Summary of key points
When you decide to move house, a lot of people are going to tell you that you’re about to get very stressed indeed. They might even say that moving is ranked as one of the most stressful things anyone can do in their lives. And that’s going to make you nervous, to say the least – you might even get stressed before you start planning just because of what you’ve heard or what you’re expecting might happen.Â
The truth is that moving is stressful, but you can manage that stress and make things a lot easier for yourself if you prepare well in advance. With that in mind, here are some of the things you should think about ahead of time to ensure your move goes as smoothly as possible.
Budget
Moving isn’t just potentially stressful, it’s generally going to be pretty expensive as well. You’ll need to pay for lots of different things, including the down payment and taxes on the new property, setting up utilities, and more. Spending out all that money in one go can lead people to have financial issues for a month or more following the move, and that’s stress no one wants to deal with, which is why it’s best to make a budget in advance so you know precisely what you’re going to be spending and where the money is going to come from. You’ll also know how much will be left over, helping you budget until the next time you get paid, which could be massively important.
When you make a budget, it’s the ideal time to cut back on anything you don’t need or take a better look at your outgoings to see what can be improved. When you know you’ve got the money you need not just for the move but for the weeks afterwards too, you’re sure to be less stressed.Â
Book Help
Leaving everything to the last minute is definitely going to make you stressed, and although you might not intend for it to happen, it’s quite surprising how quickly time passes when you’re busy, and you might find that moving day is looming, and you’ve not booked any of the services or extra help you need.Â
Instead of getting stressed, make sure you book everything as soon as you know you’re moving. A good moving company will get booked up quickly, but it’s also one of the most important elements of making your move less stressful and being prepared, so finding a moving company and securing their services is a must. Plus, you can talk to friends and family and get some extra help with packing or childcare, for example, so that you can get everything done more quickly and efficiently. The earlier you ask people to save the date, the more likely it is you’ll get the help you need.Â
Take Time Off
If you work, you’ll need to take the day of your move off so you can be there to ensure everything gets done – technically, you probably could leave it to others to handle, but do you really want someone else in control of leaving your old home and moving into a new one?Â
However, don’t forget that you’ll probably want to take some extra time off as well, and you’ll need to book that sooner rather than later. Take the day off before the move to ensure any last-minute details are dealt with, for example, and take at least one, if not more, days off afterwards so you can get settled and unpack. You’ll feel a lot more settled and happy if you can do that.