CC: Image source
Moving house is a really big step for anyone to take and is listed as one of the major stress in everyday life. There is no way to make moving house completely stress free but by making sure that a few basic rules are adhered to, it needn’t be a nightmare.
Share your timetable with family and friends
You can’t be totally sure of anything with a house move, but you will have ball park figures and then eventually a definite date and to save yourself being driven crazy with constant questions, let everyone know what is going on. This is particularly the case with children – keeping them in the dark is upsetting and they may well develop some behavioral issues which won’t make life any easier and could even end up making you all miserable for months in your new home. Make a big calendar and mark all the important dates on it.
Pack little and often
As soon as you know your move is definite, start to pack. Let every family member choose the things they can’t do without, the things they might need and they things they didn’t even know they owned. Starting with the third category, pack things away, in labelled boxes. A good idea is to number each box and take a picture with your phone or digital camera, using the number in the file name; e.g. Slow cooker1, Christmas decorations6, then you will be able to track things down if you need them before you unpack. It will also help at the other end, because you can prioritize.
Communicate
Ask your real estate agent and solicitor to text you when they have anything to tell you. Then you will not miss an important letter or email. On the other side of the coin, if anything at all looks as if it might go wrong at your end, warn all concerned. You might not end up with a problem, but no one likes to have changes of plan dumped on them at the last minute. A little warning often means that the other person won’t mind being inconvenienced.
On the day
Whilst it is true that many hands make light work, there is a limit to how many people improve the situation rather than hindering it. It is natural for family and friends to want to help, but if it just means that everyone will be falling over everyone else, it is best to keep numbers low. If you have children or pets it is best to board them out if you can. They can both be very attached to a house and will be unhappy at the least, badly behaved at worst. Animals which are allowed out should be moved to kennels or friends at least the day before. Even the best tempered removal men can get a little testy when their carefully planned schedule is ruined by a search for Fluffy the cat.
Keep the champagne to hand
Or if not champagne, at least the tea and a kettle. Moving is thirsty work and you will deserve a sit down and a drink when you are done!
Find reliable and local moving companies in BidsByPros.com
Stop searching! Start selecting!
Rob Steen is a freelance copywriter with a passion for all things property related.
He sometimes writes about fast home sales for Property Buyer.
