Moving isn’t easy, but you can do it with less stress.

Whether you’re just thinking about moving or you need to move in the next month; these tips will help you feel in control.

Give yourself a pat on the back for doing a bit of research about your upcoming move. Just the fact that you’re seeking out information about how to reduce stress during your move suggests that you are more on the ball than most other Canadians who face the same challenge. 

The fact is that the easiest way to let go during a move is to really think about what is going to happen. Even the most disorganized people enjoy visualizing what the future can hold when they are planning their move. Instead of getting lost in all the small details, follow these suggestions and you’ll find it easier to let go.

Here’s a few things to help make your move more smooth:

Draw Out Your Schedule

This visual exercise is going to give you a bird’s eye view of what to expect before and after your move. This exercise not only helps you better schedule your time, but gives you a tool to share with others who may be assisting with your move.

Budget Your Expenses

Numbers tend to scare a lot of people away from putting down some concrete expenses, but fear isn’t going to make the bills go away. It’s a great idea to think about how much money you can spend on your move — even if you’ve never done it before!

Use the basic budget builder below to help forecast what might be leaving your bank account. This exercise also helps you make more confident decisions. For example, if you know your budget is $2000 and the moving company quotes you $1250 — you know that this fits within your budget. 

Measure Your New Spaces

Again getting into your new space to do some measurements is going to give you the confidence you need to ensure you’re bringing ONLY what fits in the new space. There is no sense in you suffering over deciding whether or not to sell the old couch if you know right away it doesn’t even fit. We’ve even used green painters tape to build out room sizes in the old house to help visualize what furniture fits and what doesn’t.

Keep a List of To-Do’s

You know why this strategy rules the most? Because when someone offers to help you out, you’ll have a list already made to let them choose something to help with. Volunteers enjoy picking what they can do to help and you can feel great knowing that someone is looking after something that really needed to get done.

Acknowledge that You’re Going to Let Go

Letting go is a natural process of evolution. If you are moving, you are evolving. Your life is changing and your new environment is going to change how you live. You’re like a caterpillar who sheds their cocoon and comes out beautiful and new. Still letting go of items from our past is difficult. Try using the following questions to help when you come across difficult items.

How many times have you moved in your life?