Moving can be one of the most stressful times in anyone’s life. There’s so much to keep track of, boxes, finances, family, correspondences. Not to mention how much money it costs to move. It can all seem really overwhelming if taken all at once. It’s so easy to look at the entire process with a mixture of frustration and despair but this doesn’t have to be how you approach it. Moving to a new place, whether in the same town or out of the country altogether, can an exciting, enriching time, one where you can learn so much about yourself and the people in your life. What follows is a short list of tips and tricks for before, during and after the move. There are easy and absolutely approachable ways to simplify any move. They exist. All it takes is a little step back so you can get an accurate appraisal of the situation. Do this and the world will be yours, even if for a little while. Don’t move feeling powerless. Move with specificity and intent. Move with power instead.
- Itinerary
This might sound like a complicated step but it’s not if you break into separate steps. When starting your move, make a list of everything you’re going to have to do. Locate movers if you need, assess prices and distance of the move. Once this is done, you’ll want make a separate itinerary of everything you’re going to bring. To make it easier, travel smart and light rather than heavy. Either donate or sell anything you don’t need. This is a critical and underrated part of the moving process. Moving is your chance to radically simplify your life. Don’t be owned by your stuff . Stuff is just that. Stuff. Barring few exceptions, you don’t need to keep a wide majority of the stuff you own. Clothes, movies, books, art, sentimental items. These are important. Newspapers, old furniture, old files? Not nearly as important. Make a list of things to keep and get rid of. Once you’ve done this, follow through and then take the next step.
Organization
Take everything you’ve kept and, following the itinerary steps, sort into general categories. Kitchen, bedroom, living room. Bathroom. All of the essentials. This step becomes easier if you have friends or family to help. It will also make it easier to unpack and sort through everything after your relocation. A good rule of thumb is that, if something doesn’t neatly fall into these categories, you probably don’t really need it. Practice this organization with a critical eye and be ruthless. Be keen. Keep a physical list and label your boxes accordingly. This is only going to help later when things get a little jumbled. Don’t sweat it, though. That happens. It’s all part of the process.
Time to Leave
You’ve made your lists. You’ve donated your old clothes. You’ve packed everything away and it’s all on the truck. Now comes the time for ruthless pragmatism. Take the most direct route to your destination. It’ll be a little sad to see leave but also exciting. Stressful but new. Once you arrive, make sure everything is safe and sound. Some like to sort all the boxes out in sections outside. This is alright, depending on how much space is available, but you’ll want to get everything away from the elements fast as possible. Move everything carefully into the sections where it belongs, taking care to place all the boxes down gently. Movers with often help with this. They know what sections are more fragile than others and a good mover will always proceed with caution. Once all this is done, be sure to tip them accordingly. Sort through your stuff inside and be sure to put it away quickly. Boxes left around a home can get cluttered and people can trip over them. Clean up, be quick and thorough, and organize everything exactly how you’d like it. The key is to take no more steps than you have to. By being smart, you can avoid a lot of stress.