12 Tips for a Stress-free Move

It’s well known that moving is considered one of life’s biggest stressors. There are even reports that say people find moving more stressful than divorce! 😲 It doesn’t have to be taxing, though.

While there probably isn’t a way to turn moving into one of life’s most fun experiences, there are plenty of ways to make it more enjoyable and less frustrating. Read on as we discuss our 12 tips for a stress-free move!

Before you do anything else, sit down and do a brain dump. Write down everything you think needs to be done for your big move and work off those lists. Organize your “to do’s” in ways that make most sense to you. This can be by time leading up to the move or by priority of what you feel is most important. Having everything out of your head and in a list will ease stress and allow you to check off items as you go.

If you know you will need time off from work to move, request those dates as soon as possible. This way if anything comes up, you can guarantee time is set aside with no scheduling conflicts.

Hiring movers will alleviate a lot of stress during the moving process, if your budget has room for it. Research movers in your area as soon as you know you’re moving and secure them for your moving date. Putting this off can result in movers not being available on the day you need them and the last thing you want is to be stuck with movers you don’t trust!

If movers aren’t in the budget, make sure to ask your friends and family to put aside time to help. The sooner they put it on their schedule the better—you don’t want to end up alone on moving day! Secure your rental truck as well. The last thing you want is to find out there are none available or that you can only have the truck for a limited amount of time!

Moving is a great time to get rid of things you no longer have a need for and give them a second life. In fact, if you start this process right after you solidify your move, you may even make some money! Begin by organizing things into four piles: keep, toss, sell, donate.

The things you are keeping you can begin to pack, and you can throw away the items you no longer need. For things you can sell, post them on different online marketplaces and give them a second life. Then, whatever can’t be sold can be donated to a local organization or thrift store.

Moving can get hectic and you don’t want to deal with the stress of not knowing where passports and closing paperwork is on moving day. Make sure you have any important paperwork, identification, and items such as insurance cards set aside somewhere safe and easily accessible.

There’s no way around packing your entire life into boxes when you move. Make it less stressful by taking photos of each box before you close it and then labeling each box with a specific color for easy access. Example: red for kitchen, blue for kids’ clothes, purple for toys, green for office, etc. This way you will know exactly where each box should be unloaded and what contents are inside.

The picture will help you keep calm during the inevitable moment where you think you lost something! Make sure you buy your packing materials ahead of time and buy more than you think you’ll need. Many places will buy back unused materials, and this won’t cause you to scramble looking for extra boxes for last minute items that may need to be packed!

Come moving day, a lot of little things will pop up that can feel overwhelming. Your utilities don’t need to be one of them! Make sure you schedule your electricity and water to be set up at your new home and make an appointment to have internet installed. This will be one less thing to worry about and will set you up for success in your new home!

In addition to your utilities, make sure to hire a locksmith to change your locks soon after you move in. You never know who may have been given a key to the house you just bought, and your safety is what’s most important!

The best thing to do to keep your move stress free is to clean as you go. For example, if you pack up your basement first, deep clean it as soon as you’re done and then consider that area off limits. Do this with each room as you completely pack it, and then all you’ll have left is an easy wipe down and sweep before you leave! This is a great activity to have kids help with as well. Let’s say you’re packing boxes in their bedrooms, let them use a Magic Eraser on any spots their walls may have.

The last thing you’ll want to do on moving day is actually unpack boxes. To make things easy and stress free, wash and pack small overnight bags of clothes for each family member in advance. Include outfits, pajamas, underwear, shoes, etc. for two to three days and pack them in your car. You can also include a toiletry bag with everyone’s toothbrushes, medications, and shower needs for easy access your first night.

Moving day isn’t just stressful for you, but for your kids and pets, too! Big changes can be hard on children and animals and having someone for them to hang out with on moving day can be helpful for everyone! Not only will it take some of the stress away from moving, but it will also ease the transition for your two- and four-legged family members!

The end of moving day will leave you happy, excited, and exhausted. Give yourself a break and leave the pots and pans for tomorrow. Spend the first night or two getting to know the restaurants in your new neighborhood! Order in and enjoy a meal made by someone else while you get acclimated to your new surroundings. After all, you’ve earned it!

Moving to a new home may be stressful, but securing your home loan doesn't have to be! At Churchill, we do our very best to make the mortgage process as east and stress-free as possible. If you're looking to buy a home, give us a call. Our Home Loan Specialists are here to help you every step of the way!