Five Great Ways to Prepare and Make a Move Exciting!

Are you moving to a new place, due to work, family, or you just want a change of scenery? You are excited but also overwhelmed because you have just realised that you have a lot to do; pack, cancel bills, change addresses, arrange transport, say goodbyes and so on…… I know it’s a lot! These five tips will help make the move as simple as it can possibly be. Take it from me, I have moved quite a lot.

Over the last four years, I have relocated to about five different locations within the UK. Prior to this, I moved with my family to Birmingham, UK and even when I lived in Ghana I moved about four times with my family which meant I changed primary schools constantly.  My recent moves are mainly due to my job. Through all of this, I have acquired a few tips and tricks to help make moving from a place of comfort, with friends and family become more of an adventure and something to look forward to, rather than an inconvenience. It may seem like a daunting task especially for those who find themselves to be reserved and don’t particularly like massive changes. Even if you are not planning to move anytime soon but it is something you are considering in the future then this will definitely help.

1. LET’S PACK EARLY

This is essential. It is absolutely not worth the pain and stress to leave it until the last week before the move, which I have done and suffered the consequences. On a previous move, I had actually convinced myself, that I had a lot less stuff which could be packed in two days; absolutely laughable now in hindsight, because I had enough to fill up Ford Transit Long Wheel Base Hi Roof and my Corsa! If you start packing early it’s the perfect time to declutter, reorganise your wardrobe, get rid of clothes and things you do not need anymore. You can give those things to friends, family, a charity or if you like to monetise, then there are apps like Depop which are great for selling things. Remember you’re moving to a new place; some things are just best left where they are.

   2. UNPACKING 

I know, nothing pleasant about this, however, let me show you how to make this part a lot more fun. The first and most important thing is MUSIC, the genre of music I pick really depends on my mood at the time but old school R&B or Afrobeat is my go to.  Once music is sorted we can start moving things to place. Don’t feel like you have to unpack everything all at once, some people may prefer this, but for me, I like to move from room to room, or corner to corner. It gives me time and opportunity to be as creative as possible with my new space. This is also the perfect time to try new things, maybe you have always envisioned your bedroom to have a retro indie vibe to it, well now you have an empty canvas so why not???

Sites like Pinterest and YouTube have various tips on DIY ideas on a budget!! An example of a great Youtuber on all things décor is Mr. Kate, I promise you will at least learn how to paint and hang up a curtain. Those two things make such a change in your room.  If you do watch Mr. Kate, then you know you will need a Joey to help with the heavy lifting especially if you are on the smaller side. These things are your new best friends. It’s not that you cannot do the lifting yourself but think about it, you have the task of redecorating, you need all your energy. You don’t need to have the perfect design room or house to have your place in certain style, so get creative and have fun!

Now we have those two out of the way, it’s time to settle in and find your feet. Make new friends, find a church or place of worship (very important to me as a Christian), gym if you are that way inclined and anything else that makes the place begin to feel like home.

3. FINDING A CHURCH OR A PLACE OF WORSHIP

I know what you’re thinking, I’m not a Christian so I’m going to skip this bit. However, to you it might be joining a gym or dance class; Whatever it may be, the earlier you find it and get stuck in, the easier the transition to a new place will be. Finding a new place of worship was very important to me as I was coming from a great church (New Life Church in Emsworth) and life group that I had grown very attached to. I was very keen to get straight into a church and reconnect with a life group to continue building on my rekindled relationship with God. Esther my life group leader emailed a church that was close to my new location to let them know I would be coming and so to expect me. I suppose it is quite obvious now but it never occurred to me to get in contact with a church like that; since I was going there on my own, having someone there to receive me made it much easier.

4. MAKING NEW FRIENDS

This may sound daunting unless your that “golden boy or girl” who always makes friends very easily. Some of us just don’t find it that easy. I am generally reserved and quiet in the initial stages of meeting new people. I do talk once I get comfortable and figure out those that I actually like to be around and get to know. Yes, I access those I intend to associate myself with. The company we keep is very important. And there is truth in the saying “show me your friends and I’ll show you who you are” whether we like it or not.  Try not to compare the new guys with the ones in your previous whether bad or good. Allow space for friendship to grow and don’t be too quick to judge either, people are never what they seem on the surface.

5. KNOWING YOUR AREA

Something that is greatly encouraged within my workplace is to either pay a visit to your new location or to get in contact with people who are already there. This may not always be possible, especially if the move is to a new country. But if you can, it will help reduce any anxieties that you might be having about this change. Trip Advisor always has plugs on top things to do within the city or town. This is a great way to visit the interesting places around you. You don’t need money to do all the activities and some sites have free entries or great discounts. You also don’t have to know the area completely straight away but it will definitely keep you occupied, if not entertained for a while till you find your feet.

I hope you find these tips useful and be sure to let me know how you find it if you do apply it at all.

PS: if you have any tips you find useful to be sure to share in the comments.