You can lower the stress of your house move through a bit of forethought, organisation and planning. When all is under control and running smoothly, when you feel that you have enough time, there’s an awful lot less to worry about. So use this ten-point checklist to ensure you’re fully prepared. It will help make for a more relaxed and less stressful move for all the family.

1. Get ahead of the game. This means getting all the third parties sorted, in place, briefed and confirmed as soon as you have an exchange and completion date. There are a lot of different people involved in a move, on whom you depend. This can leave you feeling a little out of control. So have those solicitors, removals firms and estate agents under YOUR tight reins. Even if this means a ‘phone call every other day to chivvy them along, reconfirm dates and build a relationship. You want them all on your side, pulling together.

2. Set up base camp. Put one room aside to act as your base. Put a big table in there, clear the room and bring in all your boxes, packing tape, scissors, bubble wrap, paper, polystyrene chips and marker pens. Make it packing base station. The best thing is, you can shut the door on it at the end of the day and the rest of the house is intact and clear.

3. Timetable your packing. Look at how many rooms, sheds, outhouses, cellars and attics you have. Look at how much time you have available. Then make a concrete daily plan of how you will tackle them in the available time. Reward yourself when you stick to it.

4. Declutter your life. There are so many advantages to this. Psychologically, you feel proactive and cleansed. Practically, you have less to pack then move, and so pay less. Put together a timetable of car boot sales, table top sales and even your own open house to dispose of the stuff you know longer need.

5. Work from out to in. Start with the areas that don’t impact family life so much. Sheds, outhouses and the loft. Clear those, disassemble if necessary and then they are done, without inconveniencing anyone too much.

6. Warn the utilities. Everyone who supplies a service to your home needs notice of your move, sometimes as much as a month. TV, telephone, internet, insurance, electricity, gas … let them know as soon as you do that you’re on the move.

7. Sort your redirections. Spend an evening compiling a list of every company you deal with, so you can give them a change of address. There are more than you think. Start with your wallet and every card you have in it: store cards, vehicle recovery, driver’s licence, store loyalty cards … as well as insurers, bankers and credit companies. Then, use the Royal Mail redirection service for 6-12 months so everything you’ve missed gets forwarded anyway.

8. Make time for you. Yes, it’s a busy time. But you’re important too. So factor in the odd afternoon away from it all, or a night off. Indulge in takeaways and ready meals. This is no time to try and be a super hero.

9. Clean as you go. Don’t just pack and clear; systematically shut down every room. Clean it, empty it into your packing base, make good any holes then SHUT THE DOOR ON IT. Job done.

10. Don’t panic. Everyone gets there in the end. You rarely hear of moves not happening because you’re just not ready. You will be, even if the task expands fully to take up all the time available.

This article is posted by Austin Moving Company in Texas, USA



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