Moving Day - exciting or stressful?
Moving into a new property is supposed to be an exciting time. Whether you're moving into your first flat, student accommodation or this is the 4th time you've relocated, it's hard not to get a bit giddy with excitement at the prospect of moving and having a new home to make your own. At least, it would be if moving wasn't so stressful!
The stress of moving
According to research by MoneySuperMarket, for most people, moving isn’t a time of excitement, it’s a time of unexpected payments, solicitor meetings, and hair-tearing stress.
Of the people surveyed by the price comparison website, 86% said that they found their most recent move to be a stressful experience, while 55% said they thought the experience was more stressful than they had ever anticipated. When responding, those answering the survey would often use the words draining and frustrating to describe their move.
Not only is moving more stressful than people anticipate, it is also more expensive, with Brits spending £17 billion (!) in unexpected costs. 39% described the cost of moving as being more expensive than they initially expected it to be as a result of hidden solicitor, Land Registry and mortgage fees. People who are moving into a newly purchased property tend to spend on average £6,000 more than they had expected, while renters tend to spend £3,000 more.
MoneySuperMarket also asked how people funded these unaccounted expenses. 63% of people surveyed dipped into their savings to finance their move, 16% used a credit card and 11% asked their parents for financial assistance. Needless to say that these financial burdens do nothing to ease the stress of moving.
Tips for taking the hassle out of moving
While at CPS Homes we can’t guarantee a completely stree-free moving experience, we can offer some advice that might make the process a little bit easier.
The key tip to remember when preparing to move home is to get organised early; all of our advice branches off from this. Make a plan of action for what you need to do before moving, including packing, cleaning the property and arranging how you’re going to move your stuff. Write everything down and check them off once you’ve finished them.
Over the course of a year, or a lifetime, or however long you’ve lived in your current home, everyone tends to amass a lot of possessions, most of which can be classified as junk. Most of this stuff is going to take up valuable space when you’re packing, so now is the perfect opportunity to get rid of all the tat that you no longer need. Donate items to charity, sell them on sites such as Gumtree or Ebay, or give stuff to friends… Basically, either engage with your inner-philanthropist, or make a bit of money. Either way, you’ll thank yourself for reducing the amount of stuff you need to take with you to your new home.
Now that you know exactly what items you want to take with you, it’s time to begin packing and labelling your possessions. While it’s common practice to write down what’s in a box or bag, it is also handy to write down which rooms each box is going into. Numbering your boxes can also ensure you know you have everything, just be sure you don’t skip a number! If you have time, you can also write down in a Word document what is in each numbered box, especially if you’re not unpacking everything immediately or putting some boxes in storage. This way if you need one specific boxed item, a quick keyword search will tell you which box to track down.
The day you move - let’s be honest - you’re not going to spend hours unpacking; you’re going to order a takeaway and fall asleep on your mattress even if it doesn’t have covers. That’s why you should prepare a moving kit for the day of your move. Get a small bag that you can carry with you all day and fill it with snacks, toiletries, some underwear and anything else that may be an essential. It gives you a free pass for not unpacking on the day.
Even though it can be stressful, moving into a new home is extremely gratifying, and you generally get to move to a new, nicer neighbourhood. If you’re looking to get on the property ladder, why not take a look at our properties for sale in the Cardiff area, including Cardiff Bay? For more information on any of our properties, contact us online, or pop into one of our branches.
The information contained within this article was correct at the date of publishing and is not guaranteed to remain correct in the present day.
