Whether it’s your first time moving house or your 5th, one thing always remains true – moving house is an emotional rollercoaster. One day, you're dreaming up kitchen décor and thinking life couldn’t get better, the next, you're surrounded by bubble wrap and wondering why on earth you have 47 coffee mugs to pack. No matter how many times you’ve moved house, each one comes with its own set of unique challenges that can test even the most Zen individuals. But don’t panic, because whilst you can’t completely get rid of all the stressors (unless you’re a magician), there are certainly ways of keeping the stress to a minimum.
With the right mindset, some help from local movers, and a couple of clever hacks up your sleeve, you can turn this otherwise hair-pulling disaster into something that's actually fairly enjoyable. So, here’s how to maintain your sanity during the mayhem of moving.
Begin as early as possible
Although it's pretty tempting to believe that moving will magically take care of itself if you just ignore it long enough, unfortunately, it won't. This means if you want to avoid last-minute meltdowns, then you need to start planning as early as possible (we recommend 2-3 months before moving). While 3 months probably feels like an eternity, time has a sneaky way of creeping up on you, and before you know it, move day will be here.
Start by getting together a timeline and breaking everything into manageable chunks. Then, each time you tick off an item, take it as a mini victory to be celebrated – whether that is with a cheeky glass of wine or your fourth coffee of the day is entirely up to you.
Create yourself a mini space of calm
When your home starts to look like a warehouse explosion, it can be difficult to keep your sanity intact, let alone have the motivation to persevere with moving organization. That’s where your sanctuary area comes into play.
Pick a room (or even a corner) and declare it a completely box-free, moving-free zone. This is your adult "time out" space where, unlike time outs when you were a child, you actually want to be. Any time the moving chaos gets too much, take a little break in your sanctuary space, and the world should start to feel right again.
Accept help where it’s needed
No matter how self-sufficient you are, trying to do everything yourself is a one-way ticket to stress. The job is just too big to do all alone, which means you have to feel comfortable letting other people jump in and help – whether it’s family, friends, professionals, you name it.
The key is to know your strengths and play to those, whilst getting help with the rest. Do you love to organize but hate DIY? In that case, maybe you pack and then enlist the help of Sydney removalists to disassemble and reassemble your furniture for you. Or you’re seriously clumsy but get a kick out of cleaning? Then why not get a team of specialist packers to take care of your valuables, and you can roll your sleeves up and get stuck into the move-in clean? Calling in help where you need it isn’t admitting defeat; it’s moving smart, and most importantly, it’s moving sanely.
Stick to your routine (as much as humanly possible)
Yes, your life is in boxes right now, and you’ve spent all week on hold to your electricity provider, but that doesn’t mean a little normality can’t remain. Maintaining a little bit of your regular routine throughout the move can be your slice of bliss amongst all the change, even if that is just doing your regular weekly food shop.
If you've started preparing for moving in advance (see point one), then maintaining these routines shouldn't be too hard and can be so beneficial. So, make sure you’re still going for coffee dates, daily walks, or whatever it is that perks each day up slightly.
Celebrate every little win
If you’re waiting until it's all flawlessly completed to give yourself a big pat on the back, then think again. Moving is like a marathon and not a sprint, and you have to enjoy the small victories along the way to maintain your morale.
Finally conquered that donation pile? Congrats! Do something nice to yourself. Dumped out the garage of endless rubbish? What a hero, you deserve a takeaway. Managed to disassemble a 10-year-old IKEA table without a meltdown? You may actually be a genius, and that definitely calls for a glass of wine.
Remember, it can take an eternity to make a new house a home. If you hold out the whole time for that mythical "all done" phase, you'll miss all the wonderful little wins along the way. Even the smallest of steps forward are still steps in the right direction.
The bottom line
Finally, if there is anything to remember during your moving journey, it’s that the chaos and stress are only temporary. Those boxes will get unpacked (eventually), you’ll find your favorite mug again (out of the 47 you packed), and the new house will start to feel like home. By letting others help, putting your trust in the professionals, and taking care of yourself in the process, the journey of moving will become a lot easier.