How to stay sane during your relocation 101

In case you’ve ever moved before, you’ll probably go through these couple of notes with a smile on your face, remembering all the mayhem which had occurred because you hadn’t thought of these back then. In case you’ve never moved before, you’ll be reading this with a notepad and a pen, jotting the ideas down. Don’t worry, we allow sticky notes and taking photos, as well.

Anyways, we will be covering some of the basic advice which we would give anyone who is attempting a large move of their house to make this process a bit less stressful. We understand that it will be a difficult thing to do, but, trust us, some of these tips will truly be lifesaving once the day of your move gets closer. So, let us begin with:

Our first lifesaving tip is to start your Great Purge early

While this Purge will have no connection whatsoever with Russia, but rather, your own closet, it will most likely be just as difficult and have just as many casualties. We would suggest that you keep this tip in mind, and start sorting through your things early, at least a month before your move.

Next, we’d suggest that you figure out the plan for your move

If you are moving short distance, you might be able to move with a couple of nice friends who have large cars or vans. In case you’re moving long distance, figure out if you will be renting a truck or using a moving company. Also, as a bonus lifesaving tip, we’d advise you to figure out what you will do regarding transportation, extra storage and hotels/hostels while you’re getting to your new home. Be sure to book all of your reservations early and check them a few days before the actual relocation.

Another tip we’d like to give you on the topic of your relocation is to keep your movers in the loop

In other words, be sure to tell them all the details regarding how much stuff you have and the furniture and large appliances which you will be transporting for the move. That was, your movers will be able to give you an accurate estimate of the price of your change of address with their company. Be sure to ask if there are any items which they won’t transport, so that you can organize alternate transport for those.

We’d also like to advise you to control your packing for the move

In other words, especially if there is more than one person packing, we’d suggest an organized, color-coded system. Also, be sure not to mix the items which are in different rooms. If you already have a plan of your new home, we would suggest marking each box with a name of the room where it should go. This will make the unloading part of your move much easier. Be sure to unpack by the room, too.

While we’re on the topic of packing, let us mention the bag of essentials for the relocation, as well

This is going to be your survival box, so, pack everything which you will need to survive your move: change of clothes, toiletries, valuables, inventory of the items in the moving van and your schedule for the move. Be sure to keep this bag with you at all times during the relocation, too.

Another great lifesaving tip is to go green and save some money as you’re packing for the move

This is a moneysaving tip which you will definitely love. We’d advise that, instead of buying loads of bubblewrap and newswrap, you use your clothing to do the padding and the wrapping. Socks are a great way to fill in the empty spaces in the boxes, so that breakable items won’t be able to shift back and forth in the moving truck. And, it’s also a good idea to wrap other breakable items into your shirts or sweaters, to keep them in one piece. In case you are wondering how to save on boxes, see if there are any of your friends who have moved recently and would like to give their boxes to you. And, if you want to go completely green for your move, there are companies which will rent the boxes to you for the duration of the relocation.

We’d also give you a tip to tip the movers

The people who will be helping you move your home, friends or hired, should definitely get some sort of a reward. If your family and friends are helping you, you can ask them to take their pick out of some of the items which you won’t be moving with you to your new home. Of course, these things should be in good condition to be re-homed. In case you are using a moving company, the workers are, we assure you, quite underpaid. In case you are satisfied with their service, give them a little tip after the move. Of course, we won’t even mention the whole ‘offering drinks and snacks’ during the loading and unloading.

The last lifesaving tip which we offer to you is to get rid of the chaos

If you have children or pets, you know exactly what kind of chaos we are talking about. Be sure to find someone who will be able to babysit or pet sit for you on the day of your move and the day you arrive to your new home. This way, you will be able to have a clear head and not worry about your children or pets messing things up while you are instructing the movers on what they should do with your belongings. In case you don’t know anyone in your new neighborhood, it is also a great way to meet some of the neighbors and bond.

Well, we hope that we’ve given you some useful lifesaving tips on how to make your move less stressful which you will implement. We wish you some successful packing!