5 Simple Steps to Conquer Your Next Move
The average US citizen moves 11.7 times in their life. Of course, this varies by age. In our younger years, people tend to move more frequently as they go through college and start their careers. As we get older, we tend to settle into one place for a longer period of time and lay down our roots.
Managing a move is like taking on a part-time job. There are so many moving parts, each part affecting the next one, and decisions needing to be made in a sequenced dance so that everything gets done on time.
What’s the first word that comes to mind when you think about moving? For a lot of our clients, it might be that they are feeling overwhelmed, chaotic, drowning, or their brain feels like it is shutting down because they have too much on their plate.
I have moved 13 times in my time on this planet. I recall as a child, whenever we moved, our community of friends would all step in to help my parents. They packed us up, loaded us into their trucks and cars, and helped us unpack and get settled into our new home. This was just how things were done in my world. Your friends stepped in to help when you needed them most.
As an adult, I came to realize this is not what the average person experiences when they move households. They have to do it on their own with some random boxes they pick up behind a Safeway and a U-Haul truck they rented for a day.
Even though it is something every single person will do in their lifetime, we are never “taught” how to move. It’s not something we learned in school. So, most people are simply “winging it”, making it up as they go in the hopes that they will feel settled and happy in their new space someday. This lack of skill or knowledge compounds the stress of the job at hand.
When you think about the human lifespan and all the stressful transitions we may experience in that time, the top three most stressful transitions are:
Moving to a new home
The death of a loved one
Divorce
In the past year, we have been focused on helping our clients with moving and remodeling projects. Most of our clients have been in their home for 30 + years. They raised their children in that home and have had so many milestones, it's hard to remember them all.
With a pending move on their horizon, they are forced to look at all of those milestones, memories, and life events – one by one – to decide which ones will come with them in this next chapter of their lives. This work takes time; it doesn’t happen overnight.
Here are 5 steps to help reduce your overwhelm during your next move:
1. Plan ahead! If you can start the process of decluttering and editing your belongings 6 months before your move, you will be in much better shape when you arrive in your new home. Plus, you won’t be paying the movers to pack, move, and unpack your unwanted stuff – saving you money and time.
2. Create a timeline and checklist for your move. Be realistic about how long it will take you to get things done. My advice is to add another 15%-20% to your estimate, as it ALWAYS takes longer than you think!
3. Plan out the supplies you will need to pack up your stuff. Recently, we helped a client pack a kitchen and a pantry for a remodel. She told us she was going to do it on her own, and she thought she would need 10 boxes and a night or two to get it done. She had drastically underestimated what it would take to complete! You will want these basic supplies to get started: Boxes, packing paper, bubble wrap, packing tape, and Sharpies.
4. Schedule the Movers. Going back to number one, you will want to plan ahead and call your moving company at least 2 months in advance to get a quote and their timeline.
5. Change your address. For me, this is the most stressful part of a move, as it takes a long time to contact every organization that has your address on file. My recommendation is to start a spreadsheet a few months in advance of all the institutions you will need to reach out to, and add to it as you remember new ones. When you arrive in your new home, you can start to chip away at changing this a little at a time. In the meantime, don’t forget to forward your mail with USPS.
Making these big life transitions should be exciting. We want you to feel that excitement and not let it get buried underneath the stress, overwhelm, and dread of moving.
If you want someone else to do all of this for you and remove the stress of your next move, we would love to help you through it. Just think of us as your supportive community who are ready and willing to help.
Be well,
Meghan LeBaudour, CPO®