How to Minimise Stress during Your Move
Moving house is stressful, there, I’ve said it.
It’s one of the most stressful things you can go through as an adult but trust me when I say that you can and will come out of the other side with your sanity intact!
We have some top tips here at McCarthy’s to help you keep it together when all you really want to do is curl up into a ball with your fingers in your ears, humming a tune until it all goes away…
Tip Number One!
Please, if you haven’t already; get in touch with a mortgage advisor. I speak from experience when I say that they will help you navigate the waters of house buying, especially if it’s your first time. Personal recommendations are the best way of finding the right mortgage advisor so ask around. If you know somebody who has recently moved house, ask them who they used and if they would recommend them. The same goes for solicitors; and remember you don’t have to use the solicitors the estate agents recommend, they could be all the way in Timbuktu and it wouldn’t matter! This is the beauty of technology!
You want to be confident that they’ll look after you; it’s a big commitment and the weight that will be taken off your shoulders having a good mortgage adviser and solicitor that you trust is HUGE.
Tip Number Two!
Don’t assume that what you had to move last time is the same amount to move this time –many people (I myself am very much included in this!) accumulate more stuff over the years than they realise.
So having a professional removal company take care of it for you will make the day go much more smoothly; especially if you have young children or it’s complicated access to the property. A lot of removal companies will also offer a packing service which can help take away even more of the stress!
Tip Number Three!
Take your time. Do everything in advance or as far in advance as is feasible. We know that dates can be sprung upon you out of the blue, it’s unfortunately very common in today’s world of house buying, BUT if you already have your removal cost in place you’re in a much better position. Realistically if you’re in a full 3 bedroom house or bigger we’ll need to make a visit to come out to see you. Depending on our availability and how flexible you can be, the appointment could be anywhere from the next day up to the following week. So it’s advisable to have your quotation in place so that when the time comes to book, all you need to do is…book! Easy peasy!
Tip Number Four!
Store any and all of your important documents; such as passports, house deeds, wills, insurance papers, building regulations, your own personal check list (the list goes on!) in one box or file to make sure it’s all in one place, ready for when you need it! If you can also find the time to create and keep scanned copies, that won’t hurt either. You never know when you might be asked for something and being able to have it to hand stops the panicky feelings of ‘oh no, did I accidentally throw it away!!!!’ (Again, I speak from experience…)
Tip Number Five!
Take time out to enjoy the process and remember that while it can take its toll, the outcome of your hard work will be a new home for you and your family. Have a bath, go out for a meal, chill out with a good book/film and glass of wine or if you enjoy exercise go for a swim or a run in the fresh air. Whatever it takes to blow away the cobwebs and let your mind relax for an hour or so will do you the world of good.
Cheers!
