There are a lot of ‘facts and figures’ liberally thrown around about just how stressful moving house can be. You might hear that it’s as harrowing as a divorce, or the second most traumatic thing you can do, and other elaborate associations. Whatever the truth is, there’s little doubt that moving house causes stress and anxiety.
It’s not all bad news – you’ll be able to solve much of the chaos of relocating by making the right decision at the start. By choosing Gentleman & A Van, you’ll be able to delegate much of the tasks over to our team. We’ve helped hundreds if not thousands of people move house successfully, and here are our top tips for reducing stress when moving house.
Top Five Tips for Reducing Stress When Relocating –
We’re going to put ourselves in a proactive state of mind because it’s how you’ll avoid stress from now on. Yes, moving to a new home can be stressful, but we’re not going to worry too much now. That’s because Gentleman & A Van will guide you through the choppy waters of moving home. On the other side – a successful relocation awaits, and we’ll do everything to make this a reality.
Here are a few of the things we’ll discuss in this blog:
- Preparation
- Outsourcing
- Reducing stress
- Seeking help
- Final checklist
As you go through each section, you’ll see the logical route all successful moves take. If you start early, your chances of a positive moving experience increase significantly. That’s because you give yourself more time to solve problems if they arise. And delegating things to a trusted second party spreads the tasks to more people.
Then it’s a case of identifying any stressful aspects and finding solutions to them quickly. Much like outsourcing, you will benefit from spreading any remaining duties amongst two or three others. The final piece of the puzzle is to double-check everything during the last week. Let’s start by looking at preparation and why it pays to start early.
Preparation – Start Early and Thoroughly –
Anything you don’t prepare for has the potential to become stressful. That feeling of not being ready is a regular feature of bad dreams and sleepless nights. So, it isn’t really a big revelation that proper preparation is a massively effective way of reducing stress when moving to a new house. That’s why you need to have the attitude of getting things done every day.
Preparation can take many forms. Some people like to be involved at every step and have created detailed lists and timetables, so they know exactly what will happen and when. Others simply prefer to delegate that to a professional. Whatever your desired manner of planning is, we are happy to work with you.
We’ll provide you with pointers during the initial stages for first-time movers or anyone who struggles with organisational skills. It doesn’t matter if you’re two weeks into the organising or two weeks away from the big day, you’ll be able to speak to one of the Gentleman & A Van team about any aspect of your upcoming relocation.
Outsourcing – The Benefits of Professional Movers –
This follows on naturally from the preparation phase of your move. There are a lot of different jobs that need to happen when you are moving to a new home. Some of them are big and scary, but others are very simple. What contributes to the stress of moving house is the sheer number of action points you need to cover and balancing your daily schedule.
Outsourcing those jobs to someone you can trust is a massive way to reduce that stress. Whether it is just supplying the right boxes and packing materials or whether you want to walk away and have someone else do the whole thing is entirely down to you. We’ll liaise with you to see what works best, and we’ll adapt around it.
From our side of things, we’re happy to add any additional duties to your removals package. Everyone at Gentleman & A Van has expert handling and packing skills, and we’ll gladly do this for you. Once we complete the initial assessment and agree on the finer details, we’ll set arrival and completion times. Then we’ll discuss whether you want us to pack and inventory your possessions on your moving day.
Stress-Reducing Activities – Clear Your Mind –
Sadly, even when you work through plans with us, diligently outsourcing and getting assistance wherever you can, there’s still a lot of pressure to deal with. Don’t worry, though – there are all sorts of things you can do to help with reducing stress in the short term. We’re essentially going through some practical tips on how to take a moment to recap and refocus.
Making sure you’re getting a good amount of sleep is probably the simplest way of avoiding that overwhelming feeling. It’s very easy to find yourself staying up until the small hours going over things. But that can be counterproductive. Your ability to deal with stress is lower if you are tired. Similarly, we tend to act hastily and make mistakes when we’re not getting enough rest.
If things seem like they are getting too much, then take a break. Go for a walk in the sun, perhaps visit the cinema, arrange a meal with friends. Just make sure it isn’t to do with the house move. The most important thing to bear in mind is that it can be a stressful process. Don’t let the fact that you are going through a stressful situation make you feel even worse. It’s perfectly normal.
You can also look into some basic mindfulness techniques for those tough moments. There are some very effective one-minute meditation apps as well to help centre you. Try to remember that it is all very short-term. Sooner than you think, you’ll be in your new house, and it will all be a happy memory.
Seeking Help – Get Family and Friends Involved –
You can’t do this all yourself, even if you’re the lead person who is arranging and organising everything. There are ways to involve everyone that doesn’t come across as nagging or bossy. One way is to discuss the allocation of rooms in the new house and get everyone to participate. This will require you to get images of the new property, so make sure you take photos during viewings or contact the seller.
Then ask each family member to choose their room and start thinking about arranging their possessions and furniture. Catalogue your belongings in a home inventory app to help you do this. You can group and file every item per current room. Apply this to your new home and choose where everything goes before you arrive.
When you reach the final week, send a call to arms, and start preparing for the big move. Get family and friends to help pack and organise everything, possibly with a final send-off the day before the relocation. You’ll find this handy if there are some items you plan on donating and recycling, and there are more people to help you out.
Final Week Checklist – Double-Check Everything –
We’re now about to embark on the final week, and it’s time to double-check that everything is on track for the moving day. You’ll need to contact every party working on your relocation, so your first stop is us. Give us a call or email, and we’ll check the moving itinerary and timings to confirm everything. We’ll go through what to expect on the moving day and will discuss any final questions with you.
If you’re working with other service providers, repeat the above advice for each one to ensure there are no delays. Next, record your final meter readings, and send them to your current energy suppliers. Don’t forget to get some photos or video evidence in case of a dispute. Then you should notify your council of your date of departure to prevent any rates charges.
You’ll need to compile a list of every person or company that retains your personal information and contact them all. The payments on your new property need to clear before you can collect the keys, so check in with your solicitor. It’s a good idea to ask the seller for their contact details before you set off. That way, you’ll know which utility company they’re using.
Now you’re on track, and it’s time to prepare for the journey itself. Pack what you’ll need for the trip and the initial few days. If you have little ones, bring plenty of snacks and water to keep them hydrated and fed. Also, get a few different forms of entertainment to keep them occupied. For anyone moving with pets, you’ll need to plan your route to include places you can walk and feed them. Then it’s one final vehicle check, including the tyres, oil, and any other car maintenance tasks.
Gentleman & A Van – Helping You Work Towards a Successful Relocation in South West London –
Moving to a new house or apartment can be stressful, but there are ways to make it more straightforward. By choosing the right removals company, you can delegate many of the tasks across and give yourself more opportunities to work on the rest of your relocation. Not only that, but you’ll also be able to keep on top of the rest of your busy family and work schedule.
At Gentleman & A Van, we know how challenging relocating is, so we do everything possible to take some of the burdens from you. With our range of services and commitment to customer service, we’ll make your upcoming move as stress-free as possible. Follow the steps in this simple blog, and you’ll be on your way to a successful relocation.
If you’re looking for a moving company that puts your needs first, click here. We’ll go through your requirements and will create a tailor-made free quotation.
