10 Tips for a Stress Free Moving Day

January 2016, By Nicole Langelier

It’s no secret that moving sucks. Moving is number 3 on the most stressful life events after divorce and death of a family member! Well folks, today is MY moving day and I am writing this as I wait for the truck to arrive.

When I told people we were moving friends and family just shrugged it off saying ‘you move people every day with Design & Diplomacy’. And while that is true, it is very different when the property you are moving has full drawers, closets, cupboards, filing cabinets, storage cage, etc. That’s where the stress comes in and that’s where it is different to a property styling install or collection.

Despite the fact that we are insanely busy with D&D, plus we have a new puppy who likes to pee inside (and the whole reason for this move in the first place), I am still able to sit here calmly sipping coffee and writing this post is because we are organised. After moving country twice, a move up the street to Fitzroy is no sweat.

Since I am in the business of people moving – even though I don’t actually help clients move house, I am often there throughout the process and I see and feel their pain, I thought I would give you my 10 tips for a seamless move.

  1. Start early: When you know you are going to move start making a dent in your stuff right away – one cupboard at a time. Start with the stuff you tucked away for a rainy day (decades ago) and sift through what you want to keep and what can go. If you tackle one closet/ drawer/ cupboard a day, you will be in good shape by the time moving day rolls around.
  2. Be mindful of waste: Moving can be expensive and we often ditch stuff out just to buy it again for the new place. One way to save on waste and save bucks at the same time is to get kitchen creative and try using up the food you have open in the fridge and freezer in the weeks leading up to your move. You will save yourself a ton. Here is a link to 15 sites that allow you to enter the items you have in the fridge and they will come up with recipes for you.
  3. Don’t ditch it, donate it: Moving is a great time for long overdue closet culls. It is so easy just to dump it all in a bag, toss it in the tip or put it on the nature strip, but often that stuff you no longer want has value. Even if it’s not monetary value, there are plenty of needy souls out there that would be happy to relieve you of it (assuming the condition is good). I was able to pass my unused things on to friends and family this time, but short of that here are a few worthy organisations for you to consider that also pick up the donations – win win!
  4. Suck it up: Vacuum bags are your best friend. You can get them anywhere from K-mart to Bunning’s – even Coles and Woolie’s have them I think.
  5. Clean as you go: Just do some basic dusting and ‘windexing’ as you go. Wash your dirty laundry too – It will make unpacking that much more pleasant and you will thank yourself later.
  6. Pack for a ‘Staycation’: Come moving day, pack a bag each per family member of essential items – as if you were going on holiday for a week – and put the bags in your car not on the moving truck. This way you know that for at least a week in your new home you wont be frantically tearing boxes apart looking for your toothbrush.
  7. Don’t ask your friends to move you: Unless you plan on paying them, it’s just mean.
  8. Have a basic floor plan: It is much easier to go in with a plan – if you measure your furniture and your new space before hand – maybe even sketch up a little plan as to where you want it all to go – than moving day will be much easier.
  9. Have a temporary junk room: The key word here is ‘temporary’. Very often when people move they never unpack half their boxes, or it takes them forever to do so – don’t let that happen to you! If you have a temporary junk room you can put all the non-essentials in there while you set up the rest of the house. If you place your furniture in the appropriate rooms and put all your boxes and files in the ‘junk room’ you can later tackle each box one at a time and not feel that you are living in a disaster zone. It is important that your new home feels like a home as soon as possible, and this is the easiest way for that to happen.
  10. One box at a time: Just as you started with one cupboard at a time, I recommend unpacking one box at a time. If you do a box or a suitcase a day, before you know it you will be living in a tidy well organised home.

Well there you have it, 10 tips for a stress free move….

The door -bell just rang and my truck has arrived, so I have to sign off. Good luck with your next move and I’ll see you on the other side of Johnston Street!