What to do When you Have Nobody to Help you Move Home

According to www.statistica.com, there are 7.9 million people who live alone in the UK.

And about 7 million UK adults have no close friends reports www.relate.org.uk   

That is a lot of people who do not have a support network around them, who have nobody that can offer the physical and emotional help that is often so badly needed when you face a huge challenge like moving home.

Many of these people will be moving home over the coming year and will inevitably want to know ‘how to move home by yourself’.

But rarely do home moving guides take that question literally. The majority of articles will tell you how to move home with the help of family or friends.

They assume that you have strong and willing people around you to help move heavy and large furniture, or who can offer a shoulder to cry on when the emotions of moving home become just too much to bear on your own.

But we want to take the question ‘how to move home on your own’ literally. We want to answer the questions ‘how to move with no help’, ‘how do you make moving home easier when you have no friends or family to help you’.

Obviously, if money is not an issue then hiring a full-service removal company will make your home move super easy. They will come and pack up all your possessions, disassemble your furniture, load then unload all your things, reassemble your furniture, and even unpack for you in your new home.

But for many people on their own, they will not have the ability to afford the easy home move that a full-service removal company will give them.

However, if you are only moving a few key pieces of furniture and some boxes then hiring a removal company can be an affordable option for some people. You can find out just how cheaply a removal company can move a small load by getting an instant quote.

For many though, moving home on their own with absolutely no help, as cheaply and easily as possible, is the reality of their relocation.

So in this week’s home moving blog, we look at moving home on your own, what to do when you have no one to help you move, from preparing to move home, to moving day and beyond.

We also look at not only the physical aspect of moving home, but offer tips on how to cope with the emotions of moving home when you are all alone. Finally, we will examine how to adjust to living in a new home, and in a new area on your own.

Moving and Packing Tips for Moving Without Help

Moving home on your own is a big undertaking, not only have you still got your everyday tasks to deal with, but also the upheaval of moving home, and all the work and stress that that entails.

These home moving tips will help you create a moving plan, as well as give you practical tips to make your home move more manageable.

#1 Declutter

Before you do anything else, the one task that will make your home move easier and cheaper is to get rid of all the possessions that you no longer need or want.

Being ruthless when you sort through your things is often easier said than done, but if you consider the last time you wore or used that item, whether you really need it or if you really love it, or if it is cheaper and easier to replace it than take it with you, then the process of decluttering will be easier.

If at all possible you will want to move with very little if any furniture at all.

Whilst moving furniture on your own is possible (we will cover this later), it will be far easier to move by yourself if you just take boxes and clothes with you to your new place.

You could create a floor plan to determine if any piece of furniture you want to take fits into the available space in your new home.

The items that you decide to get rid of can be donated to charity or sold. You may even make enough money selling your unwanted things to be able to hire a good removal company to transport your things to your new home.

Must read:

• The Epic Guide to Decluttering for a Home Move in which we go through every aspect of decluttering to make your home move quicker and cheaper.
• Small Moves: Moving With no Furniture in which we offer practical tips and explain in more detail why moving home with no furniture makes sense for many people.
• Where to Donate Things contains useful contact details of places where you can donate all your unwanted household items

#2 Home Moving Checklist and Calendar

Next, you should use a home moving checklist and calendar to plot each home moving task, and the order that they need to be done in, to make your move as easy and stress-free as possible.

The more organised your home move is, the less chance that you will forget to do an important task, or even worse, realise that moving day is upon you and you still have a mountain of packing to do.

A moving checklist and calendar will ensure that you prepare for moving day in a logical sequence of events so that come moving day, you are properly prepared.

Must have: Week-By-Week Moving Calendar and Checklist which is free to download and ensures that you never forget an important home moving task.

#3 Packing Tips for Moving By Yourself

Using small boxes to pack your things into will make lifting and moving them so much easier. Although the moving mantra ‘the heavier the item the smaller the box’ always applies, I would suggest packing everything in small and medium-sized boxes for ease of handling.

Save not only money, but the planet, by using alternative packing materials such as clothes, blankets, and towels instead of bubble wrap and packing paper.

If you can get boxes that require no packing tape then that is even better, they are quicker to assemble, no expensive packing tape is required, and there is no waste to dispose of once you have unpacked them.

Pack each box considering how to make unpacking as easy and quick as possible. By that, we mean that if you are packing the contents of the bathroom cabinet and know that they will go into a bathroom cabinet in your new home, pack that into one box.

If you keep all your kitchen utensils in one drawer, and will have the same arrangement in your new home, then just use one box for one box drawer.

If you are leaving behind the furniture but taking the contents of your sock drawer for example, then these can be put into a carrier bag rather than boxing them.

Using strong rubbish sacks or carrier bags is particularly useful if you are moving by car as they fit into the irregular shape of the car so much easier than boxes.

Ensure that you clearly label your moving boxes and bags so that you know exactly what is in each box and which room they go into at your new place.

Our award-winning home moving blog contains numerous guides on how to pack any item in your home, be sure to visit it if you are packing things to move yourself.

#4 Moving Furniture on Your Own

In an ideal world, you would not be taking any furniture or appliances with you as moving either on your own is neither easy nor safe.

However, there are some home moving tools that make moving furniture and appliances easier.

A sack barrow, or hand cart, will allow you to move numerous boxes at once, or even appliances and furniture. You can even hire ones from tool-hire shops that go up and downstairs.

A furniture dolly is a flat platform with wheels that makes moving appliances and furniture easier. The dolly is slipped under the object and allows you to wheel it to the removal van. They can be hired from most tool hire shops.

It will also make furniture easier to move if you can dismantle it or take out shelves and drawers.

Ensure that if you are moving furniture or appliances to your new home and have hired a van that it has a tail lift, or comes with ramps, there is no chance that you will load appliances or large pieces of furniture without them.

Also consider that where you park the van, when both loading and unloading, will need sufficient space to operate the ramps or tail lift.

Must read:

• Essential Home Moving Tools in which we offer a list of tools and furniture moving equipment that you will find invaluable to have handy on moving day.
• Everything You Need to Know About Self-Drive Hire Vans. From loading to driving to licence requirements, this is a comprehensive guide to hiring a self-drive van.

#5 Move Over Multiple Days

If at all possible, this will make moving by yourself so much easier.

Move your things over a number of days.

This may involve storing stuff in a garage or hiring a storage unit. If you are renting a new place then maybe you could have a period of overlap between your old lease expiring and your new lease starting.

This way you can move things at your own speed.

How to Deal With the Emotions of Moving Home When on Your Own

Not only have you got to deal with the physical aspect of moving home, but also the emotional one.

We are often far more emotionally attached to our home than we realise, and moving to an unknown place can affect us in many ways.

The great thing about moving home is that it either signals the end of an unhappy period or the beginning of an exciting new chapter in our lives.

It gives us the opportunity to improve our quality of life, to expand our social circle, to have new experiences, and to create new memories.

If you are moving from a place where you have no family or friends then the home move could be to move closer to family or it could be an opportunity to find new ways to broaden your social circle, or get involved in a hobby, or volunteering work for example.

Just as we decluttered the home, moving is a great time to declutter the mind. Relocating is a great time to clear out bad old memories and leave them behind.

Equally, you should not forget that just because you are moving, that the good memories have to stay behind too. The good memories will always be with you, they take no packing nor space in the removal van, so you can take every good memory with you.

So focus on the positive aspects of your home move, on all the reasons why this home move makes such good sense, take time to say goodbye to your home, then look forward to your new future and the wonderful opportunities ahead of you.

As part of your home move preparations get to know your new neighbourhood.

Use Streetmap or social media to become familiar with the new area.

Streetmap will allow you to see local landmarks and to get acquainted visually with the area. Then when you move there it will at least seem a little familiar, you will have a general layout in your mind of the neighbourhood.

Most places have a social media page that you can join. Not only can you see what the locals are talking about, but you can ask for recommendations of places and activities that interest you.

Social Media is great, especially if you are shy or nervous about meeting new people. It allows you to form a social circle without needing to meet them face to face, and you always have the option of blocking people should you so wish.

Just be wary about disclosing any personal details that may compromise your security.

When moving to a new area you may be apprehensive about your safety so contact the local neighbourhood watch, or community Police officers, who will be able to give you reassurance and advice.

The sooner you become familiar with your new surroundings the less chance there is that you will experience relocation depression or even culture shock.

And the same applies to your new home. Make it as familiar and comfortable as you can as quickly as you can.

Having a few familiar things around you will be comforting, also try to establish routines as soon as you can, all these little things will help you settle in quicker.

Not all of us are extroverts, or even enjoy meeting new people, so moving to a new place can be unnerving.

But just by taking regular walks at the same time every day, you will soon get to see the same faces, and saying a polite hello will soon make you feel like you belong in your new neighbourhood.

The same with the neighbours, you don’t need to throw a huge home warming party if that is not your style, just say Hi whenever you see them if that is more comfortable for you.

That said, moving home can be a great opportunity to move outside of our comfort zone and do things that we would not normally do. If we want, we can let it be the catalyst to having the life and being the person we want to be.

You may also like to read:

• How to Move Out of a Home You Love in which we look at different ways to cut the attachment you have with your old home.
• What is the Fear of Moving and How to Get Over It in which we look at what is scary about moving home and how we can overcome those fears.
•  Help! – I Can’t Settle in my New Home in which we look at why you may feel unsettled, and how to make your new place feel like you belong.

Why You Shouldn’t Ask Friends for Help Moving Home

So far we have looked at moving home on your own because you have no friends or family to help you.

But even if you do have friends and family that can help you move, it is not always such a good idea to ask for their help. Here’s why.

#1 They Won’t Turn Up on Moving Day

It is amazing the number of friends and family who suddenly have a really urgent thing to do on the day they agreed to help you move, or they just plain ‘forget’.

Equally, they soon discover on moving day that they have neither the strength, stamina nor skills that are required to help you move home.

We get dozens of calls every day from people moving home who urgently need a removal company because their friends and family have not shown up, or have given up halfway through a move, or who have managed to wedge a settee in a doorway and cannot get it out.

At the end of the day, nobody will be as reliable as you or a professional moving company when it comes to moving day.

#2 Moving Day Costs Friendships

As much as you will try not to get stressed, moving day can be stressful.

You will need to constantly manage what they are doing so that they know how to load the van and where to put the things in your new home.

As you and your friends get tired, and the day gets longer and longer, it is inevitable that bickering starts and could even lead to a permanent falling out.

#3 No Accountability

As well-intentioned as your friends and family are, they are not a professional removal team. If they damage your items, your old or new home, you have no recourse.

Also, they will be more relaxed when it comes to timekeeping, they will not have the sense of urgency that you and a removal company will have. When they need a rest, they will do so, and may even slope off home before the move is complete.

You have no control over that, unless you don’t mind falling out with them over it.

#4 Moving Home is Dangerous

Moving home is not easy. Moving heavy boxes and furniture all day, especially if you are not used to physical work, will often result in injury.

Do you really want to be responsible for your friend being off work for the next 6 months because of a back injury?

Then there is the potential damage that they could cause to your belongings or to your home. You will need to ensure that you have the proper insurance in place to cover such eventualities as the associated costs could be significant.

And whilst on the subject of insurance, bear in mind that many insurers will not cover items that you have packed and moved yourself so check your insurance policy carefully.

So whilst having friends and family to potentially help you move home can be a blessing, it can also be a liability.

Do you really want to risk your friendships, their health, or put your precious belongings and home at risk of damage?

So moving without the help of family or friends is possible, and from some perspectives is even desirable.

Of course, many things affect your home moving decisions, your finances, and your physical ability to move home alone being the two most obvious and key considerations.

Many people choose to pack their things themselves then hire a removal company to physically move them, which is often the most cost-effective, safest, and best way to move home.

If you must move home entirely on your own then moving as few possessions as possible, over a few days, is the best and least stressful way of doing so.

And, if finances allow, or you cannot physically pack and move alone, then hiring a full-service removal company will always be the best option.

Good luck with your home move, and we hope you will have many wonderful years in your new home.