There's a J In there… Somewhere!

No, we’re not moving house, at least not yet (we want to… if we can find somewhere to rent).

I have, however, moved many, many times in my life. Moving house is very stressful, and when you add in undiagnosed neurodivergence and chronic illness, this has only added to the stress!

Here are a few things I’ve picked up along the way.

• Make Your Bed – the first thing you do when you get to the new house is make your bed. This was something my Oma told to my parents, and they passed on to me. This has stood me in good stead. Usually, we roll up the bedding and put it in the back of the car so we can make the bed as soon as we arrive. This means that we can just collapse into bed at night, we don’t have to then think about making the bed!
• Kettle and tea making equipment – have a box or basket with the kettle, mugs, teabags, coffee, sugar, and anything else you need to make tea and coffee, both for yourself and any helpers. Again, carry this in your car so that you can have a cuppa during the day while you’re working. This way you don’t have to worry if boxes are being delayed or trying to find mugs when you arrive at the new house. Also include some toilet paper, just in case…
• Pack boxes by room – even if you’re not completely sorting things out, if boxes are packed by room, they can then be put into the rooms at the new house. I find they don’t have to be exact, just labelled per room, and an extra label if it contains fragile things.
• Sort as you pack, and especially as you unpack – often I find sorting things as I pack hard as I don’t always know what I’ll need at the new house… I do some sorting and decluttering as I pack, however I find more happens when I unpack at the other end.
• Outsource the move – whether you get removalists or friends and family to help, don’t try to do it all yourself. Moving is a big job and outsource what you can.
• Move bit by bit – if you get the keys a few days before you move everything, go in to the new house and do some cleaning and start taking some boxes. This can give a sense that things are happening, and also makes the task seem not quite so big. This is also an opportunity to do things like make sure there is toilet paper in the toilets and you know what room is for what purpose.
• Work out what is important – when you unpack, work out what is most important to you. Other than making the beds, I like to get the kitchen organised and books in the bookshelves. This helps me feel like I’m ‘home’. My brother comes in and sets up the TV and the tech for me, but it’s the bookshelves that help the place feel like home to me.
• Do what works for you – there are hundreds of articles with tips on how to make things go smoother for a move… my biggest tip is to do what works for you. It can feel completely overwhelming and it is a big job. If just chucking everything in boxes so they can just be moved takes some stress out, then do that. If employing people to pack up the house helps, then do that. If spending time packing and labelling boxes and marking them with QR codes so you know what is in every box works for you, then do it. It’s your move, so move your way.

If you are moving soon, I hope these tips help.