If you have a move coming up and you are already stressed out about it, there are a few things you can do to eliminate anxiety and to help the moving process go efficiently. Moving should be a time of excitement, not a time of exhaustion and worry. Try these six tips for a better moving experience.
Purge before Packing
Studies have shown that you only wear about 20 percent of the items in your closet regularly, so it's important to purge before you pack to keep your sanity. Sell, donate, or simply throw out all the clothes, trinkets, papers, and junk you don't want to waste time packing or hauling to a new location. This will save you time and money with the move.
List and Label
Create a list of the items going into each box, and what room each box should go in. Putting a name or general label on the box doesn't speed up the unpacking process. You want to be able to look at the box and know if it goes into the basement, bedrooms, office or other rooms. Creating an inventory list ensures that everything that gets packed gets delivered. Put signs on the doors of the new space to help people moving boxes in know where each box goes. You might even consider color-coordinating the boxes with the rooms they are supposed to go to.
Keep Out Necessities
Have everyone in the family pack an overnight bag with some clothes and toiletries, in case you don't feel like unpacking right away, and in case something happens and the moving truck doesn't get unloaded. This way everyone has everything that they need for a couple of days, and you aren't trying to dig through boxes.
Hire the Professionals
Lifting heavy items, arranging boxes, renting moving equipment, and trying to get everything out of your house can cause chaos around the house. Maintain your sanity by hiring a team of professional movers. The professional movers do all the work, and you just wait at the new house to unpack your belongings in the new space.
Get Additional Moving Insurance
Many people are unaware when hiring professionals that the insurance they offer with the service may not be enough to cover the items being moved. It's important to call your insurance provider for other policies to get a quote for moving insurance, so you don't find out in the middle of the move that your new television isn't going to be replaced, or that you won't have enough money after the insurance reimbursement from the moving company to replace an expensive piece of furniture that was damaged.
Set Up a Reward System
Getting your kids to unpack their rooms and to put everything away where it goes properly can be a headache. Set up a reward system or give away prizes for getting items put away the quickest, for doing things the right way, and for helping to unpack in other areas of the house. This can make the moving process seem more like a game and less like chores.