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Whether it’s across town or across country, moving is a stressful and expensive endeavor.
And moving isn’t a fun chore for anyone, even if you’re the most organized person out there.
Between gathering supplies, packing all of your belongings, remembering to cancel utilities and finding help with the move itself, the process of moving can easily make you mad.
And if you aren’t smart about it, it can end up costing you more money than you planned to spend.
But there are things you can do to ease the stress and expense of moving.
In this post, I share with you 7 simple and practical tips that will help your move be as stress free and cheap as possible.
Table of Contents
7 Simple Tips To Make Moving Less Stressful And Save Money
#1. Create A List With Dates
Want to know how to make moving less stressful?
Start at least six weeks out and write down everything you need to do.
This can ease some of the pressure so you’re not overwhelmed with a ton of tasks close to moving day.
Use a notepad, or the notepad on your Smartphone, and keep it handy so you can jot down additional things that come to mind.
You’ll want to include things like the following:
- Booking a reliable moving company
- Gathering packing boxes and supplies
- Disconnecting or transferring utilities
- Changing your address details
Once you’ve written everything down, prioritize it so you have a list of numbered tasks.
Write these on a calendar or add to Google calendar so you can receive alerts each day on what you need to do.
Working through a couple of tasks a day and crossing them off your list will make the process easier to handle.
#2. Focus On One Room At A Time
Packing up a one bedroom apartment is very different from packing up a five bedroom house.
But even if you have a larger abode you can enjoy a stress free moving day.
Start with one room at a time and don’t move onto the next room until it’s completely dealt with.
If you’re downsizing, then sort your belongings into different categories, like sell, donate or keep.
Make sure you label the boxes clearly to keep things organized.
And here is a pro moving tip.
Don’t just write on the box the room the contents belong to. Make sure you also list the contents.
Too many times you end up looking for one or two things in a sea of boxes in the kitchen.
By labeling both the location and the contents, you will save yourself time and headaches.
Finally, try your best to not mix and match.
For example, don’t put the pizza cutter you forgot to pack into the last box of things that is destined for your office.
Chances are you will spend days looking for the pizza cutter, give up and buy a new one. Then a few months later, you will find the one you packed.
#3. Go Green With Boxes And Packing Material
When you’re moving on a budget, avoid buying boxes and packing material if you can help it.
Source free boxes from local stores instead and you’ll be saving yourself money and not adding more cardboard into circulation.
The best place is to visit your local grocery store and try to get your hands on some egg boxes. These are nice sized boxes that can hold a lot.
But don’t go at the last minute.
Many stores now bale up the empty cardboard boxes.
You need to go a few months ahead of time and let them know you want some boxes.
They will set some aside for you to pick up in a few days.
You don’t need to buy a lot bubble wrap either, that will go straight into landfill once you’ve finished with it.
You can get by with using what you have like towels, clothes, pillowcases, sheets and plastic shopping bags you’ve saved for more than one use.
#4. Use Reliable Movers
If you want a stress free move, then choose movers who are reliable.
Don’t just book the first company you come across. Check Google reviews and get quotes from a few companies.
When you call for a quote, pay attention to the little things.
Did they answer the phone or did you have a call a few times? Were they polite on the phone?
You can learn a lot about a company like this just by paying attention.
If something seems off with the call or they are not the most welcoming on the phone, you are best to keep looking.
Another tip is to check that the company is licensed and insured. This way if something gets lost or broken, you know you have some potential recourse.
Cheapest isn’t always the best when it comes to moving companies but as long as you stay within budget, and arrange insurance for your belongings you can avoid any horror stories.
#5. Choose A Weekday To Move
Everyone wants to move on a Saturday so they don’t have to take time off work.
But you can save money and stress if you move on a weekday.
Movers will be more likely to keep to your schedule if there are less people booked in and you may get a cheaper price.
You can unpack at a leisurely pace when the weekend comes around rather than scrambling to finish by Sunday night.
For many, aim for a Thursday move and take off work both Thursday and Friday.
This will give you 4 days to move and unpack. The end result is a lot less stress.
For example, imagine having to get everything done over a 2 day weekend. Sunday night will come and you will have boxes everywhere.
You will be stressed trying to get settled for work on Monday and then be stresses when you come home and see all the boxes and work left to do.
While moving and unpacking over 4 days won’t guarantee you will be finished, you will be much further along and have less stress as a result.
#6. Leave The Kitchen Until Last
Moving is a big disruption in your daily routine, especially when it comes to meals.
Leave the kitchen until last so you can continue to cook healthy meals.
Once the kitchen utensils are packed it means an extra expense for buying take out meals and going to restaurants until moving day.
#7. Stay Healthy
Remember to eat well and exercise.
This is important if you want a stress free move.
Moving when you’re sick isn’t fun, and a doctor’s bill is an unwanted expense at this time.
If you’re moving during winter, strengthen your immune system with vitamin C and echinacea, and increase your intake of fruits and vegetables.
Don’t stay up late packing either, get to bed at a reasonable hour so you feel well rested and your body can handle the mental and physical strain of moving.
When it comes time to actually move, make sure you drink plenty of water. Dehydration will make you fatigue faster and can make you cranky and irritable.
Wrapping Up
No matter who you talk to, everyone agrees that moving is not something that is enjoyable.
But it has to be done.
If you find that moving is a chore for you, look at the bright side by focusing on the new apartment or house you are moving into and how exciting your life will be as a result.
And no matter what size house you’re packing up, by putting in place these simple moving tips you can easily reduce your stress and save yourself some money at the same time.
Author Bio: Angela Pearse is a blogger for Zumper who frequently combines travel with freelance writing. She’s passionate about Art Deco hotels, historical novels, Netflix, hiking and healthy living.
