How Not to Get Overwhelmed by a Home Moving Checklist

The key to not becoming overwhelmed with any checklist is to:

• Make each task physically and mentally easier
• Exclude the items on the list that are not specific to your move
• Identify tasks that you have neither the ability nor skills to perform
• Allocate those tasks you cannot do to others
• Break down the remaining tasks into manageable chunks
• Set realistic time frames
• Reward yourself at the end of a completed task
• Get help when you need it

A quick glance at any home moving checklist is likely to overwhelm you before you have even packed your first moving box.

Yes, it seems like there are a million and one things to do, but don’t let the size of the entire process daunt you.

It really is not as bad as it looks.

The trick is to sort the wheat from the chaff.

To identify the moving tasks that need your attention and the ones that you can delegate, and to identify the jobs that it is essential to get right.

Look at the quick wins, the things that you can do today that will make your home move easier in the long run.

Break everything down into manageable chunks, not just the task but the entire checklist itself.

And most important is just to step back for a moment, and get out of the mindset that everything is a huge task and that everything has to be done today.

The bigger you perceive the problem to be the more overwhelming it becomes.

In this post, we will show you how to manage any home moving checklist, show you how to break down which of those tasks you can and can’t do yourself, which tasks it makes sense to hire someone to do, and how to manage your time effectively.

This is not going to be a list of moving tips for each and every home moving task, rather we will show you how to manage your home move to make it as easy as possible for you.

Why Do I Need a Checklist for Moving Home?

Trying to organise a home move in addition to having to do your usual day-to-day activities can be overwhelming.

It is easy to forget to do something or even to decide where to start in the moving process.

A moving checklist puts all your home moving tasks into a logical sequence with time frames that should be achievable.

If you set yourself impossible goals, you will fail and get demotivated.

If you set tasks for yourself that you have neither the skills nor the ability to carry out you will get frustrated, and even cause injury to yourself or damage to your property.

A home moving checklist is a vital tool so that you can literally see in front of you exactly what needs doing and when.

It allows you to allocate tasks to other people to lighten the burden on you. However, be sure to revisit the checklist and ensure others are doing what you have asked before ticking it off the list.

We have already created comprehensive home moving checklists that give you a good base to start from.

• Week-by-Week Home Moving Checklist
• The Ultimate Moving Home for the First Time Checklist
• Change of Address Checklist
• Moving Back to the UK: A Checklist for Expats
• Checklist of What to Do Between Exchange and Completion

Ways Not to Become Overwhelmed with a Moving Checklist

In this section, we will look in more depth at how you might narrow down the checklists, then reduce the number of things that need to be packed and moved, and finally decide how you will move your possessions to your new home.

What is Specific to Your Home Move?

There are going to be some home-moving tasks you cannot do for yourself for a number of reasons.

Equally, there will be some entries on the moving checklist that do not apply to you, such as you may own rather than rent a property.

Here are just a few likely reasons that make your home move unique to you but you need to make your own list so that you can narrow down that home moving checklist.

• Lack of time
• Physically unable to move heavy and large furniture
• You cannot drive a van
• Cannot afford a full-service removal company
• No friends or family to help you
• Moving without furniture and only a few boxes
• No pets
• No kids
• Not in a rented property

Now we will take that list you made and start crossing off tasks from the week-by-week home moving calendar and checklist, which we will use as an example, that it is not possible or necessary for you to do.

For example, you live in a house that is not rented. That ticks 6 tasks off our home moving checklist that does not apply to you.

You also have no kids or pets. That’s another 8 tasks ticked off from the checklist.

The size of your home move, the distance between your old and new home, your physical ability, or your budget, will determine how much help you will need to hire.

So if you can immediately decide that you are going to hire a full-service removal company then you have just ticked another 10 tasks off the moving checklist.

It may be cost-effective not to clean your rented flat before you leave. If your deposit and the cost of hiring professional cleaners to clean it for you are about the same, then you could decide to forgo your deposit. That’s another couple of tasks ticked off the checklist.

By the end of this exercise, you now have a home moving checklist that is specific to your move and has probably been significantly reduced.

These guides are essential reading if you are moving into or out of a rented home, with lots of practical and useful advice and tips to ensure that not only moving into or out of a rented place is easier and cheaper, but that you ensure that you get your deposit back:

• How to Move Out of a Rented Home
• How to Move Into a Rented Home

Declutter Your Home and Brain

 Whether your home moving budget is big or small, decluttering is an essential part of any home move.

The idea is to pack and move as few possessions as possible to make your home move cheaper and easier.

Normally it is recommended that you sort everything into 3 piles.

A pile for things to be recycled, a pile of things to go to charity shops, and a third pile for things that you could sell.

You may also like to read: The Epic Guide to Decluttering for a Home Move. In this guide, we take you through the process of decluttering your home room by room. We also look at how to let go emotionally of things that you may have owned for many years.

However, if that process seems overwhelming to you, then just decide that all the things you are not taking to your new home will either all go to a charity shop, or will all be sold at a car boot sale.

You may also like to read: The Ultimate Guide of Where to Donate Things When Moving Home. Broken down into types of household goods, this guide lists places and organisations that will happily take the things you no longer need and put them to good use. There are even organisations that will come and pick up those things for free.

So not only are you decluttering your home but you have decluttered your mind as well.

The idea is to make each task as simple as possible, mentally and physically.

If you ponder on all the stages of a task individually you will soon become overwhelmed and lose any motivation you had.

Another example: You may decide to pack your things yourself.

The thought of getting piles of moving boxes and packing materials, then taking the time to assemble the boxes, then disposing of all the boxes and packing materials after the move is overwhelming in itself.

So why not consider using plastic storage boxes instead? Quick and easy to pack, easy to stack, and no packing materials to get rid of after the move.

You may like to read: Alternative Packing Materials in which we look at the subject of using plastic tote boxes as moving boxes in more depth as well as suggest some things around the home that could be used for packing and moving things to your new home.

One Day at a Time Home Moving Checklist

So now you have a checklist that is specific to your home move, you have identified the tasks that you are going to do and you have significantly reduced the number of things you are packing and moving.

Now only focus on this day’s or week’s tasks.

Don’t look at the checklist in its entirety.

There may be only 2 things you need to get done in preparing for moving day this week.

Decide what works for you and your schedules when deciding when to do those tasks.

You could allocate 2 hours a day or 2 half days a week. Whatever works for you.

Rarely is it possible or even a good idea to try to tackle a big task in one day. But if you have the time and it works for you to do those big jobs all in one day, great.

But it is important that the timeframe you allocate for that job is realistic and achievable.

Start missing a few deadlines and you will soon become demotivated and feel overwhelmed again.

And set time aside for yourself or reward yourself in some small way once you have reached your goal.

For the big jobs, like decluttering, set yourself small, achievable goals, like decluttering a specific cupboard or room. Reward yourself, then set your next goal and go for it.

Playing music is often a great motivator when working, so stick your favourite radio station on and sing along, it will make whatever task you are doing so much more enjoyable.

Set reminders on your phone. So, on Monday morning you get a reminder that XYZ tasks need to be completed this week. You could then set up reminders for each task on the specific days or times you have allocated to do that job.

It is easy to ignore or even forget to look at your home moving checklist, so these electronic alarms or reminders are really useful to set up to keep you on track.

You could even set alarms for when you need to start or stop a certain task. Again, it is all about making it easier for you, and finding out what works best for you.

Learning time management is just one of the many skills you will need when moving home.

Because most of us lead a full life with very little spare time anyway, it often makes the home move so much easier when a good removal company is hired to do the packing and moving for you.

You may like to read: How to Pick a Good Removal Company: The Ultimate Step-by-Step Guide. Picking the right removal company for your move is not an easy undertaking so here we have produced a step-by-step guide with real examples to help you navigate this important home moving task.

A professional packing team will have your things packed in usually less than a day, it could take you many weeks to do the same task and you would be living amongst all those moving boxes during the packing process.

And in the scheme of things, what it costs for a professional packing team is exceptional value for money.

You may also like to read: Are Professional Packing Services Worth the Cost? In this guide, we examine what professional packers do, how much they cost, and whether it makes sense to hire them for your particular home move.

Of course, not everyone has the money nor a large number of items to pack, so you may consider asking friends or family to help you.

The point is to not be afraid to seek help in the tasks that you will struggle to get done yourself.

You may also like to read: 22 Really Useful Ways to Help a Friend Move Home. Moving heavy furniture and boxes is not everyone’s idea of a fun day so here we suggest 22 ways in which friends and family can help you move home without having to lift a thing. It may also help you cross a few more things off your home moving checklist.

And the final piece of advice is to start the home-moving process as soon as you can.

Time flies and the less time you devote to your home move the more overwhelming and stressful it will be.

You can find comprehensive home moving tips in our blog for every aspect of your home move.

A few hours spent browsing them could not only save time but money and many of the tips will ensure that you have as stress-free a home move as possible.

Good luck with your home move, stay calm and focused, take one day at a time, stick to the schedule, and all will be well.