How to Prevent Stress During Your 2022 Household Move

Did you know that a recent survey of Americans indicated that moving was the most stressful event in their lives? It ranked above divorce and having children, and 43 percent of respondents said they would never do it again.

Moves are not only disruptive, but they can be difficult if you have children who may have to switch schools and make new friends. On top of the physical disruption of moving, there’s the stress of finding time to pack, especially if you work full time and have other obligations. 

While you may not be able to avoid stress entirely, the good news is that there are some things you can do to make it much more manageable. Keep reading to learn our tips for making your household move go as smoothly as possible.

Make a Plan

The first and most important thing you should do to get ready for a household move is to formulate a plan. 

This will allow you to complete tasks by the time they need to be done. This may include a list of dates of when you need to have your mail forwarded, utilities transferred, and services like internet canceled or switched over. Such planning is important for any relocation, but especially for long distance moving.

Clean Out

We all accumulate things we no longer use or need. Moving is a perfect time to go all Marie Kondo on your home. Donate clothes and other items to homeless shelters or services for women and children in need.

If you can’t find a useful home for them, take items to Goodwill. Someone else can enjoy them and you will have much less stuff to pack and unpack. This streamlining of the sheer amount you have to move could significantly lower the stress of doing so.

Prioritize Boxes

While the easiest way to organize moving boxes is by room, there’s an extra step you can take to help reduce the stress of not knowing what is where. Since it will likely take you days or even weeks to get fully unpacked, a useful tip is to indicate which boxes you should unpack first.

For instance, you might label a box that has your main toiletries but not all the extra bathroom supplies, or one that has basic cooking supplies but not the miscellaneous kitchen appliances. This will help you access the things you need from day one and then chip away at the other boxes as you have time.

Hire Professionals

One of the easiest things you can do to diminish the stress of relocating is to hire professional movers to tackle the physical aspects of the job. Trained removalists know precisely how to life furniture without scuffing the item or your walls. They can move heavy objects up and down stairs without injuring themselves.

Sure, you can round up several friends or family members to help you load and unload all your possessions, but who wants to do that. Moving services will be able to do it much faster than even your brawniest friends, so you can focus on other tasks like unpacking items or decorating your new home.

Get More Household Move and Lifestyle Tips

Now that you have some ideas on how to make a household move as stress-free as possible, you can get resettled and start enjoying your new home. Implementing these steps will ensure everything gets taken care of and make tasks much more manageable for you and your family.

I hope this information was helpful to you. If so, be sure to check out some of my other lifestyle posts, as well as those on business, health, money management, and many other topics.