Moving can be a stressful life event. When you move, you are changing a lot of things in your life. You may have a new job or you may have decided to move to a new neighborhood or even a new state. Moving to an unfamiliar area can involve finding new schools for the kids, new grocery stores and pharmacies, and new ways to get to work. There is also the stress involved in the logistics of planning and executing your move. Here are five tips for a stress-free move, whether you move locally within Knoxville or across the country.
Organize Your Thoughts
Take a deep breath. Now, think about what may or may not need to be done to prepare for your move. Make a list and then organize that list chronologically. Having a checklist with a timeline can help you avoid last-minute scrambles and occasional panicked moments. Organizing your ideas and your list of tasks will help you stay calm and focused throughout the moving process.
Connect and Disconnect
Include on that list the calls you’ll need to make regarding your utilities at both your current and your new home. Check to see if you can make connection and disconnection requests online, which may save you some time on the phone. You will need some overlap of utilities such as electricity and water, so you’ll have them running in both homes on moving day. Don’t forget phone service if you have a landline as well as cable and internet service.
Declutter
Moving everything can be overwhelming. Tips for a stress-free move include ways to reduce the number of things you move so it will be a little more manageable. Even if you are moving from a small apartment, you might be surprised at how much “stuff” you have accumulated. Take an objective look around and decide if there are some things you really don’t need (or want) to take with you to your new home. Every home can use a bit of decluttering.
Go through clothes closets and dresser drawers. Are there dresses or pants you haven’t worn in a long time and may not ever wear again? Consider donating those items to a local charity. Check your desk drawers and closet shelves for old bills and other papers you don’t need anymore. Trash or shred those documents.
Look in your bathrooms. Do you have old towels that should be replaced? Now may be a great time to do that. Do you have old toiletries, hotel soaps, or gift bottles of lotion that you’ve never used? Throw them away rather than take them with you to your new home.
Plan for What Fits
Your new home may be smaller than your current home. Or, the configuration may be different so that your furniture has to be placed in a different layout. Do you have more closet space or less? Do you have an extra bedroom or a bigger laundry room in the new home? As you go through the process of planning and decluttering, think about how you want your new home to look and function. It might help to get a piece of graph paper and draw a layout of your rooms as you decide what to pack and how it will fit. Then, when your possessions are unloaded and delivered, you’ll know exactly where they go.
Use Professional Boxes and Supplies
Tips for a stress-free move also include reducing the amount of time you spend searching for moving boxes. Although you may be able to get used boxes from stores or from friends, that takes valuable time and adds to your worries. When you purchase clean, unused boxes and packing materials from a professional mover, you will know you have quality items that are just the right fit for your moving needs.
We Help You Pack and Move, Stress-Free
Among the tips for a stress-free move, hiring a professional mover can be one of the most beneficial ways to reduce your stress and anxiety. At Fox Moving & Storage Knoxville, we’ll help you plan your move and we’ll make sure all of your items are packed and moved carefully and safely. Call Fox Moving & Storage Knoxville today and let our professionals take care of every aspect of your relocation.
We’ll even give you a free quote for your move. All you need to do is give us a call or fill out our form. We can save you time, energy and stress. Your new home is waiting, and we want to help you get there. Contact Fox Moving & Storage Knoxville today to get started.