The decision to move, to leave people and places behind, is huge, whether you’re headed down the street or across the country. You’ll be faced with many tasks. From finding a reputable moving company to packing and unpacking your belongings and cleaning up a new home. These are just some of the reasons why moving is one of the most stressful events in life. But, the good news is that relocation doesn’t always have to be a nightmare. This stress-free relocation guide can help you to get through that.

Here are some tips you can use to achieve a stress-free relocation:

Accept the upcoming change

Maybe it was your choice to move to another country, maybe some events beyond your control, either way, it’s always best to adopt the right mindset and be positive. Resisting this change and overthinking about stuff that could be difficult to do, or that could go wrong, will only make the relocation process more stressful. Try to make the best of it by thinking about all the great things that can happen in your life’s new chapter. Prepare yourself, realize that problems may come in your way, but everything can be solved. Everyone before you survived it, so you will too.

Create a plan for a stress-free relocation

You should know that stress-free relocation is possible and making a plan will help you do that. Plan in detail, all tasks leading up to the final moving day. You want to include everything from putting your current house up for sale to unpacking boxes in your new home. You can work backward, from the moving day just to ensure that you’re not missing anything. Also, be sure to write down individual tasks involved in the process. Make sure to plan out not only your every move but your time as well. Moving can take a lot of your time.

Create a budget

Moving costs have a way of multiplying without you even realizing it. The tendency is to underestimate how much a relocation is going to cost, which only adds to the stress involved in moving. You will feel like all you do is empty your wallet. So many bills keep popping up, and you are in deep with no way out. So, dedicate some time to create a personalized moving budget and you’ll know what to expect. Do your research and figure out how much things actually cost, and what is that you actually need. Don’t let anyone overcharge you, and don’t purchase things you won’t be needing during relocation.

Find some help for moving

One of the best ways to a stress-free relocation is finding people that will help you move. Asking for help from your friends and family is a good idea and it’s cheaper.  But, unless they know what they are doing and can move heavy and fragile furniture and other items, it is best to hire professionals instead. They know exactly what should be done – from packing and unpacking to lifting, loading, and unloading.

Get rid of unnecessary things

Moving is a great opportunity to “clean house” and downsize. Narrow down your belongings first as a separate process from packing boxes. Make your move lighter by removing items you don’t love, need or use anymore. Separate your clutter into piles of donations, sales, recycle, and junk items, and make plans to get those items out! Once you get rid of them, the packing will be much faster and easier.

In order to have  stress-free relocation start packing early

The tip for a successful stress-free relocation is to start packing early. At least two or three weeks before the move. This way chance of forgetting something is reduced. You can also avoid stress by packing strategically. At the beginning of the process make sure to box up non-essentials first. Non-essentials items should include anything in your house that you won’t be needing right before the move like furniture, TVs, mirrors…

Also, when you’re doing your own packing, be sure to label your boxes on all sides and be specific. Identify the room and contents for each box.  Use different colored labels for each room. A few days before the move, you will also need to pack a separate suitcase or box with everything you plan to use on moving day and the couple days after. This includes items like phone chargers, clothes, shoes, pajamas and personal hygiene items.

Hire professional packers

If cost is not an issue, then consider hiring professionals for both packing and unpacking. Because with so much to do packing a household is just another hassle to add to an already stressful relocation process. And if you are not sure that you can do it by yourself, then hiring the professionals is probably the best idea. They will relieve stress, help you save a lot of time and your belongings are safe from damage.

Take care of yourself

During a stressful time like a move, people often don’t feel that there’s enough time to get all the tasks done and neglect their own needs and health. You could forget to eat, go to sleep on time, let alone treat yourself with some time off. While it may seem like you’re being efficient with your time, you’re also neglecting the most important moving tool that you have: yourself. If you have children, treat them as well.

 

• Don’t allow the relocation stress get on your nerves. No matter how tempting it becomes, you should not stray from your healthy daily routine. Eat nutritious food, work out regularly, spend quality time with family, friends, and pets, and find ways to rest and relax.
• For example, you can take relaxing showers before going to bed or engage in hobbies during the weekends. These healthy strategies will boost your energy levels, help you become more patient, and avoid irritability.
• The moving process will take up much of your thoughts and energy, but following this tips, you can have an enjoyable and stress-free relocation.