Why is Packing Stressful?
For many, moving is not an enjoyable activity. Probably because uprooting, packing up all of your belongings, and relocating to a new home can be stressful. The good news is that there are a few tips for stress free moving.
Give Yourself Plenty of Time
How stressful is moving? It depends on how much time you have. You want to give yourself plenty of time. You need time to make arrangements, to pack, and to avoid feeling rushed. As soon as you know that you are moving is the time to begin sorting, packing, and planning. You do not want to start this process on moving day, or you are likely to have a very stressful day.
Even if you plan everything out methodically and moving day should go without a hitch, things happen. You may have delays or setbacks that you couldn’t have foreseen, so try to give yourself extra time so that you can still be moved out by your deadline.
Some things can’t be packed until the very last minute, like the perishable food in your refrigerator, but you can pack most everything else well in advance. Do as much as you can as soon as you can and making moving less stressful.
Set a Budget
You should have an idea of how much money you have to spend on your move. This way, you won’t overspend, and you’ll know what you can and can’t afford, which will make you feel more in control amidst the chaos.
Declutter as You Pack
Decluttering is another way to achieve stress less moves. The less stuff you have, the less you have to pack, and your move will be that much easier. Having less to move will also help to save you money since you can downsize your moving van and might not need that storage unit to store the things that don’t fit into your new home. Spending less on your move can help to alleviate some of the financial burden that a move can cause.
Get and Stay Organized
Being organized makes life easier because you won’t have to spend time looking for things, and you will know exactly where everything needs to go. Moving is a great time to go through all your belongings and downsize.
You don’t want to bring a bunch of clutter to your new living space, so you should think about what you want to keep, sell, or donate. If you pack a mess, you will unpack a mess. The more you can sort through and organize as you pack, the less you will have to sort and organize when your begin putting everything away at your new home.
Pack Your Prized Possessions With Care
Losing treasured items or having them get damaged during a move can be upsetting, especially if the broken item was a family heirloom that can’t be replaced. If you have possessions that you want to keep in one piece during the move, you will have to pack them carefully.
Use plenty of bubble wrap, shrink wrap, and label any boxes that contain breakable items, “fragile.” Sometimes things will shift around during the move and can fall over and break, so pack these fragile items into your personal vehicle rather than the moving van.
Don’t Try to Do Everything Yourself
Moving is a lot of hard work and especially if you do everything yourself. Don’t be afraid to ask for help and lighten your load. Tell friends and family when you plan on moving and delegate tasks. This way, they can plan to be available when you need help. You could also hire help if needed. This will free you up to complete the important jobs that only you can do, such as hooking up utilities and changing your address.
