Moving house can be one of the most stressful life events. It features in most Top 10 lists of stressful events because it causes a great deal of upheaval. Whether making a move from a rental to a new home of your own, or moving to a new location for work, it is an experience that can have serious repercussions so it is perfectly understandable that a certain amount of worry is involved.
The good news is that moving house doesn’t have to be overwhelmingly stressful. The key to a successful and less traumatic house move is good advance planning. Taking control of what happens when, from packing, to getting the movers in, to storage where necessary and to unpacking, the secret is to think it through, write it down, and then get on with it.
Making checklists
Without a checklist of things to do it is easy for the procedure of moving to descend into chaos. That’s why lists offer a measure of control, by setting out the steps needed to help move everything forward.
1. Making an inventory of what’s in the house starts to give an idea of what will be kept and what’s no longer needed. Attics and basements are notorious for harboring stuff that hasn’t been looked at or used for years. Keep anything considered really necessary and put useful items into bags or boxes for a local thrift store. A garage or moving sale for things not wanted can also give a useful cash boost.
2. Prepare packing materials well in advance. It’s worth ordering plenty of packing boxes together with bubble wrap, tape, markers and labels. The inventory will give an idea of how much space will be needed in boxes.
3. Valuable items should be appraised before the move. With evidence of value it helps protect against damage by the moving company.
4. Make sure the new house is ready to move into at once. This means getting any cleaning and painting done, and checking that electrical and plumbing connections are in place.
5. If pets are being moved and will not travel with the family, find a specialist who is experienced at this.
Finding a mover
Most moving firms are highly experienced and will treat everything carefully and will pack well. Always get two or three quotes as costs can vary, especially if it is a long distance move. Levels of insurance cover should be checked. It will make things easier if the moving company has a copy of the inventory to help plan for the volume of goods they will be transporting.
For those people who prefer to manage the move directly, checklists like those available from truck rental Atlanta provide a range of options for vehicle rental to meet the required specification.
Packing up
The inventory comes into its own here. Pack from the top of the house down, one room at a time, only leaving out essentials such as clothes for the first few days, personal care products that are used daily, for example, soap, toothbrushes and toothpaste.
All documents, such as social security cards, birth and marriage certificates, passports and drivers’ licenses, should be packed together and kept in a safe place.
With everything in hand, prepare to enjoy the move and the excitement of making a fresh start in a new home.
