How to Manage a Last-Minute House Move
Moving house requires a lot of organisation. When you find yourself facing a house move at the last minute, it's easy to descend into panic. Fortunately, following a few tips can make the process less daunting.
Set Your Expectations
While remaining determined to do the job well, you need to accept that things may feel disorganised. Setting your expectations now and embracing the chaos can stop you from feeling stressed. When you feel less stressed, you're less likely to panic.
Book a Removal Firm Immediately
Create a rough inventory of what's in your house, and then book a removal firm. Many interstate removal services are adept at handling last-minute house moves. They may accept the booking and ask you to call back when you have a clearer inventory, but at least you'll have a firm in place.
Pool Your Resources
Before you start ordering boxes online, reach out to friends and family to see if they have any. A lot of people have spare boxes from home deliveries or their last move. The more resources you can pull together, the less time you have to spend waiting for your own box delivery.
Declutter Mercilessly
A last-minute move can make the temptation to just throw everything together and go feel overwhelming. But decluttering won't take much of your time if you take a merciless approach. It can reduce the cost of your move and the effort involved on the day. Get rid of anything you haven't used for a while, any broken items, and anything you've outgrown. To make this easier, you can declutter as you pack each box.
Pack Room by Room
You're probably still working and may not be able to take time off. If this is the case, adopt the mindset of packing room by room. Taking this approach makes the task feel less overwhelming, and it's easier to track your progress. Pack everything except a few essentials that you can keep using until the big day arrives.
Arrange Child and Pet Care
If necessary, ask friends and family if they can care for your little ones and pets the night before you move. When you're moving at the last minute, you're likely to have items that you still need to organise. This becomes much easier when you don't have to worry about children and pets.
While the days leading up to your move and the day itself are likely to flash by in a blur, making the most of every moment is essential. Before you know it, you'll be in your new home and unpacking.