Published by Programme B
Moving house is undoubtedly one of the more stressful things you will go through in life. It is a process that can eat up weeks, even months, of your time with endless legal documents, acquiring a mortgage, and arranging for your treasured possessions to be moved to your new home. On top of the mountain of admin that comes with it, moving house can carry an emotional burden as we encounter delays and complications along the way, particularly those of us who have family responsibilities to balance alongside.
Yet, as our lives change gear and we find new employment opportunities, move closer to family members, or start new relationships, moving is something most of us will encounter. With house prices in the UK so expensive many more people are renting so, for younger generations, it becomes a regularity.
So how do we make sure that moving house is as calm a process as possible for us and our loved ones? Thankfully, there are a number of innovative solutions to help smoothen your move, not only the physical transfer of your possessions from one location to another but with the maze of accompanying admin.
Rent somewhere short term
It is easy to forget that when you move into a new house, the previous occupant is waiting to move into a new house of their own so they are dependent on the people from whom they are buying to tie up the process and move out themselves. This creates the phenomenon of the ‘buying chain’, the bane of every prospective mover’s life. When buying and selling houses, there can build up a queue of five or six buyers all dependent on one another to push the deal through. Often, if one deal in the chain falls through, it can mess up the whole process for everyone else. This can leave people caught in a state of limbo as they wait for estate agents to align all of the deals at the right time.
To avoid this conundrum, it might be advisable (for those with enough spare capital) to rent a property near to your new home to get acquainted with the new town and avoid placing all of your things into storage. If you are moving to Toronto, look for short term rentals in Markham. To London: a rental in Orpington. Or to Madrid: a place in Getafe. These out-of-town locations will save you money if, God Forbid, the movie drags on.
Call in the cavalry
It is always something of a truism but you should never be afraid to ask for help from friends or colleagues who might know more about the subject than yourself. It can be easy to get swept up in the whole process and attempt to carry all of the pressure on your shoulders. But this will only make things more difficult. You might end up paying $75 for a half-hour consultation with a lawyer only for them to give you the same advice as you would have received for free from a friend.
Label everything
When the big moving day comes, remember to label every single box that you pack with the room it has been designated and the sorts of items it contains. A few extra minutes with a felt pen will save you countless hours of rummaging in the new home.
With the right preparations, however frivolous they might seem at the time, you can make this potentially stressful process a walk in the park.