Top Tips to Make the Most of Moving House

Moving to a new house is a great time for a fresh start. Unfortunately it's also a time you're going to spend overwhelmed, overworked and under slept. You're going to be rushed off your feet trying to get everything arranged. The thought of packing up everything you own to bring to a new home can be overwhelming but it's actually an opportunity. Remember that it's best to not bring more than you need from your old home to your new home. 

Purge

If you don't love it, then this is your chance to let it go. It's not often you go through everything you own this way, so take the opportunity to really assess what's important and what's extraneous. Whenever you pick up something to put in bubble wrap and pack in a box, consider whether you might be happier throwing it away. Remember, you can do this again as you unpack. Look at everything as you're taking it out and consider whether it's something you really need in your new home. Charity shops and thrift stores are your friends. Take those old clothes you never wear, that furniture that doesn't quite fit in, and those kitchen appliances you've been longing to replace straight to the nearest good cause accepting donations. 

Pack Nonessentials First

Whether it's that shot glass collection you love so much or the precious antiques you keep behind a vault door, anything that you don't use in your day to say life should get packed up first and unpacked last. Pack up the least essential items first and then gradually pack up more and more things that you don't need. Remember that this first wave of things you pack should probably be the most heavily culled. 

Last to Pack is First to Unpack

The last things you pack will likely be the first things you unpack. These are the things you use absolutely every day, no matter what. You need a place to sleep, a place to eat, and a bathroom where you can clean up. Once you've got the necessities moved, you can take it easy unpacking the nonessentials. 

Pick Your Staging Area

Before your moving day, pick a staging area. Hopefully you won't be moving all by yourself; more hands make less work after all. That said, the friends you find to help likely won't know your new home as well as you do, and won't know exactly where you want things to go. You might not know that yourself, in fact. Pick a room that's relatively central but also nonessential (living rooms are often a good choice) to use as a staging area as you're unpacking. Every box you bring in goes to that central staging area first and then you can make sure that it gets where it's actually supposed to go.

Plan Your Unpacking

Another thing to plan for is the actual act of unpacking. There are many things to consider when you're unpacking. Do you have hardwood floors? Then the very first thing you unpack should probably be rugs in order to protect the finish. Do you have any renovations planned? You might want to consider leaving those rooms in boxes until you've finished. You might prioritize different rooms depending on your immediate wants and needs. If you want to have a housewarming party right away, then getting the living and dining room set up is going to be much more of a priority. 

Moving is always a stressful time, but it's also an opportunity. It's a great time to clear junk out of your life and make a fresh start. What you take or choose not to take can help reduce the stress of a move. Additionally, planning not just what to move but how and when you move it can help prevent the little mix ups and mistakes that might plague your move otherwise. With just a little forethought, you can reduce the stress of the coming move and make it an opportunity to declutter, all in one fell swoop.