Stress-Free Guide to Moving Home

We’re moving house, or at least we might be!!  We have considered moving home for a little while as our eldest will be finishing at primary school in a few years and where we are currently located the secondary schools are awful.  Moving isn’t something anyone wants to do too often.  Moving to a new house is one of the most stressful things that you can do alongside starting a new job or having a baby.

 

One reason moving is so stressful is that it seems to take such a long time.  From deciding that you want to move, to actually making an offer on a property can take months.

You’ll face even further stress if you struggle to get approved for a mortgage or there are issues with the searches on your new home.  Luckily we have a mortgage approval and have made our offer which has been accepted and now it’s in the hands of the solicitors who will be looking at the paperwork with a fine-toothed comb to make sure everything is in order.  If all goes well it’s going to be at least a few months before we actually move.

I will admit I am dreading the packing followed by the unpacking and figuring out where all our belongings should go.  Now that I think about it numerous people and companies including the car insurance guys will need to be informed of our new address.  It’ll be a long and tedious process especially with my memory and it’ll be a fair few months before I’ve remembered to tell everyone.

Settling in will be fun.  I remember when we move to our first home.  It felt like I was on holiday for a while even though I had to cook and clean.  This was really exciting and it took a fair length of time for the novelty to wear off.

How You Can Make Moving Less Stressful

Selling Your Home

One of the least exciting parts of moving is selling your current home.  You’ll need to find an estate agent and put it on the market, then face people coming in to view it hopefully when the children are at school if you have any.  The best way to cut stress is to sell quickly, easier said then done in this market.  As soon as you decide to move, before putting your home on the market preparations need to be made in order to get it ready for sale.

In order to do this you can:

Make any small repairs that are needed.  Even things like replacing or tightening a wobbly cupboard door handle can make a difference.

No one will ever look around a dirty / messy house and see their dream home.  Keeping it clean and tidy helps people to imagine it as their home.  Give it a deep clean and then keep on top of things whilst viewings are being arranged.

Kerb Appeal. When it comes to buying a house, first impressions really do matter. So, make sure the front of your house looks inviting.

Freshen up. Easy to do and not too expensive either – give the walls a fresh coat of paint. This makes it look it look bright and fresh.  Then, open the windows up and get some fresh flowers to give it a nice smell.  You can always pop pre-made cookie dough in the over to give that homely feel.

Searching for a New Home

Searching for a new house is one of the more exciting parts of a move.  But, it can still be stressful if you face disappointments and struggle to find something that you love.  To avoid this, be specific when filtering your searches.  Stick to your budget and the area you want and only view homes that you think could be the one.

Securing a Mortgage

Securing a mortgage is for many the hardest part of buying a home, especially the first time around.  Make sure you shop around to get the best deal for you!

The first thing that you need to do is budget.  Take a look at a conveyancing fees calculator, estimate how much stamp duty you are likely to pay, look into legal costs and think about what kind of survey you might need.  Have an estimate of the associated costs before applying for a mortgage.  That way you’ll know if you can cover the costs.

Make sure you see a mortgage advisor before you start to look at houses so that you’ve got a good idea of how much you can borrow.  Before this appointment, prepare your last three months bank statements, statements from any savings accounts, three months’ payslips and last p60.  Being prepared and having your documents organised will make the process much easier.

Packing

The fun part, or not!  Packing can be hard work especially if you’ve lived somewhere for a long time and you’ve amassed a lot of stuff like us.  n the other hand, it’s also a fantastic opportunity for a good clear out. Take the time to declutter, the more you, donate, sell, or throw away, the less you’ll need to move to your new house.  Be ruthless, this is a new start and a good declutter can help you to emotionally detach from your old home.

When packing label your boxes.  Keep one box to one side and fill it with essentials your first night in your new home.  Remember to include your toothbrush and toothpaste.  You may also want another separate box including some treats, a kettle and anything else that will keep you going on a busy moving day.

Moving In

Moving day is a big physical challenge.  Take your time and do it over a few days if you can.  There’s no need to do it all in one go.  If possible, book time off work to get everything done rather than trying to squeeze it into the weekend.  Sometimes it helps to get a company in or look for a man with a van in Portsmouth or at least one local to where you live.

When it comes to changing address and setting up new utility contracts be organised and start letting people know as soon as you’ve got a move date.  You can also do most things online to cut down the stress.

Then, it’s time to unpack, get everything set up and start enjoying life in your new home.  It can be tempting to rush this part, but remember, once you’re in, there’s no need. Take your time to get things exactly how you want them.

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Written by Melanie Edjourian.

This Post Has 15 Comments

  1. Katie Davis

    Is there such a thing as moving house with no stress?! We had such a bad experience last year that I am not sure we will be moving again any time soon hopefully!

  2. Sabrina Must

    As someone who moves a lot, I really appreciate these tips! There are so many logistical things that can make moving so much easier.

  3. Laura Dove

    Great tips! Moving house is SO stressful, especially with four children! We swore we would never move again!

  4. Brandy

    This is truly a stress-free guide, I love the idea of sharing these tips for my friends who are planning to move back home. I am going to give this blog post to them to help alleviate their stress.

  5. Alison Rost

    It’s never easy to go house hunting, it takes time and it could be stressful. I think these are awesome ways to do it without having to deal with so much stress when you go through the process of buying a house and all that.

  6. Elizabeth O

    Moving home is a really stressful event. It is really great to have this as a guide to keep your stress levels low and get some really great tips too.

  7. Elaine

    Moving is so stressful. I wish I had it all together when we decided on a whim to move cross country with a toddler and my being 6 mo pregnant. I kinda wish we did it in the order you laid out.

  8. Jhilmil Bhansali

    So thanks for this, as we have been planning to shift our house, and even the thought stresses me out. Securing Mortgage is the one of the biggest concerns we had and really we are looking all around to grab the best deals.

  9. Dee Lukasik

    We moved because of similar reason, we wanted a better school for our son. Entire process was so long, from selling one house to buying new one. We were looking for a proper house for almost a year, and now year later we still decorate it. Someone said that stress related to moving house is similar to divorce and i am tempted to believe it.

  10. Lexie Lane

    Wow! This is seriously so amazing! It’s always so great to hear from someone who just did all the hard stuff. We haven’t moved in over 12 years. So I’m sure when the day comes, this will be so helpful!

  11. Milena

    I’m passing this on to a friend! She’s in the process of moving and would find this all helpful!

  12. Jocelyn @ Hip Mama's Place

    My husband and I were so lucky to have gotten rid of our old home so fast and move into our current home that we love! That wa about five years ago. Everyone is different, but I do remember I was just taking one day at a time because settling into a new home with all your stuff in boxes can be overwhelming. Great tips, by the way!

    1. admin

      It can be very overwhelming. If you unpack slowly you can make sure you put things in the right places and avoid moving them around a few times.

  13. Cassie S

    My parents are actually about to be selling their house and moving and they will find your article so useful! I am definitely passing it along. I can only imagine the stress that comes with this process and you did a fantastic job breaking it down. packing is always the worst part lol Thank you for these tips!

    1. admin

      Thanks so much Cassie. It can be really hard to move but being prepared helps. I’m dreading having to pack!!!

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