An Actually Helpful Guide to Removing the Stress from Your Move

When moving homes we tend to find ourselves stressed out, hearts racing and muscles tense. This guide will give you simple steps to work efficiently towards your move while taking down stress levels.

An Actually Helpful Guide to Removing the Stress from Your Move

We are here to help you turn a stressful situation, ie: moving into a simple and efficient task getting you from A to Z without the added worry. iMoving is the master at taking the stress out of moving homes and even relocating across the country

With careful planning and a sprinkle of organization, your relocation process can be a fun adventure. Now let's dive in and get started, but no stress! 


iMoving’s Top Tips to De-stressing Your Move

While some claim it’s impossible to move without freaking out and upping your heartbeat, we see things differently. If you follow these simple steps you can be annoyingly chilled while moving homes with your family.

Ten simple steps that may seem obvious will have you calm and collected even after moving day. 

1. Take a deep breath and don’t forget to exhale

Mindfulness is an important part of big life changes. When moving homes we tend to get caught up in our thoughts and jump from goal to goal without actually reaching our destination.

Whether it be starting one task such as packing up the bathroom and then in the middle, taking a call, and ending up cleaning the kitchen.

No matter how distracted you get, coming back to center and having a clear plan and ease moving day stress. There are free apps like “Healthy Minds” that you can practice with just five minutes a day to keep yourself in balance.

2. Start sooner than you think with the planning and packing

Early birds get the worm. Don’t be that guy that starts packing an entire house the weekend before. Proper planning is the way to make your move a success instead of breaking the bank (and back).

Take out your calendar, mark off any days you cannot dedicate to the move due to conflicts from work or your personal life, and the rest, plan to do a little packing each day to make the move less stressful.

When done in small chunks it won’t seem like such a huge task. If you are a true organization freak like I am, mark off on your calendar which days you will be packing up which rooms and with whom.

Either way, as long as you start early, you have nothing to worry about! This includes starting early in the process of locking down and signing on your new home as well. 

3. Make a personalized moving checklist and stick to it

Only you know what needs to be actually done before the move. Sit down as a family and make a list and timeline so you can be ensured all utilities are closed down at the old place and started at the new, the garage is packed up, and backyard items boxed up a while before the movers arrive.

When you break down your moving goals into smaller items it is much easier to accomplish your goals. An ideal way to start is to plan room by room where you will start and who is responsible for each room. Don’t forget common areas such as the den, office, and living room.

4. Start off getting rid of the junk instead of packing it

Decluttering your current home will save you from junking up your new home. Now is the time to Marie Kondo your home! Go through those closets, get rid of those shoes that aren’t actually comfortable and you never wear anyway. Now is the time to donate that dress that kinda makes you look fat and round.

Find a local donation center to feel good about your decluttering. While doing this make sure to organize your remaining items by category as this will make for more organized and easier packing.

You can even put your closet items from the winter season directly into packing boxes to ensure you aren’t doing double work. 

5. Get all your packing materials together ahead of time

Having everything you need on hand will save you the worry later on when you actually have the energy to start packing.

Nothing is more annoying and adds stress to your schedule like now having to run out and buy more tape rolls in the middle of packing.

While it’s on your mind, head out now and buy that tape, bubble wrap, extra cartons, and everything else you might need to have it on hand.

6. Pack smartly, room by room

When packing make sure you aren’t working all over the place, rather keeping things packed together in cartons room by room. Make sure you are labeling each and every box on multiple sides both by room and also by details of what is actually inside to save yourself the later trouble of guessing and losing items.

If you are a true organization freak like me, go with color-coded plastic bins instead of cartons where possible to save time on the unpacking part of the move.

Rooms like the kitchen can be part of a two-step plan where in phase one you pack up the unused items such as mixers, extra baking supplies and more and only later pack up the real essentials so that you can keep making bacon and eggs until the final days. 

7. Be easy on yourself, take it a your own pace

Take lots of deep breaths. Moving has lots of ups and downs and that's natural. Take breaks when you need it. Don’t bring yourself to the point of burnout.

The move is not just physically exhausting, but also mentally. Make sure to spoil yourself a little extra during the move, eat out if you’ve already packed up the kitchen, and be easy on yourself. Keeping a positive mindset and attitude is more important than getting one more box completed.

Don’t be afraid to ask your friends and family for help in packing or taking care of the kids or pets. Be adaptable and open to changes in order to keep a positive mindset. 

8. Stay active even while moving homes

Keeping up your physical activity routine is important while in the removal process. If you usually work 5 times a week at the gym, now is not the time to stop.

You will need the mental and physical stimulation to keep you going. Prioritizing self-care is critical to reduce stress levels.

Stress levels are proven to rise when enduring changes, especially significant life changes such as a move. Keeping up your exercise routine during this time is even more critical. 

9. Choose and book your mover ahead of time along with your moving date

Having all these important details booked and behind you will take a lot of stress out of the move. Knowing that you have a trusted mover you know will show up on the morning of your move and not screw you over at the last second is critical for your stress levels.

We of course recommend booking only a vetted and tried mover from iMoving where you know you have 30 years of experience in the moving industry behind your choices.

Choose your mover not only by price, but also by the services offered, customer service and reviews, and overall your feel for their vibe. Their vibe will be a big part of your moving day, so the better you click, the less stressful your move will be.

Choosing a date and time ahead of time is another critical part of the moving plan. Ensure you aren’t moving on an important holiday or if possible also not on a weekend to save money on the move. Planning ahead can save hundreds of dollars on avoidable things. 

10. Celebrate the small accomplishments 

Every time you finish packing up another box or room, take a moment to celebrate your accomplishments. Acknowledging the small milestones helps you reach the bigger ones.

This will keep you motivated and boost family morale. Finishing up packing a room and cleaning it out is a bigger task than usual.

Reward yourself and your kids. Maybe every room packed is worth one scoop of ice cream? Find a system that works and actually gets you all excited to check off things on the “done” list.

It can be as simple as a five-minute family stretching, dance party, or yoga session for every 5 boxes completed. Making it fun makes it less stressful.


Packing up and closing things off

To summarize, moving doesn’t have to be a traumatic and stress-inducing ordeal. With proper self-care, pre-planning, and the right combination of good choices, your move can be stress-free.

Trust iMoving to make sure you are booking the right local mover, and to learn about moving as a whole. The more you know, the better prepared you will be. Congratulations on the moving journey and welcome to your new home!


Rachel Kaplan

Rachel has spent the last few years writing for moving companies while actually moving across the globe. After many years of moving between many states in the US, she moved abroad to try the remote work life. She’s a pro at moving all her things with her dog and hundreds of plants. Thankfully she’s a minimalist so moves aren’t too much of an issue.

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