Moving is exciting, right? Well truth is that it is also stressful, expensive and can turn the experience of 'change' to a real nightmare.
We went through the whole process, we were lucky enough to take only few bad decisions. We are now happy to come back every day to that cozy house we call our Home.
The hardest of it all was the transition, the in-between phase when my 'head' was already in the new house, with all the ideas I wanted to implement, the plans I made and the excitment of going somewhere new, while my body was still in that same old place, that place I got too used to, I refused to invest time and effort in embellishing and I was eager to leave. My old house was very pretty, but it living in a house you own feels way better.
If I were to do it again, although I wish it won't happen any soon, here is how I'll proceed:
- Get the paper work done (especially if you are dealing with a bank, you know procedures and stuff...) and admit there may be some lateness. Remember that if this is 'the' big project for you right now, it is just a 'dossier' in another's person work routine. Stress will get you nowhere.
- Make a todo list. You don't have to take a pen and a paper, but you have to put your thoughts in order. What subscriptions need to be canceled/ transfered, the contracts you need to change, the address change notifications you'll have to make.
- Pay a professional. We did the math it's almost the same price. If there is one and only one advice I can give you it is to pay for this service. Don't pack, don't order, don't buy boxes. Sit down, and watch your house getting ready to move, thanks to professionals.
- Don't over clean before. Simply because moving will cause the house to get dirty: you know people coming and leaving to transport the stuff. You'd better not waste effort in this and rather focus on cleaning when you are putting things in place.
- Don't rush. Moving is a whole process, don't try to rush into settling in your new place. Acknowledge the fact you need to declutter your stuff, decide what each space is better suited for and how to better organize everything. Take your time.
- Don't hold on to 'stuff'. Decluttering is your word (try the 100 things challenge, or set a time objective to go through your clothes or books). A new place is a chance of change, make the best out of it.
