Moving is Stressful.
It’s easy enough for us to say that moving day doesn’t need to be stressful. No one here will deny that moving is one of the most stressful times in our lives. We’ve gone through moves literally hundreds and thousands of times. What we can do is share some advice to help ease the stress.
Know that you are not alone.
Our professionals are happy to share advice on how to best manage all these moving situations. We move families all the time but understand that for you moving is not a daily event. It is common to be anxious before, during, and after your move.
Get organized.
When you invest time in planning and organizing your move, you can be better prepared to handle unforeseen challenges. Getting organized helps you stay in control no matter how hectic things may get.
Phone a friend (or two!).
Enlist the help of your moving team as early as possible. And by moving team, I don’t just mean your movers! Figuring out who you can rely on to help you is critical to the success of your move. Whether you have booked a full-service move with us at Murphy Movers or are doing all or some of the move yourself, you need to have a “team” of trusted friends and family to help you. Your “move team” may be doing some packing, babysitting, pet sitting, dog-walking, cleaning, etc. Be sure to call to arrange your chosen moving services at least 1 month before you plan to move, especially during “busy” seasons, like the summer months. Friends go on summer vacations and service companies may want to help you, but not be able to, unless you ask for help early enough.
Arrange your estimate one to two months before you need to move.
We ask for four to six weeks notice (if possible) because the more lead time you can give the more likely we will be able to meet your preferred loading and delivery schedule.
Choose a moving company you can rely on.
While we hope you’ve chosen us for your move, we understand you reading this might not be in our service area. Whatever the reason, we do hope you have a smooth move. Be sure to choose a licensed, insured, and reputable mover. After all, depending on how far you are moving, you could be separated from your possessions for many days.
When you choose Murphy Moving & Storage, you are choosing to work with a fully licensed and insured team that has won many awards for customer service. We can provide Full or Partial Packing services. Your furniture will be carefully wrapped and then loaded onto our moving truck. You may use our Climate-Controlled Storage if you need to delay moving into your new home. If you are moving long distance, there may be a period of time you are without your possessions – and we will work out that timing with you upfront.
Make lists.
Put your lists together in a binder or notebook. Keeping your notes, receipts, checklists, etc. all together is key. The more you pack or move things around from where they were, the more likely you are to misplace important things. On moving day, you don’t want to be searching for things like contact information for your move coordinator, a copy of your inventory list or your other move paperwork.
Do not delay preparing for your move.
Step by step, determine what comes first and start there. If you have months before your move, start by packing out of season clothing and toys. When you start packing it is also a good idea to use this time as an opportunity to lighten the load. For example, any clothing you will never wear again can be donated to charity and in most cases, can even be a tax deduction.
It’s often waiting until the last minute that leads to tense situations when moving. Don’t delay the most important tasks and you will be happier when you get to moving day. If a task is hard to start because it is not something you want to do (like separating items to keep, toss, donate or tag sale), just start it with 10 minutes. The first ten minutes are the hard part and you should be on a roll towards getting the task done. Worst case you spend 10 minutes doing something towards your goal until you get interrupted. But this persistence will help you reach your goals and reduce the stress that comes with moving.
Label all your boxes carefully.
Mark on each carton what is inside and where it should go in your new home. Label each box clearly. Color coding your boxes with markers can be an additional useful step if you have many boxes to sort through for each room.
(Try to) Keep a positive attitude.
Moving can be happy, exciting, sad, or everything in-between. Each member of a family moving may feel differently so parents should talk to their children about how they feel. Psychology Today magazine published, “Moving is Tough for Kids” using research provided by The New York Times and it shared some advice such as making sure you keep your children busy with as many social activities as possible in their new neighborhood. For example, signing up for a gymnastics class, karate group, or sports club is a great way to help cope with the anxiety of being in a new city.
Planning fun social activities is a good tip for adults too when moving into a new town. Looking forward to joining a gym, yoga studio, or other association in your new town can help you keep a positive outlook on your entire move.
Keep routines like mealtimes and bedtimes consistent.
As people get ready to move they often have trouble sleeping and forget to eat properly. You can relieve some of these by maintaining your regular schedules (including physical fitness programs), where possible. If you have children or pets, this is important for them too. Making sure you all eat regularly and get plenty of rest will help you have a better moving day.
BREATHE.
You are organized and have resources to help you. Many people let moving worry them too much and those that do it all the time learn how to ease their way through the moving process through planning. If you have at least a month before your move date and have already contacted our experienced team for your free moving estimate, then you are well on your way to an easier move!
