MOVING IS STRESSFUL no matter which way you cut it. How can you keep that stress to a minimum?
Each fortnight, Laura de Barra brings her lifestyle and home maintenance expertise to the Glenveagh Home Magazine on TheJournal.ie – and this week she’s sharing her advice for making the task of moving a little more bearable and, dare we say, pleasant.
The first few nights in a new place are always a struggle.
There’s the monstrous task of unpacking to do, and there will inevitably be a few surprises that crop up. Being able to keep as much of your regular routine as you can and have access to your usual home comforts are key to keeping stress to a minimum – and also make the process more enjoyable.
Here are my top tips for ensuring the beginning of life in your new home is as good as it can be.
1. Pack yourself a three-night kit
To begin, there are some kits you need to prepare before you move. Each one will help enormously once you are in and keep you prepared, organised and always in reach of a glass of wine.
I promise you’ll thank me for this. Designate a suitcase and a couple of boxes to your first three nights and days in your new home. This will help you avoid rummaging through boxes and bags when you first move to find your PJs, face wash, tea and so on. It also helps you keep to your routine during this hectic time, which is super important! You’re already under enough pressure.
This three-day kit should include:
Clothing, underwear, socks, even an iron, for three days and nights. Think about what you’ll need from head to toe.
Bed linens, towels.
Kitchen items that you would use every morning and evening – perhaps it’s a juicer, cafetière, favourite mug, a set of crockery and cutlery per person moving, tea or coffee, wine glasses… don’t forget washing up liquid and a tea towel.
Chargers and tech accessories you need daily.
Toiletries you usually use morning and evening. Don’t forget things like toilet paper and hand wash for the bathrooms. The alternative isn’t worth it.
If you’re a regular gym goer or runner, have those items in there too for ease.
Your favourite candle or diffuser is always nice to have in this kit. It’s a really nice touch for your first night in a new home.
Heed my warning on this one: a pen and paper are things you should have in this kit. You’ll use them!
Dishwasher tablets, if applicable, and laundry detergent. Even if it’s a pouch or two.
Lastly, think of the things you use daily in your life, the above is just a suggestion as everyone is different. You should start with the schedule you have following move in day and go from there.
One fab thing is that you can use this three night kit for the last three nights in your old home as well. Handy. It means you can pack everything up before you move and still know you’re covered and won’t be having to pop open boxes last minute to get a corkscrew out.
2. Get ready for first aid and DIY emergencies
A first aid kit is great to have to hand should any scrapes or cuts happen during the move. It doesn’t need to be huge, mainly plasters, sanitizing products, painkillers, tweezers (hello, splinters) and eye rinse.
Keep a small DIY kit handy in case there are some minor repairs needed before you unpack, such as tightening of furniture or shelves. Heavy duty DIY gloves will be a life saver here as well.
Pack a cleaning kit. Even if your new property was professional cleaned the day before, there will still be a layer of dust or some missed areas. Have some cloths, cleaning products (go natural with vinegar, bicarbonate of soda, and lemon, as these are multi-use, cheap and kind) rubber gloves, bin bags and recycling bags in a box for your first few hours in the property. You won’t want to place your stuff on anything dusty and it’s always nice to give everything a wipe down before you settle in.
3. Cleanse the air
Scoff if you like, but one true way I believe to have a lovely start in a new home is to cleanse the air of negative energy through smoking. Put your cigs away, here you need to use palo santo or sage, depending on the size of space.
There are so many tutorials for this online and it’s easy to do. You basically walk around the entire space and allow the smoke to flow over all areas. This is said to remove negative energy from previous occupants and give you a fresh start.
Even if you don’t believe in the benefits, physically walking around the space into every corner, will have mental benefits. It helps you to feel ownership and awareness of the property. It’s also a nice way to start off on move in day. These herbs are both over harvested, so please source ethically and be warned that sage will most likely set the smoke alarm off.
4. And prepare some tactics for when your motivation drops
This may actually be the hardest part of moving. Days of packing and unpacking will result in moments where you will lose motivation and wish it was all over. This is normal, and it is okay to feel like this. We are hardwired to feel a little uncomfortable during upheaval. Minimising feelings of stress is vital around move in time and is easy to achieve with some prep.
Here are some things that help me to keep these meltdown moments at bay:
Have some podcasts downloaded. You probably won’t have wifi in your new place yet, so downloading these in advance will mean some easy listening while you unpack. It’s also good to have some other content downloaded for when you finish unpacking for the day, such as a favourite show to look forward to. If you are moving to another city, a podcast about the history of that city or things to do there is always a great way to get excited and informed about your new home.
This may sound simple, but when you’re feeling overwhelmed, repeat three positive reasons for the move to yourself. It’s proven that repeating something like this can actually lift us out of a temporary slump and I also feel it can spur us on.
When you make your moving schedule, be super conscious of any potential moments you know you may find hard and ear mark these. Only you will spot these best and it’s good to be aware of them instead of avoiding thinking about them or approaching them unprepared. Planning something rewarding or soothing, like meeting a friend after you unpack the kitchen, can keep you focused on the time after rather than the task at hand.
Make a playlist of your favourite songs to lift your mood when packing and unpacking. Something high energy can be good for when you need to get a lot done, but I also find a classical playlist can help me if I am doing a late night of flat packing.
Feeling organised, prepared and ready is one of the biggest motivators you will have here. I promise.
Laura de Barra’s book, Gaff Goddess, will be published in February 2020 by Transworld Ireland. Pre-order it here – and follow her on Instagram for even more cleaning and lifestyle tips.
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