8 ways to have a stress free move!

1) Put a plan in place All of us have been there through an unplanned move. It comes down to throwing everything randomly lying around into a big box, people's things getting mixed up, stress levels get high and things break as you force them into boxes that are entirely too heavy to lift. Don’t let this happen to you! If you create a timeline of when you would like each room packed and a step by step outline of what you would like packed you will feel much better come moving day! Break it down to a month before, 2 weeks before, week of, day before and moving day.

2) Move only what you love Living in the city where space sometimes isn’t on our side, you need to let go of the inner pack rat and start to let go of what you don’t need. As you are going through your stuff, if you haven’t used something or needed it in the past year, then it’s time to either trash it, sell it, or donate it!

3) Set a moving budget Here is where moving can sometimes get very expensive if you don’t plan properly. Figure out how much you can spend on your move and exactly what supplies are needed. Always air to the side of buying more boxes and tape than you think you need. Buy more than you need and simply return what you don’t use. Also think about the actual moving day. Do you have the budget to use a mover? If so, check out movetastic, they are the best in the city and have moved a lot of Homescout clients. If you want to take on the move yourself, call your closest U-haul and get some prices to compare.

4) Organization Not to throw a cliché out there, but organization is key! This will not only make the packing process easier, but will make the unpacking process much smoother. Grab a sharpie and write the contents on every box, the more specific the better. This takes away the guess and check as you start to sort through the sea of cardboard. Also, get those colored circle stickers and have a different color for each room, ie: blue for the bathroom, red for roommate 1, green roommate 2 etc. It will make it much easier for the movers or your friends to unload.

5) Take breaks Moving can be stressful, take a well deserved break every now and then. Step out of the craziness of your apartment, grab some water and clear your head. Plan to grab a bite to eat at a local restaurant to get away for a bit. All of you cooking supplies should be packed by now anyways, so get out of the house to refuel and energize.

6) Use your luggage Make sure and utilize all of your duffel bags and suitcases. These are great holders for t-shirts, towels, bedding etc. Also, don’t forget to pack a duffel of clothes or toiletries you might need immediately that day. Nothing is worse than going to take a shower after a long day of moving and not being able to find your soap or any clean clothes to change into. This will eliminate the tearing through of all of your organized boxes to find your shampoo.

7) Important Docs Keep a folder of all important papers with you at all times. Grab a collapsible folder and secure everything from your birth certificate, insurance papers, checks, your new lease, pretty much everything that you definitely can’t loose. This should be kept aside and you should know where it is at all times. When something important comes along during the day, throw it in the folder and it will survive the big move.

8) Change your address Boxes are unpacked, sheets are on the bed and you are about to use the stove for the first time in your new home! You are almost there…but don’t forget the final step that most people ignore, change your address! Go to the United States Postal Service and you can change it right online.