Moving Made Simple: How to Create a Stress-Free Move Day

In the list of the ten most stressful events, moving to a new apartment or home is near the top. How can such a joyful event be so stressful? Is the stress emotionally based or are there other foundations for our behavior. It is a prevalent theory that lack of planning causes us to fret when making this transition. If you prepare your possessions and yourself in advance, you can reduce stress on move day and create a smooth, positive experience.

About one month in advance, begin to put together storage boxes. Your local grocery store can be a good source for free boxes. Local moving companies also have both used and new boxes for moving. As you begin to fill the boxes, make sure to label all boxes with their room of origin, contents, and date of packing. This is also a good time to label the boxes with where you want it placed by the movers in your new home so that they are not constantly asking you questions about where to put the boxes at your new home. Find a dehumidified, air-conditioned place to store your boxes. Make sure to organize your storage room with the heaviest items on the ground, proceeding to the lightest on the top.

All clothes which are prone to wrinkle should be wrapped in plastic and laid flat in a large box. Shoes can be stacked in layers in a box, in between layers run either aluminum foil or cellophane to prevent scuffs. Do not use newspaper on anything except dishes and china, for the ink will mar the items.

Electronic cords and small parts can easily be packed with clothes or sheets. Alternate between an electronic piece and a T-shirt or blanket, this will prevent harm to all items involved. As you pack, be sure to pack last, the items you need in your bedroom so that you are comfortable in your old home on the last night and the first night in your new home. These boxes should be properly labeled and be the last to get on the truck.

Also have a box labeled “Open Me First”. In this box you must have: snacks, scissors, phone, alarm codes, paper towels, and nail polish remover. If you have recently bought items, the sticker will often still be attached, in which case it is necessary to remove it with nail polish remover.

Create a “Do Not Pack” area the day before the move for everything you are likely to need the next day. Include items from three categories:

• Clothing, towels and toiletries
• Personal items such as keys, wallet, checkbook, cell phone (and charger) and all prescription medication
• Miscellaneous items which are easily lost, such as the TV remote and the key to the china closet

Moving Day Tips

The moving day has arrived. You have labeled all the boxes with where they go at your new home. You have developed a floor plan showing where movers are to place furniture in your new home. This is the day you pack your “bedroom” boxes. Be sure to ask the movers to also load your bedroom furniture last so that they come off the truck first.

Delegating most things to helpers except those that can only be done by you will free you up to supervise the move and make sure all your items are properly packed.

Unpacking Tips

You want to unpack your “Open Me First” boxes. Focus first on setting up items that you need for your first night in your new home; things like setting up the bedroom, making your bed, plugging in the phone, unpacking toiletries and setting up lamps so you have light. Don’t tackle the china closets, kitchen and office until after the bedroom is set up.

As you unpack, focus on one room at a time and get it completely settled before moving on. This way you’ll have space that is organized and carton-free, even if other rooms still need to be unpacked.

Pace Yourself

Your work will be for naught if your wear yourself out moving. You have to prioritize your tasks and pace yourself. This means stopping work at a reasonable hour—say six in the evening—before you exhaust yourself or hurt your back. Plan on a casual meal out, come back to your unpacked and organized bedroom, and go to bed. The boxes that remain will be there for you the next day, or the day after that.

Give yourself permission to not accomplish everything at once. Patience and understanding go a long way in reducing stress. Recognize that your spouse’s bad mood is not about you; it’s about how he is feeling. Stress can affect memory too, so don’t panic if you can’t remember your new phone number or your daughter’s address; you’ll be fine next week.

Lastly, give yourself time to feel at home. You have probably spent months preparing for and anticipating your move; move day can seem disappointing or anticlimactic. The best part about move day is, it ends, and then you are ready to start life in your new home.

Good Luck moving. Remember that planning is the best remedy for moving induced stress!

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