If you’ve moved even just a few times, you’ve likely noticed a pattern. In the beginning, it’s a time of anticipation and excitement. But then the actual work begins, everything takes longer than expected, and that excitement soon turns to dread and revulsion. Then the moving day arrives – a day of frenzied, backbreaking labor overshadowed by anxiety and worry. It doesn’t have to be like that, though. While moving may never be fun, here are 5 ways to make your move less stressful in Port-Elizabeth.
1. Accept Stress as Normal
Anything we dread or would like to avoid is always better handled by facing it head-on. And that goes as well for the stress involved in moving. You can disarm it if you accept it as a normal part of the process and get on with business.
Listen to what the moving experts say: “Overcoming moving stress starts with acceptance. If you recognize from the get-go that you are probably going to incur some stress over the course of your move, you’re less likely to let it set you back when it happens. Think about other times in your life that you’ve accepted occasional stress as a part of the process and simply worked through it, like school or your job. Stress is a natural human response to a demanding circumstance, but it isn’t the end of the world.”
2. Allow Plenty of Time
Another effective way to make your Port-Elizabeth move less stressful is simply to allow yourself plenty of time to get everything done. Being pressed for time because you didn’t start packing early enough is one of the main sources of moving stress. So give yourself enough time to get everything done.
For sufficient packing time, the experts recommend:
- Two days for a studio or one-bedroom apartment
- Three or four days for a two-bedroom home
- Five or six days for a three-bedroom home
But be sure to allow enough time for all the many other things besides packing that have to be done. You will also have to research and hire movers, get utilities turned off and on, clean your old home, unpack and set up your new home, and much more.
3. Take Small Steps and Stay Organized
As the saying goes, that thousand-mile journey begins with one step and is completed by the taking of many more small, single steps. And so it should be if you want to make your move less stressful in Port-Elizabeth. Don’t get overwhelmed by the size of the whole job. Just get started on one small task, then move on to the next, then the next, and soon you’ll be surprised at how much you’ve accomplished. Less stress and more done.
Similarly, try to stay organized along the way. This will help reduce the overall workload as well as the stress involved. “Organization is key if you want to make moving less stressful. This applies to all facets of your move, from sorting and labeling boxes in a way that makes them easier to unpack to keeping all of the documents you might need – the contract with your movers, new lease, etc. – in one, easy to locate the place. If you make organization a priority from step one, you’ll set yourself up for fewer headaches and an easier overall move.”
4. Get Help When You Need It
We self-sufficient Americans like to do everything on our own and cringe at the thought of asking for help. But that’s often a good recipe for stress and failure. So ask for help and support when you need it – if, that is, you really do want to make your move less stressful in Port-Elizabeth.
Ask family members or friends for some help or just company while you pack or unpack. They will usually be more than willing to oblige because they too know what an onerous stressful job moving can be. Just be sure to ask for help ahead of time so that they will have time to adjust their schedules.
5. Use Professional Movers
Moving everything yourself in the bed of your cousin’s pick up over the course of 15 trips will save you a lot of money, right? Maybe a little, but it certainly won’t save you any stress. Professional movers know what they’re doing, and they can move your belongings faster, safer, and often at less cost than you can. Why magnify your stress with more work and more worry when you don’t have to?
Moving, of course, isn’t all doom and gloom, worry and stress, but a good amount of stress is an inevitable part of it. The trick is to reduce the stress as much as possible so the excitement can play a bigger role. Use these 5 ways to make your move less stressful in Port-Elizabeth and also consult your local real estate agent for more tips and advice. Find out how our agents can assist you and help take some of the stress out of moving. Contact us at 0823283345.