If the stress of moving house is starting to get to you then don’t worry, you’re not alone. In their recent survey, Legal and General found 57% of people ranked moving house as the most stressful thing they’ll ever do, higher than either having a child or going through a breakup.
What is it that makes moving house so stressful, and what can you do to make moving easier? We’ve assembled some of our top tips from our years of experience as moving and utility experts for you below. What’s the easiest way to cut down on moving stress? That’s to book a free call with Please Connect Me and get a great deal on all of your home services while we handle the set-up, registration and paperwork.
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Why is moving house so stressful?
If you were to list the things that made a life event stressful on paper, you’d quickly see moving house meets all the criteria. It’s expensive, with surprise costs often popping up along the way. It requires careful planning, but you also need to be flexible and deal with inevitable complications. Lifting heavy boxes and moving furniture leaves you physically exhausted. Plus, you’ll usually have a few days at most to pull off the entire manoeuvre before you need to return to work.
With so much going on, it’s understandable that 1 in 4 people reported arguing with their partners over moving, and nearly 1 in 3 people lost sleep over a move.
The situation is not hopeless, however. Here are our top tips to make moving home less time-consuming, complicated and stressful.
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9 top tips to cut down on moving house stress
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1. Start early
One of the biggest ways to save yourself stress when you move house is to start preparing for your move as soon as possible. Begin by decluttering your current home – don’t waste time and money moving things you don’t want. Giving yourself time to prepare also means you can get quotes from multiple moving agencies and shop around for supplies making it easier to stay on budget.
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2. Make a to-do list and update it
You’ll need to make hundreds of decisions over the move, and there will be times you find yourself waiting for one thing to get done before you can start another. Keep an up-to-date to-do list somewhere convenient like your phone or a notebook you carry with you and add tasks as and when they come up.
Download a copy of our moving checklist- it’s free!
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3. Pack your stress relievers…
Designate a box or bag to be the last packed and the first unpacked with things that will help you relax, both during and after the move. This could be the kettle and tea bags, some comfortable clothes, a blanket, a favourite book – whatever your household reaches for when they want to unwind. When you feel overwhelmed by moving house stress, it’s surprising how comforting taking some downtime with familiar objects can be.
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4. …and a box of essentials.
You can also keep your stress levels low when moving by keeping a bag of essential tools close by. This could include a screwdriver and Allen key set, a torch, batteries, a box cutter and a small first aid kit. Being able to deal with small DIY problems as they come up, rather than stopping to hunt through boxes for your tool kit, will make the whole move run more smoothly.
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5. Have the supplies to hand to beat moving stress
Make sure you have enough boxes, tape, scissors, bubble wrap and marker pens for your move before you start packing. If you’re unsure how many moving boxes you’ll need, a moving box calculator can help you estimate.
As for other supplies, we’d recommend giving everyone who’s helping with the move their own tape, scissors and permanent marker to avoid unnecessary stress.
Moving house is less stressful when you’re not struggling to share one pair of scissors across two rooms.
6. Label the cables
When packing up your living room, office or anywhere else with a lot of electrical equipment, take care when disconnecting all the cables. Bundling everything into one box together is a surefire way to end up with a knot of wires at the other end with no idea what connects to what.
We’d recommend separating the cables for each device or area of the room into a plastic bag and labelling it, or using cable ties to bundle each device’s accessories together.
7. Get utilities sorted before you arrive
If you’ve moved house in the UK before, you’ll know your water and electricity will be connected at your new property when you arrive – though you’ll still need to open accounts before you can pay your bills.
For other essential services like the internet, you’ll need to set your connection up before you can get online. This can take as long as a month in some areas, so booking your appointment before your move is essential if you plan to work from home, or just relax with some Netflix.
Get internet, energy, water, TV and more set up in one phone call with Please Connect Me
8. Organise a grocery delivery
Even if you normally shop in person, organise a grocery delivery for the day after the move. By then your fridge and freezer should have cooled back down and your cupboards will be looking bare. It’s amazing how much less stressful life can feel when you’re well-stocked with toilet paper, milk and biscuits.
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9. Don’t be afraid to ask for help
Moving house is one of the most stressful things you’ll ever do, so don’t be afraid to ask for help. Family and friends are often happy to help with packing and unpacking boxes, and if you feel guilty inviting them around for dinner once you’re settled in is a traditional thank you.
There are less obvious ways that other people might be able to help reduce your moving house stress. Try asking around if people have old moving boxes or plastic crates you can borrow. If you have pets, asking a neighbour to watch them while you pack will keep them out of the way and less freaked out.
Most of all, don’t stress about setting up the utilities at your new house yourself. Our Connections Experts are standing by to help you get great deals on all of your household utilities and services, all while saving time and stress when you need it most.
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