No matter how many times you do it or how organised you try to be, the process of moving rarely ends up being a simple exercise. This was discovered by friends of mine who recently relocated; although they had recruited friends to help and allocated a reasonable amount of time to both pack up and unpack, the process was arduous all the same.
After listening to some of the problems they faced, I thought I would share with you some insights resulting from their experience – in the hope of making the exercise even just slightly easier for those looking to move.
Helpers are not always helpful
It doesn't matter how many people you have roped in to help you while moving – there are just some things that you need to do yourself. For instance, a friend may not be best placed to go through cupboards and make decisions about items that need to be thrown out. If you put a helper in this position, you should be prepared for a stream of questions that, in the end, may disrupt you from your own tasks and make the process a longer one.
You may find it easier to go through everything yourself in the first instance, determining quickly what stays and what goes. Once you have decided what you are taking with you, then you can call in help to quickly and easily pack it all up.
Don't underestimate time
It's usually pretty safe to say that a move will take longer than you think, particularly the time it takes you to pack your belongings up. The reason for this? People forget how much they have accumulated over the years. However long you think it may take, add a day or two, or start earlier. This will help to prevent stress along the way.
Plan your disposal
As you prepare to move homes, there will no doubt be a few things that won't be coming with you, that you will need to dispose of, sell, or give away. After culling, you may find that you suddenly have a build up of possessions that are difficult to move all at once. In order to avoid this issue, try to stagger your disposal – separate items for different destinations (e.g. rubbish/charity/friends) as you go and aim to clear away at the end of each day.
For those of you who are about to go through a move, I wish you all the very best of luck. And if things get stressful, just remember the new home that you have waiting for you at the other end.
For more advice on ensuring a stress-free moving process, please feel free to stop by your local Century 21 real estate office to speak to a real estate professional.