Moving home can be stressful, but it doesn’t have to be.
There are many things that you can do that will make your move a little easier and lift the expectation that is placed on your shoulders.
According to a household reference survey carried out by the UK government, out of 7,806 homes, more than 800 properties have a sole individual or the homeowner is a single parent with multiple dependants.
That may not seem like many considering the volume of people there are living in the UK but that’s a lot of pressure and stress to handle if you are one of those people that happen to be moving property.
There are a number of things that you can be doing to help your move. Some may include a small fee, but the majority are completely free of charge and are very simple to implement.
Friends, Family and Colleagues
A great way to spread the load and reduce stress whilst moving is to ask members of your family, close friends and any work colleagues if they would be able to lend you a helping hand. The best part about it? You won’t have to spend a penny!
I’m confident when I say that I reckon 90% of families would be more than happy to help a loved one move home. If they are anything like my parents – they would hate to see me struggling and would only be too happy to help.
The assistance of friends and family is truly invaluable. They can help you pack your items quicker, distract any children so that you can concentrate on moving and even assist with taking any unwanted items to charities or waste sites.
Understand Moving Dates
It’s easy to become confused and a little overwhelmed during the moving process. There are so many dates and procedures that need to be completed before you can physically start moving into your new home.
Something I would suggest doing is to stay in regular contact with your real estate agent and solicitors. These are the guys that will manage your move from start to finish.
Your designated property negotiator is employed to do exactly what the role name suggests. Negotiate your move. They finalise any property contracts and will be able to confirm any potential moving in dates.
Prepare Your Items
As with anything, preparation is key. Making sure that you items are ready to move is one of the most important parts of moving. The last thing you want to be doing is arranging transportation and delivery or large items and furniture.
Hiring a rental van is a great way to manage the delivery and transportation of your items. The majority of van rentals are self-drive – meaning that you are responsible for driving the vehicle. If you are moving home on your own, consider asking a family member load and unload your vehicle. The last thing you want to be doing is taking a trip to your local hospital because of back strains.
If you are unable to hire a van, try to arrange suitable transportation with plenty of notice. Removal companies can become extremely busy, so booking in advance is always suggested.
Empty Your Cupboards
It’s been done before and it will most certainly be done again. You may think that you have covered every aspect of your move until you open the kitchen cupboards and discover a war chest of food!
The easiest thing to do here is to plan in advance. If you know your moving dates – refrain from any grocery shopping and only purchase items that you need.
If you do find that you have forgotten to empty the cupboards a good way to remove it all without wasting any of it is to donate it to a local foodbank. These are charities that welcome donations of canned and packet foods that are then distributed to unfortunate families and individuals that are unable to provide for themselves.
Removals Companies
The easiest and most efficient way to move home if you live on your own is to hire a removals company. In most cases they will charge by the hour and include the van hire and removal teams.
Registered companies will work alongside you and work around your commitments to make sure that everything goes as smoothly as possible. The operatives will usually help you pack, organise, load and transport your items for no additional charges.
Everything will then be transported to your new location and delivered.
Recap
So let’s just quickly go over everything we have covered.
Moving home is hard work and it is made even more difficult if you are on your own or a single parent. A great way to reduce the stress of moving is to ask family, friends and any work colleagues if they can help you out.
Alternatively, you could consider a local removals company to help you pack and transport your items and furniture.
Make sure that you understand your moving dates and prepare your household items. Stay in regular contact with your property negotiator to confirm any moving dates so you can begin packing your items away.
Finally – don’t forget to start sorting through your cupboards. Make sure that any food is eaten and used before you move to make things easier. If you do happen to have a cupboard full of food that is going to be wasted – consider taking it to a homeless shelter or food based charity.
Author Bio This guest post was written by Ed Davis, Director and contributor for Man and Van London