We have some news. After a few months on the market, we’ve finally exchanged on the sale of our house! All going well we’ll be starting our next chapter early in the new year! It’s an exciting time, but also a crazy time of year to be going through the process of preparing for a move.
Truth is moving home is a big life event, and a huge adjustment at any time of year, let alone the silly season. It can be stressful and super exhausting, but it doesn’t have to be. We’ve done this a few times now and getting better at it. So I thought it’d be a great opportunity to share my favorite tips as recommended by By Alex Jones of Hire A Box to help make your move easy and stress free.
Here are our tips for how to mentally & physically prepare for your move
Don’t Procrastinate
I’m literally the worst procrastinator on the planet, so I know from experience that it does not help to put things off. Procrastinating & leaving things to the last minute will only add to your stress, trust me. Start planning & organising as soon as you know you are moving (For us that officially means starting now!). This means getting your moving boxes, packing supplies & booking your removalists ASAP. Don’t forget to update your new address with your bank, electoral roll, utility companies & redirect your mail with Australia Post. Through our multiple moves we ended up getting a PO Box, so the majority of our mail goes there – it’s a very handy option if you’re like us and move semi-regularly.
Get Organised
I’m big on list writing and it can be hard to remember everything that you need to do for your move so it can be helpful to keep a notebook dedicated to the move. Use the notebook to make to-do lists, reminders, notes, keep receipts & any moving details or contacts that you might need during your move. You can also download a moving checklist to ensure that there isn’t anything that you’ve forgotten.
Hire Help
If you’re working or busy you may find it overwhelming trying to fit in time to do all your packing. If this is you, consider hiring a professional packer to do this job for you. You can either get them to pack your entire home or just get them to focus on key areas such as the kitchen & living areas. It can also be helpful to get them to also unpack you once you are moved into the new home, this way you can get settled in quicker. My parents always told me to value my own time (especially as a freelancer), so if you can be working while someone else is doing the heavy lifting then that’s money well spent.
Make it Fun
While you are packing, listen to your favourite tunes or put on that podcast you’ve been meaning to listen to. I have about 50 podcasts waiting to be listened to so I’m excited to kill two birds with one stone! The other best trick is to break it up, mix other errands in with your moving to-do’s, i.e. when you finish a room then get out of the house and go do some groceries or give yourself little rewards like going for a pedicure or getting your hair done. At the very least, stop for a cuppa tea & a snack every time you finish packing a room!
Take Care of Yourself
Make sure you are getting enough sleep in the lead up to the move & take some time out to yourself. If you don’t get enough rest during your moving period, you will just end up more tired & stressed out. Do something for yourself that will leave you feeling rested, relaxed & revived. I know I’ll be meditating and rounding lots during this move, it’ll help to move along stress and allow me to settle my mind during my daylight hours so my body can rest deeply during the night. If you’re not the meditating type then have a bath, go for walk, watch a movie or go catch up with a friend. Ultimately, this point feeds into the first point about not procrastinating – if you set yourself a realistic timeline, and tick things off each day then you can go to sleep early and wake up rested knowing you’re organised and on track.
Eat Well
It may be tempting to skip meals if you’re busy packing but you are going to need the fuel. Stick to simple, healthy meals that will give you energy and be kind on digestion. We’ve been guilty of going for the Macca’s run far too often during reno’s and moves, but that’s changed! Avoid consuming excessive amounts of coffee, or fast food. There’s plenty of healthy options if you want something on the run, but if you really want to be organised then do some meal prep and have healthy meals ready & waiting in the freezer (the fridge will likely be one of the last things to go). Your body will thank you, and you’ll feel better mentally for making the right choice too.
Once the fridge is gone (and until it’s restocked in the new place), try to line up some meals with family or friends, and on the day of the move make sure you have plenty of water & healthy snacks on hand as you probably won’t have time to stop for a decent meal, and you’ll need your energy.
Wear Comfy Clothes & Enclosed Shoes
You’re going to be doing a lot of bending, squatting & picking things up so choose flexible, breathable fabrics that move with your body. Activewear is the way to go!
Make sure you wear supportive, enclosed shoes such as sneakers or Cons as you will be standing and moving all day & you want to protect your feet. If you’re clumsy like me then chances are you’ll drop something on your toes or kick something hard at some point during the day.
It’s all happening! Exciting times ahead…
N x
*While this is a sponsored post my reviews & opinions are authentic. I own my style my words, and you can read my full disclosure statement here.
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