8 Moving Tips To Help Ease The Stress

Moving is definitely one of the most stressful experiences that families face. The average American moves once every five years. We move for a variety of reasons ranging from needing more space, to moving in with a spouse or moving for a job. While moving can be stressful, there are ways to make the process easier. Here are some tips to help you and your family move without the added stress.



1. Keep your paperwork in check – When you are organizing your move, there will be plenty of paperwork that needs to be completed and kept for future reference. It’s a good idea to group these all together in one folder so that you know they are safe and you can refer to them whenever you need to.



2. Start packing as soon as you can – Packing everything you own into boxes is a monumental task. By starting a few weeks before your moving date, you will get a lot more accomplished and feel more organized. To keep yourself from rushing around trying to get everything done in the days prior to your move, start by packing up things you have no immediate need for. Look around your home and take a visual inventory. Do you really need to keep your knick knacks and family photos out, or can they be safely packed early for their journey to your new home?



3. Book your moving company – If your move is local, renting a moving truck or enlisting friends can possibly work out just fine, even if it takes multiple trips. However, long distance moves, or moving a large home, will most likely require bigger plans. If you’ll be hiring a moving company, be sure to book early to reserve your date. Services range anywhere from simply hauling it to your destination, to full service moving companies that pack, load and unload everything for you.



4. Label, Label, Label – Labeling your boxes is the quickest way to make things easier at the other end. You could color code them or just simply write which room the stuff lives in on the side of the box. By doing so, boxes can be placed in the corresponding room in the new house and you don’t have to do too much reorganizing once the dust has settled.



5. Keep important things close at hand – Anything that you know you will need almost immediately in your new home should be kept close to hand. You could ensure that these things are always on the top of the boxes or pack a whole separate box of just these items. Important things could include bed linens, toiletries or the coffee pot.



6. Make plans for your children – Although you will want your children to be part of your moving experience; if they are too young then it may be best that they are looked after by a friend or family member for the day.



7. Think about your pets – Moving can be as stressful for animals as it is for you, so make sure your pets are comfortable during the process. Keeping them in a room to themselves with their favorite toy will help keep them calm while you are loading up the truck. Load animals into safe travel carriers and place them into the vehicle last.



8. Be Green – When gathering together your packing materials you should try and be responsible in the kinds of things you use. Plastic reusable boxes are great because you can borrow them and then give them back to be used again and again. Try to also avoid making multiple trips in your car. This is another reason why removal companies are so handy because you can normally do it all in one trip.