Downsizing: Can You Really Make It Work?

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Downsizing is a major life change that can cause anxiety to most people. Some couples who have reached the "empty nest" stage of life are most likely the ones who would consider moving to a smaller home. But how about a family who is used to having a good sized house with a backyard? Would they be able to cope with the changes of living in a smaller home?

The answer I guess is yes.

There will be a lot of things to give up but if every member of the family puts in their best effort, a smaller house would suffice. Check out these pros and cons of downsizing:

No backyard garden, no problem.

Think of it as less work. No more weeds to pull, lesser water consumption (less plants to water), no more trees to trim and dried leaves to rake. It would be still be nice to keep some plants but you will have to shift to indoor plants that are not fussy to care for.

Smaller kitchen, less to clean

For the person that does not like to spend hours cooking, a smaller kitchen would serve its purpose well. Less appliances to clean with quick and easy meal preparation. No need for fancy stuff. Just a stove, an oven, a microwave, blender, and a coffee maker. The essentials!

Overnight guests accommodation - fold-away furniture is the answer!

There are many space saving furniture available in the market today. Fold-away furniture like sofa beds, inflatable mattresses, even shelves that can double up as a table. Small apartments in Japan have fold-away furniture to save on space. It is pretty cool actually. 

Storage

Smaller homes may not have enough storage space, however, there is always a work-around for this. Before moving into a smaller place, try decluttering first. Get rid of big bulky items that would not look good or fit in your new home. Check your closets for unused clothes and other stuff. Sell them or donate them to charity. Learn a thing or two about decluttering and organizing using the Marie Kondo method. If there are items you still want to keep but can't take with you, then renting a storage unit near you would be the best option.

Organizing in your new home

Due to the limited space of a smaller home, you have to learn to make good use of the kitchen cabinets, the bedroom closets, and the under the sink cabinets. Have some overhead kitchen cabinets and shelves installed for additional pantry space. Consider getting some wood shelves for books, small indoor plants and figurines. 

In conclusion

Do not be anxious about not having enough space when moving into a smaller home. It all starts with decluttering, followed by effective organizing and voila! Soon enough, you will be settled into a lovely, cozier home. Remember... less space, less to clean. Less work, more of life. 

Prepare For Your Next Move By Doing It The Right Way

Are you preparing to move to a new location? Perhaps you are staying close to home or maybe moving somewhere far away. Wherever your final destination may be, you always need to have a plan and make a lot of preparations when a move is on the horizon. If you need a little help, keep reading for actionable ways to make the process easier.

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Get Moving Supplies

One of the first things you will need after making your decision to move is an array of moving supplies. Order them as soon as possible so you can begin packing without delay. Since packing is probably the longest task on any moving list, it is good to put this at the top of your list. 

Find high-quality supplies from a reliable source, such as texanbox.com/. Some packing items you will need may include:

• Moving blankets and wraps
• Packing tape
• Permanent markers
• Sturdy boxes in a variety of sizes
• Packing paper
• Bubble wrap
• Moving dolly or hand truck

Create a Schedule

Once you have ordered your packing supplies, you should sit down to create a moving-specific schedule. This schedule will be unique to your life but is necessary to ensure you do not miss any important dates or deadlines throughout the moving process.  

Add anything you need to accomplish to your personal calendar. Things like “Contact Utility Companies to Disconnect Services” and “Turn In Final Project at Work” are important to add. Include healthcare appointments, apartment check-out dates, and anything else pertinent to your moving timeline.

Watch this video for tips on how to move.

Pack Wisely

Back to the topic of packing - there is a strategy involved in any packing process. Go about it with intention instead of throwing things in boxes to make it easier to find what you need when you arrive at your destination.

Start the process by packing items you will not need for a while, such as art, collections, and books. Create an inventory of each box. Keep the document on your laptop and back it up in the cloud. Label each box with the room it will go into upon arrival and a number that corresponds to the inventory inside.

Continue packing and placing your boxes and items out of the way once you are finished with them. As you tackle bigger items, such as furniture, create a “Parts Box.” This is where all parts from disassembled furniture should be placed in individual baggies with their own respective label on them. Keep your tools organized and out of the way while moving. 

Once everything is disassembled, make another box for things you will need right away at your new home. This should include your tool bag, cleaning supplies (if allowed to transport them), printer and paper, office supplies, general kitchen supplies, kitchen storage containers, and a few plates, bowls, and utensils. 

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Moving is daunting, but it does not have to defeat you. Find the best packing materials, create a plan, and begin checking items off your to-do list. Before you know it, you will be on your way to a new adventure. Congratulations on whatever comes your way.

4 Ways To Prepare Your New Home Before Moving In

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You've dealt with the stress of finding a home and bidding on it; now it’s time to move in! 

We could tell you that all your troubles are gone and this part is easy, but that would be a lie. Everyone knows the perils of moving home, though there are many ways to make the moving process easier. We won’t cover everything you can do about packing and planning the move in this post. Instead, our focus is on ways to prepare your home before you move in. You must do a handful of things to get your new house or flat ready for its next occupants. 

Perform A Deep Clean

Right off the back, make sure your new home is spotless. Nobody should move into a dirty home, so there needs to be a deep clean. You can do this alone or hire a move in cleaning service to tackle it for you. The latter is advised as it gives you more time to handle other moving tasks. Plus, cleaning providers usually have more manpower so they’ll be quicker and can do a more thorough job. The idea is to leave your new home spotless, allowing for a seamless transition when you move in. 

Make Any Repairs

Does your new home have any lingering issues that were identified during the survey? Maybe there was a slight crack in the roof, or perhaps the windows need to be replaced. Handle all of your repairs before you move in as it’s way easier to deal with them. There’ll be nothing getting in the way of the repair teams, meaning there’s no risk of furniture or other things being damaged. Plus, it helps you move into a house that isn’t leaking water from the roof or dealing with draft issues. 

Connect All The Utilities

You must connect all the utilities before you move home. This includes the following: 

• Water lines
• Gas & electricity
• Phone & internet

Realistically, all of the physical connections should already be in place. Your job is to contact the different utility providers and ensure everything is set up and ready to use. It’ll mean you can move into your home and immediately start using the electricity, heating/cooling systems, and internet. 

Change The Locks

The last thing we want to talk about is your home security. Okay, we’ll cheat a little bit and slip in another way to prepare your house that relates to changing your locks: set up a security system. This means having a security alarm installed - and all that jazz. 

Nevertheless, changing the locks is an important step. It guarantees that no one else in the world has access to your home. You have no clue how many copies of the old keys the previous owners created or handed out. What if family members come round without knowing they moved, and unlock your door?! It’s a scary thought, so having new locks fitted adds to the security and makes your home safe and ready to use. 

While all of this goes on, be sure you’re packing everything and planning where all your furniture will go. When moving day comes around, you can swiftly get into your new home and feel comfortable. 

How To Make Your Kitchen Perfect After Moving In

It's not always easy to move. Even if you're really looking forward to moving to a new place, it's still an emotional time. You are not only changing everything about your life and routine, but you are also leaving plans and memories behind (whether they were good or not). Moving is also hard work, so that will have an emotional and physical effect as well.

Redesigning the kitchen can make you feel better and make it easier for you to get used to your new home. If there is one room in the house that needs to be fixed up first, it is usually the kitchen. It's not ideal to have someone else's style and ideas about how things should work in your home. If you can make the changes you need soon after moving in, you'll soon have a house you can enjoy. 

What you do will depend a lot on how much money you have and how the kitchen looks when you move in, but we have some ideas for where to start. Continue reading to learn more.

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Think Of The Design 

There is no such thing as a perfect kitchen, but there is such a thing as a kitchen that fits your needs and tastes perfectly because it was planned and designed with care. Therefore, if you want to get to work on your kitchen, it's your designs and preferences that you really need to think hard about. The best kitchens stick to tradition but are also open to the ideas of the person who will spend a lot of time there feeding their family. You know best what you need, after all. 

 

An alcove with an Aga oven could be the perfect fit for some farmhouses or newer houses with a beautiful retro design element. In a penthouse or inner-city flat, where space is at a premium, sleek and modern could be a refreshing kitchen theme. It's hard to decide on a design when there are so many options, but if you think of your kitchen as a reflection of the overall style of your home, you'll be well on your way to getting it right. So, the kitchen will fit in with the rest of the house, but you can add personal touches to make it stand out, no matter what design you choose.

 

Add A Family Area

Families today don't always hang out together a lot. This is partly because everyone is so busy with work, school, and other projects, and partly because technology makes it easy for most people to keep themselves entertained most of the time. So getting together with other people isn't always the most important thing. Maybe this will change now that you're in a new house. It will certainly be more likely to change if you could make a family area where you can all hang out and get to know each other better.

 

If you want to do this, the kitchen might be a good place to do it. If you spend a lot of time in the kitchen cooking, adding stools to a breakfast bar or island is a great way to create a family space. For example, you can make dinner while the children do their homework or talk about their day. Or, maybe your partner will make dinner while you just sit and talk.

 

Another idea is to add a table and chairs like marble dining sets for the kitchen. This depends on how much space you have, but it can be a great addition that makes the room stand out and gives everyone a place to gather.

 

Include Enough Storage

Even a small kitchen can be a pleasure to cook in if there is enough space to store things. Most things will be stored in cabinets under benches, wall cabinets above benches, and tall cabinets with drawers or doors. You don't have to get down on your hands and knees to get what you need because the drawers are easy to open. They cost more, though, because they don't use hinges but rather slide-out runners.

 

There are some great pull-out and slide-out options for corners that are hard to work with, and tall slide-out pantries are great for small spaces. This is why it might be best to hire a professional kitchen designer who can help you make the most of the space you have.

Stop Stressing Over Moving Day By Doing These Things

Are you going to be moving home soon? If so, then it’s important not to panic. Moving home can be stressful. Afterall, this is the start of a brand new chapter in your life. At the same time, you’ll be uprooting your whole world when you move to a new place. This becomes even more tricky if you have kids in tow. However, there are steps that you can take to ensure that a move doesn’t become a nightmare filled with tension. Here are some of the options that you should consider.  

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Get Rid Of The Clutter Early

First of all, you should start by getting rid of all the clutter from the home as early as you can. Ideally, you can get started with this as soon as you know that you’re going to be moving. Even if you don’t have a new home yet, you can start packing up some of the things that you don’t use but still want, putting them in storage or in your attic until the time comes where you’re going to be moving.

By doing this, you’re taking some of the pressure off of moving day entirely. It gives you one less thing to worry about closer to the time, and the boxes will already be organized so you don’t have to panic about what is where. 

Hire Services To Help

We also recommend that you take the time to get your services sorted out. For example, you can get in touch with a home mover to see what they can do for you. Companies like this make your life so much simpler as they can provide a lot of the heavy lifting of the home move, leaving you to do the other parts. 

As well as this, you might want to think about hiring a cleaning service to come in and clean your home from top to bottom on moving day. Cleaning the place is just one more thing that you don’t want to do but need to do, but it’s just a lot of stress. Instead of adding this to your plate, let a professional take over who can get into all of those hidden spaces you never could.

Write Out A List

Finally, you should make sure that you are writing out a list. One of the things that will make a move more stressful and cause you anxiety is the worry that you have forgotten something and potentially something important or significant. Writing a list is the easiest way to avoid feeling this way because you’ll have a visual cue which you can check to guarantee that nothing has been missed. That can include packing everything up right or arranging key services. 

We hope this helps you understand some of the key steps that you can take to avoid issues with stress when you’re moving home. We’ve all read the reports that moving home is one of the most stressful experiences that you can encounter in adult life. We’re here to show you that it doesn’t have to be this way. You can instead enjoy a gentle move where you’re not constantly worrying over the little things that could go wrong here. 

What to Think About When Moving to a New Home

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So you’re thinking about getting a new house? Moving is a stressful experience. The process of packing, cleaning, and organizing is tedious and time-consuming. But the real stress comes from the unknown: not knowing how to find a new home, what you want or how to make it work. The reasons why people are stressed about buying a new house. Let’s take a look at some of the things you need to focus on before you get started.

What Are Your Future Plans for Your New House?

We can't predict the future, but that doesn't mean that we can't plan for it. When it comes to buying a new house, it’s all about focusing on the right things. Not only do you want to find the right location and community, but find the right builder, like Rockford Homes, that can offer you what you need. You’ll also need to be thinking about the style of homes that you like, including layout and design. Then, of course, we have the price. Because you have to be sure that what you’re looking for is in budget.

How Much Space Do You Need?

If you are looking for a new home, it is important to know how much space you need. This will help you find a place that suits your needs. The size of your family and the activities that your family does will determine the number of rooms that you need in your new home. There are many factors that can affect the size of your house. You should not just focus on the number of people in your family. You should also consider what kind of lifestyle they have, what they do inside their homes and if they have pets or not.

What you Should Know When Choosing a Property

The process of finding a new home can be stressful. But it doesn't have to be. Follow these steps when choosing a property and you'll be on your way to finding your perfect home.

    1) Know what matters the most to you in a home: Location, size, price, etc.

    2) Find the perfect home for you by using online tools like Zillow or Trulia

    3) Visit the property and spend time there

    4) Make an offer if you're interested in the property

Tips for Dealing with the Stress of Moving

The moving process can be a time-consuming and stressful experience. However, it doesn’t have to be that way. It’s so important to ensure that you find a moving company that is reputable and has a good customer service rating and pack your belongings in boxes, suitcases or other containers ahead of time. Then, you need to make sure you have enough space for all the items you want to bring with you and pack last minute items first so they are easier to find when you need them. Finally, be sure to put labels on all of your boxes so they are easy to identify when they arrive at their destination. Moving out and in again is a time-consuming, stressful event that can take a toll on your mental health, but it can be easier when you follow these tips.

The Best Way To Move To A New City

Are you preparing for a move in the near future? It can seem like a daunting task when you look at everything you need to do in one large picture. Instead, break down your to-do list into bite-sized tasks to make the entire process more manageable and stress-free.

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Find a place to live.

When you are moving to a new city, one of the first things you will need is a place to call home. Look for a location that will make you happy to retire to at the end of the day - click here to find out more about some desirable options. In every city, you will find a wide variety of choices to suit every lifestyle. Do your research on different parts of the city to determine the best location for you. 

While you are home-hunting, consider factors such as the commute time to and from work, access to the desired infrastructure, and proximity to activities you enjoy. Deciding where to live is an important decision as it impacts your life daily. It is important to be happy where you are.

Plan for your move.

It is important to know the rules and requirements of your destination before you go. Additionally, since you already have trusted medical professionals where you are right now, take care of any appointments beforehand. This way, you will have time to find the right doctors when you arrive instead of rushing. 

Here is a video with helpful moving tips.

Say goodbye to your current place in life.

One of the last things that you should do is to say goodbye to all of your family and friends. You have spent time with these people while living in the place you have called home for so long, and it is important to honor that. Make time to spend quality moments with the people you appreciate. Of course, you will stay connected via modern technology, but a few moments face to face will mean a lot for both of you. Take pictures and celebrate your friendships.

Part of saying goodbye to your current location means going to your preferred restaurants, parks, and museums. Spend time in the places that have brought you comfort and enjoyment. Go to one more sporting event and cheer on your favorite team. Buy a jersey to commemorate the fun times you have spent there.  

Cherish your memories and take a lot of photos. When you arrive at your new home, you may feel sad or nostalgic. Look upon the pictures with happiness for all of the fun you had instead of sadness over what you miss. 

Become a tourist in your new city.

Once you arrive at your destination, take some time to settle into your home. While doing so, be sure to get out and explore the great new city you have decided to call home. The best way to do this is to act like a tourist. 

Seek out all of the tourist spots and become one yourself. Look online for the city’s tourism website. Here you will likely find guides for the “Best Of” locations in the area. Visit the tourism office for more information. You will probably find a staff member who has all of the inside information on what the locals enjoy, as well.

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Relocating can be a positive experience when you are proactive in your planning. Enjoy your time, appreciate the adventure, and stay safe along the way.

Moving to Singapore: What You Need to Know About Renting

Moving to a new home, no matter where it is, is a stressful process. There’s the act of getting a place to rent, then the delicacy of signing contracts, and finally the stress of actually moving in. 

When you add in the extra factor of moving abroad, the process can feel overwhelming. But moving abroad is an incredibly exciting opportunity and shouldn’t be ruined with unnecessary anxiety around the moving process. 

Singapore is a great place to live. With beautiful scenery, a bustling economy, and easy access to neighboring countries like Malaysia and the Philippines, there’s nowhere more interesting to relocate. 

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To avoid any anxieties about moving abroad to Singapore, here are a few things to make sure you are aware of before beginning the process. 

Expats need a diplomatic clause when moving abroad. This diplomatic clause is essential, as it allows you to break any agreements early - this can only be done after a certain amount of time. Plus, the clause will enable you to escape any heavy penalties if you need to leave the country early for any reason. 

One key thing to look out for when moving into your new property in Singapore is the inventory. When you move in, you’ll be given an inventory by your landlord. This will detail everything in the flat you need to take care of. At the end, the inventory will be used to ensure you haven’t stolen or broken anything. Check the inventory matches with you flat - otherwise, it could be used to cheat you out of money!

To summarise, look at this helpful infographic which outlines all the things to watch out for. 

Infographic Design By: PropertyGuru Group

5 Commonly Ignored Tips to Make Your Moving Process Easier

Moving to a new home is quite exciting. However, it may seem like a demanding task, considering all the work that goes into it. Fortunately, there are some strategies that you may apply to make your move smoother and more manageable. Below are a few tips on how to do so:

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1.     Declutter As Much as You Can

One of the best ways for packing and moving to be bearable is by decluttering.  Decluttering before you enter the packing stage will help to lighten your workload. Take time to go around the house figuring out which items you would like to sell, donate, toss or keep.

It is also essential to take measurements of your new home and get rid of any furniture that might not fit or that you may not need.

2.     Send Out Notices Beforehand

There are a lot of entities or individuals who you may need to notify before you move. To make this process easier, create a moving checklist to determine how and when you will accomplish this task. In some situations, you may be required to visit local offices, while some entities allow you to make the notification via phone call.

Making a list beforehand and setting dates to complete these tasks on your calendar will make it less likely to forget anyone.

3.     Invest in Moving Boxes

Picking some boxes from your local grocery might seem like the more convenient and less expensive option. However, you ought to invest in some moving boxes. They, too, are relatively inexpensive, and they come with the advantage of increased durability, which is worth their cost.

Grocery boxes can expose your valuables to bug infestation and moisture. Moreover, they are not built to serve this purpose, and they can easily fall apart and lead to breakages as you move.

4.     Decide if You Want To Hire Professional Movers or Not

If you do not have easy access to friends and family to help you move, or when moving to another state,  hire interstate removalists' services. Although their services come at an extra cost, they can significantly reduce the amount of work and stress associated with moving.

5.     Pack a Little at a Time

The best way to ensure that packing doesn't become overly stressful and exhausting is breaking down your process into steps. If you procrastinate and try to pack everything a right or two before moving, you might get exhausted and overwhelmed with stress.

You may opt to tackle a room on a set period each day, during which you pack items into boxes. For easier unpacking, pack sets and pairs together, making sure each box is large enough to fit a set of items.

The process of moving to a new home can be stressful and time-consuming, especially if you do not have the right strategy in place. However, the above moving tips should help to steer your move in the right direction.

Why Use A Removals Company?

When you start to plan out your house move, it will probably all start many months, or even years, in advance. You’ll start to get weary of your current home, or you’ll see that it’s no longer suitable for your needs and circumstances. Then you’ll start to toy with the idea of just taking a look at what’s out there as an alternative. Then you’ll get serious, realizing that there is a decision to be made – will you move or not? 

 Once you’ve decided that it is time to move, everything else needs to fall in place. You’ll have to find the ideal place to move to, and eventually, the time will come when your moving day will arrive. But do you have a removals firm in place to help you get from one place to the next? If not, you might regret it. Read on to find out more. 

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It Saves Time And Energy 

We all know that moving home is a stressful event, even if it’s worth it in the end. It takes a lot of time to pack everything up, move it all into a van, then unload it at the other end, and when you have plenty of other things to be dealing with and thinking about, this extra – very big – task can be absolutely overwhelming. 

 

This is why it’s always best to hire a removals firm to do it for you. They will be much quicker than you could be, and they will understand the logistics of maximizing space in their van. You won’t have to worry about ensuring everything is out of your old home in time for the next owners to move in either. You won’t even have to do any heavy lifting or ask friends and family for help when you outsource the entire moving job. 

 

One Cost

As well as being stressful, moving is an expensive thing to do. Even if you’re downsizing to granny flats Victoria there will still be items to pay out for for the move itself. Boxes, packing materials, tape, van rental, the fuel for the van, the added insurance, even the time of your friends who are coming to help you, will all need to be paid for. It can soon add up and become much more expensive than you might have budgeted for. 

 

If you hire a removals firm all of this will be taken care of with one single price. You’ll pay the removals company a pre-agreed rate (and it is crucial to have this in writing before you begin), and that’s it; you won’t have to pay any more. 

 

Peace Of Mind 

The biggest benefit of hiring a removals service is the peace of mind it will bring. We all have an emotional connection with objects, and we want to protect them from damage. A reliable, professional removals firm will know exactly how to pack, move, and store precious items so that they are safe and can be unpacked in one piece at the other end. 

 

When you have other things to think about, and you’re emotional about leaving your home anyway, having to deal with broken possessions is the last thing you’ll want. Don’t risk it; hire professionals and it won’t be a problem (and if something does go wrong, they’ll have insurance to help you). 

5 Tips For a Stress-Free House Move

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Moving to a new home should be exciting. You are beginning a new chapter of your life and improving your circumstances. You should be counting down the days until you get the keys to your property and you can make it your own.

But unfortunately, this milestone can be somewhat ruined by the stresses of moving day. Transporting all your worldly belongings from one home to the next takes a lot of time and energy, and can be very costly too. You will worry about things getting lost or broken during the move, as well as dealing with unruly children and last-minute delays. Moving day causes a lot of anxiety for many families, and the last thing you want is for your memories of your new home to be marred by this. 

But as long as you plan ahead and are smart about your move, it’s relatively easy to move all stress from the proceedings. Here are five tips to relieve your moving anxiety.

Make an inventory

More often than not, worrying about anything happening to your belongings will turn out to be in vain. But you can set your mind at ease by drawing up an inventory of everything that needs to be moved. This will make packing a lot easier as you can tick things off as you go. And once you arrive at your new home, you can easily check that all of your stuff has arrived as planned.

Pack smart

It may be tempting to shove everything into cardboard boxes to get packing over with as quickly as possible. But you'll be making things harder for yourself in the long run. Once the move is complete and you start to settle into your new home, you don’t want to spend all evening hunting for your kitchenware or bath products. Do your future self a favor by dividing your packing by rooms of the house. Label all your boxes clearly, and make sure they are well taped and secure to prevent things from going missing en route.

Start early

Don’t leave all the packing to the night before. This is a guaranteed recipe for anxiety. Start the packing process as early as possible, by getting all your cardboard boxes ready and packing anything you won’t need until after the move. Start deep cleaning your home well in advance, so you’ll only need a quick spruce up on the day.

Hire a removal firm

Although a removal firm will cost you, it is often more than worth the reduction in stress levels. A good moving company such as Allied Van Lines will handle all the packing and transport, so you can take a moment to breathe. 

Plan your first night

Once the last cardboard box has been moved, you won’t want to start unpacking all your kitchen stuff and cooking dinner. Make a plan to ensure your first night in your new home is as laid back as possible. Order in a celebratory takeaway for the family to save on the washing up. Keep a go-to bag close to hand throughout the move so you have everything you will need that night right with you. This way, you can save the unpacking for the morning.

Take The Stress Out Of Moving: 3 Simple Steps

Moving house is incredibly exciting - as who knows what adventures await you in your new town or home? However, the process can also be very stressful - as you have a lot of different things to contend with from trying to save money when moving to ensuring you have everything packed and ready to go. In fact, moving home is considered one of the most stressful things you can do!

With that in mind, here are three top tips that can help take away the stress of moving!

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Pack First, Panic later.

Whatever your reason for moving - be it to pursue a new job, or for a change of scenery - you will always find a reason to worry about it. What if you don’t like your new boss? What if your children don’t make friends? What if you find it hard to settle in? As a result of these worries, you may begin to ‘put off’ tasks associated with the move as they will only make you feel more anxious. For example, packing your belongings into boxes feels very final - once they are packed, there is no going back. 

However, it is essential that you start packing early. The process always takes much longer than you expect it too, especially if you are trying to put your whole life into a few boxes. Starting early gives you plenty of time to prepare yourself, and also means you minimize the chance of anything being broken or damaged in hasty packing. Start by packing up the things you rarely use or pack up a room at a time. 

Once you have finished packing, you should also look into hiring a moving company, such as  North American Van Lines to move your items for you. Whether you are moving to a new home in the same city, or across the country - they will ensure all of your belongings arrive in one place, with secure and efficient collection and delivery. This means you can focus on getting into your new home! 

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Say Goodbye

If you have a lot of memories in your home or local area, it is important that you spend some time saying goodbye. Not only to the people who surround you but the place itself. Throw yourself a going away party - even if it is virtual. Share stories about the happy memories you’ve had there. Take photographs to make memories last forever. Then, think about all of the exciting things that lie ahead. Saying goodbye can help make the process of moving easier.

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Renovate First

As much as you have to ensure you are prepared to move in, you have to ensure your new home is ready for you. If the home needs renovations, attempt to have them completed before your move-in date - after all, there is nothing worse than moving into a property without proper heating or damaged facilities. This also means you won’t be getting in the way of any construction workers or decorators, and you can start unpacking right away! 

Expensive Mistakes To Make While Moving

Moving home is rarely an easy time for anyone. However, it doesn’t have to be quite as expensive as it can be, either. Here, we’re going to look at some of the most common mistakes that a lot of people don’t even realize they’re making until it’s too late and they’re being stung with a hefty bill. Keep your costs down by avoiding the following expensive mistakes.

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Having poor timing

Sometimes, you don’t have much say over when you move and you don’t have the time to prepare quite as much as you would like. However, if you do have some time, then be sure to think about when exactly you’re going to move. This blog post shows that the costs of moving do change depending on the seasons. Since a lot more people tend to move from the spring to summer, for instance, you can expect to get charged more by the majority of moving companies, since they’re busy enough to justify it.

Not thinking about what to do with the cars

If you have more than one car, or you’re planning to make the move without driving at all, then finding yourself wondering what to do with your wheels can be a very sudden and not-too-small expense to deal with. The sooner you consider what you’re going to do with your car, the better. Whether you decide to drive it after all and make sure it’s fit for the trip or you visit this website to have someone relocate it for you, it’s better to decide and prepare the funds you need for it in advance. If you have to use emergency moving services, you’re going to pay more.

Not downsizing your move

If you haven’t taken the time to sell, donate, or otherwise get rid of some of your possessions before you move, then you’re adding unnecessary cost already. A lot of the time, you’re going to find yourself unpacking on the other side and wondering why you still have X, Y, and Z. Take the time to make a full inventory of your belongings and decide what you can and can’t live without. For the latter, buy-sell-swap sites make it all too easy to sell your old possessions.

Thinking DIY is cheaper

Whether you’re talking about just moving your vehicle or moving all your possessions, the DIY approach is often more expensive. Driving your own car will use up a lot of fuel, while the costs of transporting it professionally usually gets split between multiple car owners. Meanwhile, if you aim for a DIY move without fully accounting for the costs, you might be surprised by how much it costs to rent a moving vehicle and how much you have to pay for moving supplies, as well.

Avoiding the mistakes above won’t necessarily make moving cheap, but it can at least make sure that you’re not spending a lot more money than you have to. It’s still on you to make sure you’re getting the best deal from any services you choose.

3 Tips to Save Money When Moving

Excitement is in the air as you ready yourself to move and relocate. There is so much to do as you work on finding a new home, selling, or renting your old one, and packing up your possessions into boxes.  Do not get overwhelmed though, there are ways you can help alleviate the stress and costs that may come with moving.

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1. Declutter

Going through your household items before you start to move, can be a beneficial task. Decluttering and getting rid of items you no longer need, or simply do not want to take with you to your new home, can help lessen the number of boxes you pack. You may even want to hold a yard sale to sell unwanted items, to make some additional money for your move.

2. Packing Smart

Packing up your belongings is a big step in the moving process. While you can pack much of your possessions yourself, you may want to allow professional movers to pack and prepare fragile, antique, and large items for moving. If you’re looking to save money, you can get used moving boxes St Louis to help lessen expenses.

3. Get Estimates from Moving Companies

When searching for a moving company, it is a good idea to call several companies and get their estimates. You may even find that depending on the time of year, some moving companies may give you a discount during slower-moving seasons, like winter. It may even be beneficial to see if the moving company has some space for negotiating the final price.

Moving is an exciting time as you begin a new life adventure. Do not let unnecessary expenses take away from the happiness and excitement of this time. Follow the tips above to help cut back needless costs and enjoy the move!

3 Signs It's Time To Move House

For most people, moving house isn’t at the top of their ‘fun things to do’ list. It’s expensive, stressful and involves a lot of work. But if you can’t escape the nagging feeling that it’s time to move on, then it’s the right time to consider a house move. There are all kinds of signs to look out for that you need to move, and it’s important that you trust your gut on this one.

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1. Your house is too small

A home can feel big when you first move into it, but that once empty space can soon fill up - especially as your family grows. Signs your home is too small include too much clutter, not enough space for everyone to do what they want, and feeling like you’re all on top of each other. If you want to expand your family soon and you’re already feeling like you’ve outgrown you’re house, then it’s time to consider moving to somewhere larger.

2. You’ve fallen out of love with it

It’s easy to fall out of love with your house, and you might not have even realized it! From not wanting to have people over, to not wanting to take care of outstanding jobs and repairs - once you lose the passion for it, it can be really tough to stay enthusiastic about your home. While you could make changes to give it a new look, a new home could be the answer. Take a look at the market - if the thought of moving somewhere else appeals to you, then you know your house is no longer where you want to be. 

3. You find yourself looking at other properties/locations

It’s easy to window shop properties, but when you find yourself doing it a lot, it’s a sure sign that you’re in the market for something new. It’s a good idea to meet with a realtor to see what’s out there and what you can afford - you might not have thought it was possible until you start doing some research. A good realtor like Cami Jones & Company will take you through everything that’s available to help you find what you’re looking for. Even if you’re not in a position to move immediately, you’ll get some idea to help you get there.

Moving home is never easy, but if you’re getting itchy feet where you are, then it’s the right move for you and your family. After making the decision to sell up, you can start looking at your next property and hopefully find your forever home. Making the decision is a hard part of the process, but you’ll soon get excited as you prepare to move house. With plenty of possibilities and the chance to find your dream house, the decision to move could be the best decision you’ll ever make!

Top Reasons to Rent a Storage Unit

When it comes to storing your belongings, you have a lot of options. One of these options is to rent a storage unit. Storage units can be beneficial in a lot of ways, but here are two reasons why you should consider renting a unit.

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You’re Ready to Downsize

Nowadays, a lot of Americans are considering downsizing. Many find it to be liberating to minimize the amount of things in their home or to find a smaller home, in general. After all, small homes are easier to maintain. If you want to downsize, you may not necessarily want to part with everything that you own. You may have seasonal decorations that you want to store or important paperwork or heirlooms that you don’t want to lose. To rent a storage unit provides you with a way to keep some of your property without it taking up space in your home.

You’re Renovating or Moving

When preparing for a move, it can help to have a rental unit available. If you find yourself moving, but your new place won’t be ready right away, you need a place to store your belongings until you can move in. Rental storage units Caldwell ID movers trust can provide you with a place to keep everything safe and dry until you’re ready to move it into your home. Likewise, if you’re renovating, you don’t have to worry about where you’re going to keep your things while the contractors work on your home.

Renting a storage unit can help anyone that needs a place to store their belongings for a short time. Likewise, if you want to rent a unit long-term, it can also help. For some, it can be stressful to be surrounded by all of your belongings. If you’re minimalist or moving, storage units can give you a place to store the things that are important to you.

Here's How To Prepare To Move Home

Are you thinking about moving home soon? This is always going to be a big decision and with it, there are some important steps to take. By taking the right steps, you can ensure that your home move is less stressful and far easier to cope with overall. Don’t forget, moving home is often ranked as one of the most challenging issues that you can face in adult life. So, it’s important to tackle it the right way. Here are some of the steps that we certainly recommend you consider. 

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Clear Out The Junk

There are a couple of reasons why this should be your first step. When you move home, you will need to hire a moval team and this can be expensive. The less furniture and items you need to move, the cheaper it will become. This means that you can spend more money on other areas such as improving or furnishing the new home that you buy. Furthermore, you can also avoid having to pack up various items that you’re probably going to get rid of in at least a couple of years anyway. Finally, by getting rid of items, you are also going to make your home look far more presentable. This is going to mean it will be easier to attract the attention of the right buyers and hopefully sell your home at a high price. Don’t forget you can hire a company like Dallas Junker to get rid of the extra property for you, saving you both time and effort. 

Fix The Issues

You should then explore your home for any issues and check for repairs that need to be completed. A lot of people will immediately explore renovating a home before they sell. But fixing seemingly minor issues is actually far more important than this. If you fail to fix the small problems that don’t bother you, then your home could be seen as a fixer-upper. That’s going to dramatically impact just how much a buyer might be willing to offer for your property. If you can’t fix the problems yourself, then it’s worth calling a professional to complete the job the right way. If you DIY, you need to make sure that you complete the job to a high standard of quality. Otherwise, you can run into the same problems. 

Let The Neighbors Know

Last but not least, you should let the neighbours that you are selling the home and ask them if they want to be part of the process. They might want to meet some of the potential buyers and buyers will appreciate this too. They like knowing who they are going to be living next door to because that can be part of the package for a home sale. It can be important to make sure that they know that the neighbours are friendly and safe. Again, this can make it more likely that they put down an offer on your property, leading to your home selling faster. 

Why Escaping To The Country Could Be Good For You

If you have been a city slicker for your entire life, you might be craving the peace and quiet of some countryside living. Moving to the country is a very stereotypical thing to do when you hit your mid-thirties, and you’re thinking about settling down to a gentler pace of life. As our kids grow older and we are reconsidering our priorities, we look to the countryside to help us start a new chapter. Rural or village life may sound idyllic, but you need to head on a few long weekends in the country before you make your mind up. Take a look at why escaping to the country could be good for you.

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 Moving Away From Work

Our work lives tend to be more frantic than ever. In the twenty first century, there is greater competition in every industry, and as you rise through the ranks in your career, you will find more responsibilities and stresses intrude on your home life. You might be working long hours, you may have an overbearing boss, and the targets that you are set may be unrealistic. Give yourself some physical distance between you and your work by moving further out into the country. You could even take advantage of a flexible working policy and work from home a little more.

Rural areas may not have cable so you need to source a reputable Internet service provider to give you the speed you need to hook up reliably to Zoom or Skype meetings with your work colleagues. Companies like Viasat have a range of comprehensive plans giving you fast download times and the data allocation that you need.

Open Air

Getting outside in the open air can be good for the soul. Being surrounded by greenery can be great for your mental health as the natural environment can lower your blood pressure, release endorphins and make you feel calmer and more content. Head for a stroll outside of the city, and you will feel your heart rate lower and your mind become less clogged with the stresses of everyday life. You can get the kids away from their video games and into the great outdoors a little more. They will relish spending time with you and enjoy your attention. Have a kickabout with a ball, fly a kite or go on a hike and a picnic.

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More For Your Money

While you might enjoy a small flat or modest house in the city, you can get a lot more for your money in the countryside. You could be swapping a leasehold apartment for a detached dwelling. This can help you get more space for your growing brood. You might have your own garden for your kids to play in. Schools can consist of better quality teaching, crime rates can be lower, and your neighborhood might feel more friendly. People in cities tend to keep themselves to themselves, and the neighborhood spirit isn’t as alive. In the countryside, you will know your neighbors’ names and become friends.

Consider moving to the country to improve your health and start a new life chapter.