Six Moving Hacks to Make You Less Stressed

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BONUS FREEBIE: Want even more ways to stay organized, productive and less stressed? Click here to get access to my List-Making Starter Kit. It will boost your efficiency and get you back to doing more of the things you love.

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Moving is one of those things that seems destined to be stressful. It can be emotional, hectic, unpredictable, chaotic… you get it. But what if it didn’t have to be that way?

I’ve moved two times in the past year, and I want you to know that it is possible to make moving a little easier.

Here are my moving hacks:

1. Set yourself up for success.

The truth is that you probably have a ton of stuff in your home right now that you don’t use and don’t need. And when you’re actually packing up to move, you may not have time to be making decisions about what to save, what to toss, and how to organize what you’re keeping. You can set yourself up for so much less anxiety if you organize and get rid of what you don’t need before it’s time to pack.

In fact, before my husband and I moved out of the Manhattan apartment we’d lived in for almost ten years, we hired professional organizers to help us get everything in order. We used Swoon Spaces and they made our lives so much easier. Once we’d pared down to the essentials, it was so much easier to find and use everything. We spent about five hours with the organizers and when they left, they took all the things we decided not to keep and donated them for us. Doing this ahead of time means you’re moving less stuff, unpacking less stuff, and you’re not buying things you don’t need or can’t find.

Check out the recent television interview I did with PIX11 News in NYC with my best tips for moving.

2. Chunk your tasks — and be realistic.

This comes from my time as a TV producer. I would always work backward from the deadline for a segment going on air. It’s the same for moving. Once you know your moving day, you can begin creating lists with respect to all the deadlines — calling the movers, reserving an elevator if you live in an apartment building, etc. 

Then, aim to give yourself (and other people who are involved with the move) a couple of things each day. These should be realistic tasks that you can actually get done in the time you have.

3. Get out ahead.

When I moved from Miami back to New York, I shipped a bunch of things ahead of time with a company called Lug Less. They ship luggage and you can just fill up a suitcase and send it off. The only thing to note is that the luggage actually arrived a little ahead of schedule — just something to factor in. 

I also recorded an episode of my live-stream show Inside Scoop all about moving and how to do it without pulling your hair out. Check it out here. 

5. Label everything. 

Whether or not you hire movers, make sure that your boxes are labeled by room. If you do have movers, like I did, having color-coded sticky notes on each box (green for the kitchen, etc.) means that your movers won’t have to ask you where each box goes. I set up a little key on the wall with the color for each room and that meant I was freed up to work on other tasks while the movers went to work. The movers loved it too!

I also went a step further and made a searchable spreadsheet noting what was in each box. So for example, if I needed a spatula, I could search “spatula” in my spreadsheet and find that exact box it was in. That made things so much easier in the first few days!

6. Sort by “need now” and “need later.”

When you move, there will be some items you need right away and others that you won’t need for weeks or months. Labeling boxes by priority was another way I made sure I could easily access the most important things without having to open every single box. 

Another way I made things easier on myself was by packing overnight bags. That way, my husband and I had a few days worth of clothes and essentials so that we had what we needed separate from all the boxes. 

7. Optimize your space.

One of the best things I did before I moved was hire a virtual designer. It was more affordable than you might think! I used a company called Havenly. You send them the dimensions of the room and what you’re using it for, and they help you think about furniture and arrangements. This really helped me figure out what pieces should go where — and what I needed to buy to make it work for my needs. And don’t think you need to own a home to invest in this kind of service. I’m renting right now and it was so useful in helping me make the most of my office. 

Whether you just want some professional advice on storage or you need people to come in and actually install a whole organization system (which I did when I owned an apartment in NYC!), I highly recommend having a professional help you optimize your space. It’s so worth it in the long run!

Check out the entire episode of Inside Scoop here for more on how to make your move less stressful!

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BONUS FREEBIE: Want even more ways to stay organized, productive and less stressed? Click here to get access to my List-Making Starter Kit. It will boost your efficiency and get you back to doing more of the things you love.

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