5 Tips to Make Moving Less Stressful

1.Plan Ahead

Don’t leave everything on the last week before moving. Start planning at least two weeks in advance and make a checklist to make sure you don’t forget any important steps. No matter how organized you are, moving can be a stressful process and it’s easy to overlook things, even for the most careful people. Make sure you have everything on paper, before actually doing anything. This will help you go through the process smooth and double check if you think you forgot anything.

2.Declutter

Before starting to put everything away in boxes, go through your stuff and decide what you really want to bring into your new house. Divide the stuff you don’t want to keep into three sections:

• Sell: Put away things you don’t want to use into your new house, but are still functional and can be sold. This will earn you some money to invest in things you really need.
• Donate: If you have stuff that can’t be sold, but are still usable, consider donating them to charity.
• Dump: Throw away stuff that can’t be sold or donated, like old clothes or pieces of furniture that can’t be fixed.

If you have things that you know you will need later on, consider storing them away in a storage unit. Don’t jam your garage with all the items you don’t have a place for yet, you might actually need it to park your car. There are plenty of websites that compare the best storage offers in your city, to find out exactly what you are looking for. For example, if you live in Texas, check out the many options for self storage Lewisville has to offer.

3.Label Your Boxes

After decluttering, you will be left with the things you really need or want to move. Forget the old pack-every-room method and start sorting by category. This will help you have a clear view of what you own. Plus, it will be easier when moving fragile items to have them all in one place. Label your boxes with exactly what’s inside them, like clothing, appliances, décor etc. Another tip from moving experts is to store heavier items into smaller boxes, to move them away easier. Nobody likes to lift up huge AND heavy boxes.

4.Hire a Moving Company

Before hiring a moving company, do your research. Check if the company is licensed or is it just some guys with a van trying to make some extra money? Check out their damage policy and list of services, to make sure you don’t run into unexpected issues. Some companies don’t move items that are not stored in boxes or don’t have any damage policy and you wouldn’t want to unpack your TV and find out you’re going to need a new one.

5.Pack A First Night Bag

After moving all those boxes and organizing what will become your new home, you will be so tired, that all you want to do is lay in bed and get some good sleep. Pack a bag that will get you through the first night without too much effort. Include a change of clothes, pajamas, toiletries, phone charger, laptop and bedding.