How to make moving house stress free

Be methodical and ruthless with your packing

The best way to avoid removal stress is to come up with a proper packing plan. Be methodical by tackling the job a room at a time, and be selective about which items will be staying and which are no longer needed. If you haven’t used something for a year or more, decide if it should be sold, donated to charity, taken to the recycling centre, given away using websites like Freecycle, or taken straight to the tip. Not only will packing be easier if you take a more methodical and planned approach, but unpacking at your new house will be a whole lot simpler too.

Find a good removal company

While you might be tempted to take a DIY approach, it’s usually much easier to hire a removal company than to do it yourself, especially if you own lots of possessions or fragile items. While doing it by yourself can give you some flexibility, by paying a professional to do the hard work, you can take advantage of their expertise and experience, literally lifting the stress from your shoulders.

Plan your moving day well in advance

Nothing adds to moving stress more than a last-minute panic, so be sure to give yourself plenty of time to pack, and book your removal company well in advance, so you have lots of time to get organised without worrying about logistics. Also think about how you will manage the care of younger children on the day. Will you need to arrange for someone to look after them while the move goes ahead, or are they old enough to lend a hand themselves? Also, consider any pets. Do they need to be looked after by a friend or relative while the move takes place?

Get label-happy

By clearly marking each box and item of furniture, you’ll know exactly where it belongs when you move into your new home. If you use a removal company, boxes labelled room-by-room will be put in the right room in your new home, reducing the need to rearrange furniture and boxes when you arrive and it’s time to unpack.

Be flexible

Although you may have a date pencilled into your calendar, such as just after the contract exchange is planned to take place, it’s simply part of moving house that these dates could change. With this in mind, always be flexible and expect the unexpected, as to not cause too much stress and disruption to a rigidly structured moving plan.

Get help from friends and family

Whether you need help with packing, looking after the kids or dismantling furniture, get all the help you can from friends and family. Not only will it reduce your workload, but you could end up having fun too!

Keep the kettle out

In times of stress, there’s nothing better than a nice cup of tea. When you’re packing make sure you leave the kettle out until the very last minute, so you can take a well-earned break when it’s needed!