Minimalist Moving Tips

Moving homes is so stressful. I have moved a number of times and whilst moving and trying to be a minimalist I have learnt some things that I thought may be useful to share to help anyone out there who is going to be moving soon, anything to make the stressful moving experience even a little easier!

Tip 1:

Let's start with the basics... to move properties you will need boxes to pack your stuff into. My opinion is that buying boxes is a waste of money and isn't always sustainable. Before you opt to jump online and order some boxes marketed as 'moving boxes' have a look around to see if you actually already have some boxes that could be used. Next, ask friends and family if they have any boxes you can use (remember you will only be using these boxes during your move then will want to get rid of them so borrowing them anyway is better and less wasting money is always great). Something that I have done every time I have moved is to pop into big supermarkets and ask if they have boxes you can have. This has always been successful for me because they are always so willing to give you boxes that their stock comes in because its just one less job for them to have to flat pack them and dispose of them anyway. Over time, I have learnt that banana boxes seem to be very strong so I tend to ask for these. You can also ask other local stores and even schools. Reach out on social media or if you know of someone who has moved recently themselves they may have some boxes you could have. If you are struggling have a look on GumTree and/or Facebook market place to see if anyone is listing any boxes for free or at least very cheap!

Tip 2:

Moving homes forces you to have to look through pretty much everything you own so why not use that time to do some decluttering? Why not make a stressful and often tedious time become beneficial for you? I would suggest months or weeks before moving you start working your way through your belongings and begin deciding if there is anything you no longer want, need or have used in a while. Of course, sell these things or donate/recycle them! The fewer items you have, the less stressful and time-consuming packing and moving will be!

Tip 3:

Dedicate a space in your home or a room if you can where you can put all of your packed boxes. This way you can comfortably carry on living in the rest of your home until you move without falling over boxes. It's really hard to occupy a space alongside a load of boxes!

Tip 4:

Allow yourself ample time! When you walk around your home you may have thoughts like 'Oh I don't have too much stuff, packing won't take long' but trust me it always takes more effort and time than your originally think. Moving is quite intense both mentally and physically, especially if you do it all on one day. I would suggest chunking the work down and doing bits each day on the lead up to your move.

Tip 5:

If you are quite organised and have packed up a lot of your stuff weeks before moving then make sure you leave items you may need in an accessible place. The last thing you want is to need an item and then have to undo your hard work and unpack boxes to find it!

Tip 6:

Start cleaning as you go. You will most certainly regret leaving all of the cleaning of your home until the final evening/morning of moving. To combat this, it's a good idea to clean the high traffic areas and rooms in your home a few times within the final few weeks of your occupancy to bring these to a baseline level of cleanliness. This means the final clean can instead be much easier and will make the moving out process just that little bit less stressful, especially if you're a renter and the cleanliness of the property is crucial in receiving your whole deposit back.

Tip 7:

Try to accept bittersweet feelings and focus on the positives. I have felt sad before that I am moving out of a property for various reasons but there is always a reason you're moving and things in your new property that you can look forward to - maybe you're relocating to a new area or will be closer to family and friends!

I hope these tips helped you! Happy moving!

Thank you for reading,

Hayley