Moving home is a big step in anyone’s life, whether it be for the first, second, or thousandth time. It’s often a lot harder than choosing the right savings account, or buying the right family car, or even just securing a mortgage. After all, you’ve got to pack up all your stuff and uproot yourself once again, and if you’ve got a family to take with you, you’ve got to unsettle them one more time as well! It’s a difficult period, and it’s rife with stress, and you’re never going to be sure if your moving process will go quite as smoothly as you want it to.
And because of that, it’s important we know about the most awkward and hard to deal with moments when it comes to moving home. There’s quite a few of them out there, and depending on the type of person you are, some are going to be a lot more trouble than others! But in general, the ones we’ve listed below are the most frustrating to have to take on.
So, if you’re about to find yourself a new home, or you know you have to relocate in the near future, make sure you’re aware of what could be the most stressful things to get on with. Let’s make sure you’re moving out and back in again with little to no hair ripped out of your head!
Not Really Knowing Where You’re Headed
Before you move home, you need to be sure you’re aware of where you’re headed. It’s no good trying to relocate your family on a stress free whim; moving home requires another home to move into! And aside from that, you need to be sure of what’s nearby as well, so you can factor convenience into your new home life.
Amenities make the area you’re moving to. If there’s no corner shop or convenience store nearby, you’re going to be using up a lot of your free time to fill the house with groceries on a regular basis. And not only that - the more you need to move around your new area, the more expensive the move is going to become, overall. When you look at that costly fuel bill whenever you fill up your car, it can be hard to justify the need to find a new home in the first place.
So, for just a quick example on the crucial importance of knowing your new area, think about sending your kids to a new school. Is there even one in the area? How many students are they already taking? Is there another school you could think about as well? Are either of them suitable for your children’s needs? How far away are they? What will it cost, and how long will it take, to commute there and back again? It’s questions like these you need to keep in mind before you settle on a decision for a new home.
Getting Your Vehicle in the Right Place
If you do have a car, or you have more than one in your family, it can be tricky to take them along with you. After all, if you’re sitting upfront in the moving truck, providing directions to the driver, you’re not going to be able to drive your own car at the same time! And a lot of people like to hitch a lift inside the vehicle that’s transporting all of their precious goods from one home to another.
And so, this is a very awkward situation to find yourself in. You’ve got a car that’s still sitting outside of your old place, and you need to be able to go back to get it as soon as possible. And yet, if you go anywhere on your own, you’ll have a family to leave behind, that’ll be in great need of a babysitter - if you take them with you, you’ll be hauling a lot of people back and forth unnecessarily.
Then you’ve got to plan out how you’ll be able to get back to your car; do you want to spend money on a taxi, or a train, or the bus? If you’ve got the kids as well, how much extra will their tickets be? Do you even have the cash to spare right now? You need to get something in for dinner tonight, after all!
And if you’re thinking of asking another person to jump in behind the wheel, there’s always a chance your insurance will go up the spout. If an accident occurs, or the person gets pulled over, and they’re not registered to drive your vehicle, you could have a legal headache to deal with in the near future as well.
Which is why, to remove the headache of needing to traipse back and forth, and to remove the time you’ll waste coming up with an efficient plan to do so, it might be worth it to budget in a car transport company. If you’re going to be moving home, and it’s going to take a lot more time to get your car to come along with you, hiring a professional to move it safely and efficiently is often the most cost effective way forward.
Damaging the Contents of Your Moving Boxes
Moving home can be very costly in terms of damages, and mostly, in terms of contents damage. After all, you can pack up your items in suitable moving boxes as best as you’re capable, but if they’re being tossed around and dropped all the time, those protective layers aren’t going to last very long. Even bubble wrap will pop all over under repeated pressure.
The most common damages come in the form of breakages - if you have a box full of kitchen crockery, it’s best to mark ‘FRAGILE’ all over the sides of the box, to ensure it’s handled carefully by anyone who picks it up. If you can, try to mix the items here and there; if you’ve got an heirloom from your grandmother to transport, and you know it’s an incredibly old and fragile piece, put it in one of the living room boxes, especially the one that’s filled with your sofa cushions.
All in all, your home contents can get damaged during a move, and unpacking a box to find it full of snapped and sharp pieces is the most stressful moment of all. Which means it’s important to know the reputation of the company you’re using, or how responsible and capable the friend or family member you’re relying on is. You need the right support underneath you right now, and if you can’t move all of your items yourself, you’ll have to entrust that burden to someone else.
Most of all, make sure you trust the person who’s loading all of your goods into the back of a moving van or truck, and that you’re sure of the kind of person they are. You can gain a good sense of this through your initial conversations, and the quote they provided you with when you called for their help. Do they seem overly expensive, based on other quotes you’ve gotten or advice you’ve received from loved ones who have moved before? Is their quote relatively cheap in comparison? You need to find a balance between these two extremes if you want peace of mind!
So, before you start loading up, think of a few questions like these: Are they a friendly in their manner? Do you feel at ease with giving them your packed up boxes? Do they spend time ensuring all of your contents are securely placed in the back of their vehicle? And from what you’ve seen of their driving skills, do you believe they’ll navigate safely and slowly whilst they undergo a job for you?
How Awkward Can Moving Be For You?
It very much varies, from person to person, and from situation to situation. After all, if you’re currently renting a place, and you’re simply moving to another rented accommodation, a lot of the paperwork is cut out of the process. You just need to finish up a tenancy, make sure your rent is paid, and then pack up and move on. And if it’s just you, you can be in and out within a day!
But if you’re moving into a home of your own, for the very first time, there’s a lot more to be getting on with. And if you’ve got a family to take with you, you’re going to have your work cut out for you. More than one person to pack for, as well as finalising a sale, paying up all your fees, and then making sure the home you’ve bought is as good as it was when you first surveyed it a couple of months ago.
All in all, moving home is an awkward process, with few reprieves here and there. Let’s make it less stressful!
Post a Comment