until you are in a position to sort them out at your new home. Have a look at our website for our tips and advice on storing things like collectibles safely. Having an accessible storage unit which you can use to keep some items out of the way will enable to you to get yourself straight in your new property quicker.
Things to consider when using self storage...
- Be realistic about what you have to store and the space you need. Self-storage space is certainly cheaper per square foot than housing but the costs can mount up over time. Have a look at our guide to storage space to see some space comparisons of typical storage types.
- Make sure you are prepared for storing your stuff in colder weather if need be – have a look at our blog post preparing your storage unit for winter for our best tips and advice on this.
- Do carry out a thorough inventory of what you are storing so that you can be accurate about the value of your goods. Remember – you need to take out storage insurance for the full replacement cost.
- Always compare the cost of storage insurance. Most self storage providers, especially the big 5, will offer to sell you insurance as part of the package, sometime for a price that seems competitive on the face of it –we do advise caution here though as this is often set at an inadequate level, especially if you are storing a house full of possessions.
Finally – take some time to de-stress!
Try to prioritise a space in your new home which has a relaxing and calming environment where you can retreat to away from the mess and chaos. It is difficult to relax in a space which is cluttered and disorganised so focus on sorting out one room initially where you can relax and shut the door for a while.