Whether you’re relocating across the street, across the state, or across the country, moving can be a stress and anxiety-inducing experience. With a pretty lengthy to-do list when planning an interstate move, the sooner you get started, the more prepared you’ll be when the big day arrives.
Nerves and heightened emotions are all a normal part of moving, and knowing how to manage these can make or break your overall experience. Our Allied Interstate Moving Experts have helped countless people along their journey, so we’ve gained some insight into how to reduce stress when moving interstate.
Plan ahead
Waiting until the last minute never helped anyone, and when it comes to moving interstate, it can leave you with a pretty overwhelming workload in the final push. With that in mind, one of the best ways to set yourself up for success is to plan ahead. For interstate moves, we recommend to start working through our interstate moving checklist around eight weeks before moving day. Our helpful guide provides you with an easy-to-follow timeline of the moving to-dos that will take you step-by-step through some of the biggest tasks on the list, as well as some that may be easily forgotten about.
Declutter
Do you ever find that the occasional clean and declutter brings you a sense of relief? Well then take your interstate move as an opportunity for the ultimate tidy up! They say a clear space equals a clear mind, and cleaning is known to be a great stress-management tool. There’s never been a better time to use that to your advantage. While you pack up each room of your home, throw away, donate, or sell items that you just don’t need or get use from. Not only will you benefit from the therapeutic benefits of cleaning, you’ll also have less to take with you and unpack at the other end of your move.
Plan a visit
The unknowns and new experiences when moving interstate are often what people can become anxious about, especially for families relocating with children. If you have time before your move, why not plan a holiday or visit to your new home? This way, you can get familiar with the area and explore what’s around, helping to ease some of those nerves. This is a great way to get kids involved too, as they can look for playgrounds or after-school activities and clubs to help them get excited for the upcoming change.
Stay flexible
While it’s great to have a timeline and to-do list planned out before your move, it’s also important to be flexible. You may find that one room takes a lot longer to pack up than you’d anticipated, or something comes up and you can’t go to buy your packing supplies on the day you’d intended to. These inconveniences can definitely be frustrating when you’re trying to stay on schedule, but a good plan should leave a little bit of wiggle room. The bigger the move and the more steps involved, the more flexible you may need to be- that’s just the nature of moving. If things are really going awry, consider getting friends or family in to lend a hand or look after kids or pets so you can focus better on the task at hand.
Take it easy
We are our own harshest critics, so be mindful of this and go easy on yourself during the moving process. Don’t get caught up in what looks like a mammoth task - break the move up into manageable steps and work through them at a pace that suits your needs. Moving takes a lot of energy, especially in the final stages. Remember to take breaks, get some fresh air, and plan nutritious meals that are light on effort and tools (especially when it comes time to pack up the kitchen).
Professional help
One of the easiest ways to reduce stress and anxiety ahead of your interstate move is to call in the experts. At Allied, our interstate removalists are specialists in the field, so they can handle the tricky stuff while you enjoy your last few days before the move. They can also help you unpack at your new home, giving you even more time to explore and settle in. We can pack your belongings, look after fragile items, take care of relocating your car, provide temporary or long-term storage options, and so much more.
Get in touch with our removalists today to find out more about how we can help take the stress and anxiety out of your interstate move!