Everyone agrees that moving house is exactly zero fun. It can be an extremely stressful and hectic venture. An immense amount of co-ordination is required to simply move one’s belongings from one place to another. So how do you keep your stress level at a minimum while planning to move house? These three simple tips will show you how to keep calm and stay focused on the job.

Reduce Stress Moving House

1. Get organised

Planning ahead is the key to a successful, stress-free move. Depending on the time-frame you have, you should make sure you have booked removalists and transport, gardeners and a bond cleaner with a proven track record—like Absolute Domestics —well in advance. The earlier you book, the better: this will allow you to secure all the services you will need for the days you need them and to also budget the cost of your move more effectively. Knowing which services will be in attendance and at what time will be a substantial load off your already whirling mind, and will help the day run a great deal more smoothly.

2. Be prepared

Once you’ve got all of the professionals squared away, you can begin the gradual process of packing your belongings up. Get yourself lots of boxes and earmark somewhere in the house you can temporarily store them, like the garage. Anything small and not frequently required can be packed up first. Packing gradually over time reduces stress substantially because it means you can slowly pick and choose what needs to go away. Whittle your belongings down to only the items that get the most frequent use, like cutlery or the TV, and pack those away the night before your move. Have coolers on standby for anything in your fridge and freezer, and begin defrosting them the day before the move. All of this prep work gives you is the ability to maximise the efficiency of your removalists on the day. They can start loading everything without preamble and you can focus on any other issues the day may throw at you.

3. Don’t rush

Take your time in every facet of the move, from the planning stages to the big day itself. Rushing ahead means you’re more likely to miss an important step or consideration, which will in turn lead to headaches on your moving day. Be methodical. Use the time you’ve got up your sleeve to create contingency plans so that if anything changes—for example, the removalists can’t make it due to a truck breakdown—you’ve got a solution for that particular problem ready to go.

Moving house doesn’t have to be a stressful experience, even when your landlord has delivered a notice to vacate within a month or less. Take it slow, plan accordingly, make the necessary arrangements and you’ll find you’ve got plenty of time left over to house hunt and handle any new problems that may present themselves. Don’t worry, be proactive! And good luck.

What are your tips for stress-free moving?

This is an S2 POST.