Ever wonder how to prepare for a house move? Moving house is a vast and almost unavoidable headache. At some point in your life, you will experience having to move. The trouble with moving house is the small things, the thousand little things you have to do to make sure your move happens smoothly. Each small thing is a minor task, but they become a massively overwhelming chore when you put them together.
This is why the mere thought of moving house worries people. What do people do when they are scared? They freeze, or they flee. This is why you consider postponing getting ready for your move until the very last moment. It would be best if you avoided the movement altogether, Pillar Management warns; delaying to prepare for a house move only makes the work harder when you eventually begin.
There is a better way to tackle a house move than playing dead. What is the better way?
• Embrace the anxiety
First, you must understand that it is normal to feel stressed with any challenging task; that’s how the human mind responds. But you should also know that your stress response is often exaggerated. The job is usually less complicated than how you imagined it.
• Plan the steps
Another reason you feel overwhelmed is that your mind is not looking at the small steps, but at the effort you need to pack everything in your house. The task will start to look more manageable when you stop looking at the whole and focus instead on the baby steps.
To help you do this, we have put together a simple guide on how to prepare for a house move. If you follow this plan, you can enjoy rather than endure the process.
How to Prepare for the Move
1. Start early
The number one enemy you have to fight is time. You don’t have enough time, but you may underestimate how long it takes to pack your home. It is better to overestimate the work and finish well ahead of your moving day rather than be pressed for time and find yourself making mistakes. At the very least, start three weeks before moving day.
2. Schedule your time
It would be best if you didn’t try to do large chunks of packing all at once, or you would burn out. Moreover, it is harder to find three hours of free time every other day than to find one hour every day. You must set aside one hour for focused work and do it consistently.
3. Create a roadmap
Even after you create a schedule, if you are not methodical when packing the house, you will face frustration and waste a lot of time. Before you begin, decide where you want to start and the order in which you will pack the home.
Are you going to pack the least-used items first? Are you going to go room by room? Are you going to pack items by category – books, décor, shoes, etc.? Or will you combine these methods?
4. Take inventory
As you put items into their boxes, take inventory. Use a notebook, your Smartphone, or some device and record items before you put them away. Make sure the item is listed under the proper heading. This step will make it easy to trace your belongings; you will be able to tell if things are missing. It will help you avoid looking for something when you need them.
5. Purge your home
You don’t want to transport chaos and clutter to your new home. Use this period of moving house to purge your home. You may not know how much stuff you own, and many are no longer helpful. As you pack, separate items that need to be trashed, sold, or given away into one pile. Please do not take them with you to your new home.
6. Pack boxes safely
What’s the worst thing that could happen after packing a box? It is for that box to burst and spill its content all over the house. Not only will you have to start packing again, but your items could also get damaged. Avoid that by not over-packing boxes. Also, reinforce the –sides and under – with tape. Keep the heaviest things at the bottom to keep the load balanced.
7. Color code and label boxes
For every room in your home, choose a color and label the boxes from that room with those colors. If you want some boxes or items moved first or last, indicate this on the boxes. Label boxes with fragile or easily damaged items to remind the movers to handle them with care.
8. Rest, hydrate, and dress appropriately
Finally, the last tip on how to prepare for a house move is to rest and sleep well throughout the period. It is better to go to bed early and wake up earlier than to work late and not get enough sleep. Remember moving house is a potentially dangerous task. The risk of getting injured is more significant when you are tired. Drink a lot of water, take breaks and wear the proper clothing.
By following the how to prepare for a house move tips above, your next move will be more organized and smooth than ever before. If ever you’re looking for a reliable moving company, just pick up the phone and call Aleks Moving. They offer local moves, packing services, residential moving services and many more.
