Not only is moving house a lot of hard work, but it’s also one of the five most stressful life events. And since high amounts of stress can have a negative effect on your overall health, most people do what they can to make the moving process as simple and as quick as possible. Here are some tips for avoiding too much stress when moving house.

Do some pre-moving decluttering

It’s not until every little thing you own passes through your hands. While you’re packing that you realize how many belongings you actually have. And no matter how prepared you are, you’ll be surprised by some of the things. That you’ll find at the back of your shelves, closets and cupboards. As you’re forced to go through all your things anyway. It might be a good idea to separate those you need and use from those you don’t. This can include gadgets you got as gifts, pieces of furniture you won’t need in your new home. Or even clothes and shoes that you don’t wear anymore. Once you do this, find a way to get rid of all the unnecessary items.

There will be things that will end up in a trash can somewhere. But most of it can be sold on the internet, so that you can save a bit of money. The third option is to donate some things to a charity of your choice. But your goal should always be to have fewer boxes to move and not to clutter your new home.

Let your checklists do their magic

One thing that can help you avoid stress when moving is being organized. You can’t allow yourself to do things at the last second and forget to do or bring something essential. Just because you had too many things on your mind. Make a solid plan and turn it into one or more checklists that you’ll print and follow. This can save you from the inconvenience of leaving behind an important document or failing to change your address. Or switch off the air conditioning in your old home. Knowing exactly where you’ll put bigger pieces of furniture and boxes.

When you arrive at your new house can also help you relax, so make sure you include that information in your plan as well, and maybe even in the form of a sketch. Plus, if you have all your documents in one binder and know precisely where that binder is at all times, you’ll be able to unwind a little.

Just say if you need a hand

Even if you’re normally a self-sufficient person, don’t think for a second that you’ll be able to move all your stuff on your own. You’ll need a helping hand or two, so don’t hesitate to ask for help. Talk to your friends and see if any of them are available and willing to help you, but make sure you let them know about the moving date well in advance so that they put you in their schedule. Also, unless one of your friends owns a truck, the best thing you can do is to enlist premium Budget truck hire services, so that you can choose from a wide range of trucks without spending too much. Once you opt for the one that’s the ideal size for everything you want to move, one of your friends can drive it to the location of your new home when it suits you.

Pack it up and label away

When you’re packing your things, do it in an order that will make unpacking more logical. This means that the things you won’t be needing as soon as you move can go together, while those that you’ll need to use during the first few days should be in the same boxes and clearly labeled. In fact, labeling is just as important as the packing process itself. Go into as much detail as possible when you label your boxes so that you know exactly what’s in them and which of them you should prioritize when you start opening them and pulling things out in your new home.

For some boxes, the best solution might be to have the detailed content pinned on them, while by putting numbers on the boxes and making a list for each number, you’ll know which box is in which room and it will be easier to notice if any of them go missing during transport.Last, but not least, packing an essential box for each room will allow you to, for example, make your bed for the first night in your new home, have clean clothes and towels for when you take a shower there or your coffee maker and a clean cup for a relaxing first morning.

A bit of planning and organization go a long way, so follow these tips to stay as calm as you can be while moving to your wonderful new home.

By Chloe Taylor