Perhaps you’ve been offered a fantastic new job in another city. Or you’re upgrading to a larger house with your expanding family. The reasons for moving home are often positive, but the event itself is frequently stressful. While you can expect some frenetic activity, moving home doesn’t need to be chaotic or nerve-wracking. Follow these rules to minimise the trauma:
Declutter
When it comes to packing, use moving house as an opportunity to sort out your possessions. Go through your wardrobe and remove anything that you haven’t worn for the past year – throw it out or donate it to a charity. Be brutal, not sentimental, and throw out old magazines, catalogues, books and old bills, receipts and contracts. If your furniture is worth less than it will cost to move it, throw it away or donate it to a charity. Buy a moving pack online – which will include boxes in a variety of sizes, as well as items like bubble wrap and sticky tape – and have it delivered to your door.
Organise your own removal
You can arrange your own removal just by hiring a man with a van. This is a good solution if you only have a few belongings. Make sure the driver has a good idea of how many bags and boxes you have so they only have to make one journey. Most importantly, protect yourself and your belongings by getting a recommendation for a man with van from somebody you know. Also, check that parking is available outside or close to the house you are moving from. It might be necessary to buy a parking ticket so check that out in advance.
Professional removal companies
Anybody with two bedrooms or more should consider calling in the professionals to help them move house. You can either pay a company to pack all your belongings for you – expensive but a great service if you work long hours and don’t have time to pack yourself – or buy removal boxes, pack yourself and get the experts to load and unload the boxes for you. Removal companies should be booked at least two weeks before you plan to move. To get the best deal for the service, shop around. You can use the comparison service at The House Removals Company website to get quotes from different companies.
Let the company know how much furniture you have, as well as roughly how many boxes and bags you will be moving. Instruct them on the time you want the team to arrive and give clear directions to your new property. Finally, check all your furniture will fit through the doors. If it doesn’t, find a solution before the removal company arrives or you’ll end up wasting lots of time trying to resolve the problem.
Above all, stay calm. Although moving house is considered one of the most stressful events of our lives, it's also one of the most exciting. If your temper starts to fray, picture yourself in your beautiful new house and remember that you are tolerating just a few stressful days in exchange for years of bliss in your new pad.
