Tips to Reduce Moving Stress

You’ve found the perfect neighborhood and the ideal new house for your family. But before you can settle in and begin making your new surroundings feel like home, you have to cross one more dreaded hurdle: moving day.

"Finding a new home is a wonderful and exciting experience, but moving can be overwhelming -juggling packing, moving essential belongings and transforming your new house into a home," said Wendy Froehlich, vice president of marketing at Homes.com.

To help movers avoid unnecessary stress and reduce property damage, keep in mind these expert tips:

Plan ahead: The key to executing a move that is both efficient and stress-free is to plan your move weeks before the actual day. A moving file and calendar are great ways to keep all of your moving information, such as your lease or mortgage contract, utility hook up, power documents and other important information in one place.

Get organized: Organize boxes for their corresponding room in your new home, sealing them with colored duct tape to color code.

Don’t crack under pressure: Keep your plates in one piece by stacking plastic foam plates in between each one, and protect glasses by putting them inside pairs of clean socks.

Vacuum seal out-of-season clothing: Don’t waste time fumbling through out-of-season clothing. Not only will it take up less space and be a breeze to pack, but it can go directly into storage in the new place.

Think of the little things: Keep sandwich bags handy to hold any small items you have to take apart, such as the screws for a mounted flat-screen television or your bed frame, and tape them to the backside. Label the bags accordingly to make unpacking and reassembling furniture a breeze.

Sweet dreams: Check the mattress tag; if a mattress is more than eight years old, it has accumulated dust, dust mites and sweat that can make it practically double in weight. Avoid the hassle of moving it and arrange to get a new one delivered to your new home. If the mattress is still in its prime, use a mattress protector to transport it safely to the new home.

Green thumb: Transport plants delicately by using a Christmas tree bag to keep all of the appendages safe and prevent snapping.

Survival kit: Make life easier when arriving at the new home by packing an easily accessible overnight bag with clothes and necessary toiletries. Don’t forget to include first day essentials, such as a box cutter, paper towels, trash bags and power strips.

Source: Homes.com