How to minimise the stress of moving home

Moving home can be stressful. So much so, in fact, that the Australian Institute of Family Studies rates it among the most stressful experiences a person can have in their lifetime, alongside events like separating from a long term partner. On a daily basis, stress can do serious harm to the mind and body, but certain life changes can have even more serious, long term effects on one’s entire sense of wellbeing.

With so much to organise and such large sums of money at stake, moving can be a taxing time, but there are certain things you can do to minimise the hassle so you can focus on what matters: enjoying your new Melbourne home.

Make a plan and give yourself plenty of time

There’s a lot that needs to be done in the months, weeks and days before your big move. You’ll need to finalise everything with your real estate agent – which means organising utility connections and sic, formally changing your address, decluttering, cleaning and packing, and that just scratches the surface of everything you’ll need to sort out.

To ensure moving day doesn’t sneak up on you, make a plan for what you need to do and when you need to accomplish it by. That said, go into it with an open mind. It’s likely that not everything will go to plan – something may come up and the friends who you had counted on to help may not be available when you need them. To be safe, give yourself plenty of time to make other arrangements.

When in doubt, chuck it out (or donate it)

Nearly 60 per cent of Australians over the age of 14 have lived at their current address for five years or more, according to Roy Morgan Research.

In that amount of time, the amount of ‘stuff’ you can acquire is shocking. From furniture to decor, clothing, sports equipment and things that will make you say, ‘what was I thinking when I bought this?’, moving house means going through it all and making decisions about what will make the journey with you.

Boxing up something you haven’t seen – let alone use – in months or even years will only cost you time, money and an unnecessary hassle.

If you have items that could be of use to others, you can always donate them to a local charity or sell them on your local buy swap sell page.

Take care of yourself

The strain of moving home will only be exacerbated if you aren’t practising self care. That means eat right, sleep enough and do whatever helps you relieve stress in other areas of your life.

Everyone varies in the way they manage stress. According to the Australian Psychological Organisation, the top five ways that Australians manage stress are:

• Watching television or movies (87 per cent)
• Spending time with family and friends (83 per cent)
• Focusing on the positives (81 per cent)
• Listening to music (80 per cent)
• Reading (76 per cent)

Having a positive mindset is also critical. While many moves are happy, you might be apprehensive about certain parts of the transition – perhaps your kids will be switching school districts, or your partner is worried about their new job. You’ll find yourself unnecessarily distressed if you haven’t come to terms with your move or if you’ve simply not allowed yourself to say goodbye to friends, family and your current home.

Work with the right real estate agency

When you move, it’s inevitable that you’ll have a lot on your plate, but working closely with the right real estate agency can tick a lot of boxes on your to-do list. At Nelson Alexander, our customers enjoy peace of mind knowing that we’ve taken care of everything we can on our end, we’ve helped Melburnians move since 1971 so we know a thing or two about it!

We understand that this is likely one of the most stressful times of your life, but we also want to make sure that it’s one of the most exciting! That’s why our helpful, experienced team is always on call to answer your questions about buying, renting or selling in Melbourne’s vibrant northern suburbs. To find out more, reach out today.