Moving from one home to another, like all changes you go through, is difficult. You’re leaving something familiar, something that’s been a part of your life, for something new and unknown. As if moving from one home to another isn’t physically and emotionally stressful enough, imagine moving from a full house to an apartment. The downsizing in living space will surely stress out anyone who has accumulated lots of stuff over the years.
To make your move less stressful, here are some useful tips.
1. Plan your activities well ahead of time.
As with all important events, planning is essential. A well thought-out and planned move will save you lots of time and energy. Plan your schedule. These three questions may guide you:
Do you plan to do the move on weekends only?
Will it be a one-day move?
What services do you think you’ll need?
2. Make reservations and arrangements in advance.
Once you have the dates of your move and you have identified the services that you will need, make reservations and arrangements as early as you can. This will ensure that you can have your desired service providers and you’ll have more time to discuss the things that you need for the move.
3. Make an inventory of the things you own.
Ask yourself, “Have I used this item in the last year?” Be honest and ruthless with your answer. Those that you use often go to the first category, the must-haves. Those that you have not used within the last year must go to the next category, the disposables. And the last category will be those items that you need, but can be replaced (i.e., that big flat screen TV can be replaced by a LED TV, can be mounted on your wall).
4. Take measurements of your furniture.
Take the measurements of your existing furniture, then get the room dimensions of your new apartment. With these data, create a floor plan of your apartment. This will help you decide which furniture you can take with you, and which stuff needs to go (refer to tip no. 3).
5. Hold a garage sale in your yard. (Or donate to charities).
Now that you have identified the things that need to go, it’s time to dispose of them. And what better way to dispose of the stuff you don’t need than making some money from it? Sell those books that you finished eons ago and are just collecting dust on your shelves or those sweaters you haven’t worn in years. You can use the money you have earned to buy the things that you will actually need and will actually fit in your new apartment.
Not everything will sell, and one option for you is to donate the remaining good quality things to charity. And what about those things that you simply can’t let go, but can’t fit in your apartment? These could be heirloom furniture, passed in your family from generation to generation. If there is a chance of moving to a bigger space someday, you may consider furniture storage facilities for them, which may be rented for a couple of days to years.
6. Make the move child-friendly.
If you have kids, make the move easy for them too. They might find the downsizing of space stifling, or they may be stressed out with the thought of leaving their playmates. Show them the advantages of moving. Like that common playground, or the swimming pool nearby. Or it could be as simple as that the new place is nearer to a McDonald’s. Having your children accept the move will make things much easier for you.
7. Relax, and look at the bright side.
Having a smaller space has advantages. You’ll have a smaller space to maintain and clean. No more backyards to mow. You are now closer to your work and other amenities. Think of the chores that you won’t have to do. Fewer chores mean having more time to do the things that you truly love and enjoy.
Contact a professional removal company in Port Stephens
For moving services within Port Stephens, Nelsons Bay, Salamander Bay, and Raymond Terrace, contact Port Stephens Removals and Storage for enquiries, or for a free quotation request.
Let Port Stephens Removals and Storage do its magic. We are an accredited member of the Australian Furniture Removals Association (AFRA), offering various services including furniture storage facilities, packing, pre packing and unpacking, international relocations, pet transport, and vehicle transport. Have a stress-free, safe, damage-free, and insured move with Port Stephens Removals and Storage.