Moving house is one of the most stressful experiences you will ever endure in your life. There are timelines to match, asking prices to meet, and home loans to be arranged – it all seems designed to raise the blood pressure! But even if you get through all of those stresses without any negative impacts, the sheer thought of packing your entire life’s possessions into boxes and moving them is terrifying.
But what if you took a minimalist approach to moving home? Regardless of where you like the minimal lifestyle or not, there are many different benefits of embracing it purely for your big move. Let’s take a look at a few hints and tips on how to make the entire packing and moving process a lot easier!
Plan well ahead of time
You can’t expect a stress-free moving experience if you aren’t prepared to put the work in. And in this case, that work needs to begin early. Leaving the logistics and planning to the last minute is just a recipe for disaster, so take measurements of all your furniture, make a list of everything in your home and where you want it to go, and also a list of services you will need to contact to inform them of your moving date. Speaking of which …
Remember your dates
Most moves will have a hiccup or two, so prepare for any eventuality. As discussed over at communitymover.com, one of the biggest problems you might encounter is that your moving out day is different to your moving in day. So, be ready to book yourself some short-term storage space where you can keep your things as soon as you know there will be a conflict between moving dates.
Cost everything
Another thing to consider is whether or not you can maximize your opportunity to minimize your possessions, and whether it might work out cheaper to do so. For example, if you are moving to another state – or country – will it cost more than replacing it? Fridges, freezers, washing machines – all the bulky things that weigh a huge amount will all add a significant amount to those expenses. So, make a list of everything, get quotes from professional movers, and then weigh up the real expense of moving those possessions.
Declutter first, pack second
This is where the minimalist mindset will do you a world of favors. Decluttering your home before packing a single thing will save you a lot of time and money. A lot of people leave this stage until they move in, but the reality is that unless you are ruthless beforehand, it is unlikely you will be when you don’t really have the time after a move. As pointed out over at zenhabits.net, selling items you don’t use anymore is a great way to pay for some of the costs of moving.
Pack in stages
Finally, pack all your unnecessary items away as early as possible. Move on to your possessions such as books, records, video games – all those kind of things. And once they are packed, ask yourself – do you really need them? You will be surprised at how little you really need to take with you, and will save a fortune on the costs of removals. And, of course, improve your mood and enjoy a far less stress-inducing day when the time comes to move. Good luck!
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