Top Tips for Moving
- De-clutter your home. Make the move easier by getting rid of the items you never use. Be ruthless - go through each box looking at the last time you used each item, if it's more than a year throw it out, sell it on eBay, or donate it to charity.
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Label everything clearly. Ensure that all boxes and items of furniture are clearly labelled so that everything is put in the right room in your new house. It is also a good idea to attach an A4 piece of paper to the side of each box with a list of the contents, so that you can find items quickly.
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Take regular breaks throughout the day. If your mind starts wandering, then it's time for a short break. Make sure you do something that you enjoy and that isn't related to moving house. Read a magazine or a book, listen to a CD, or even call a friend for a chat.
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Eat! On moving day, eat healthy food regularly throughout the day. Start with breakfast and take time out for lunch. Avoid snack-food like chocolate and biscuits, to reduce the chances of tiring sugar highs and lows.
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Keep the linen handy. Strip the linen from the beds early in the day and keep it somewhere that's easy to get to in preparation for a good first night's sleep in the new house.
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Have some fun. Reward yourself at the end of the day by doing something you enjoy. Go out for a drink or meal, watch a DVD or have a long relaxing bath. Don't stay up all night unpacking. Treat yourself, and start again fresh-faced the following day.
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If you are doing the packing yourself make sure that you use suitable boxes that are strong enough. Make sure that the boxes aren't so heavy that they cannot be lifted safely. If they are becoming heavy while you are packing them, try filling the rest of the box with light bulky items such as linen, towels, cushions or soft toys. Books are the worst offenders when it comes down to weight, so use smaller boxes for these types of items. You'll find plenty of these on this website!
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Are you and anyone that is helping physically fit enough? Moving house can not only be mentally stressful but also very physically demanding. Make sure you have enough friends and family to help you carry all the large items of furniture and a problem solver to help when the sofa won't fit through the door.
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Keep the kettle boiling and always have some tea bags to hand; moving house is a thirsty business.