Moving house – it is a difficult job, and can be very stressful. And yet, in our increasingly mobile society it is something most of us will do several times. It is no wonder moving is stressful – we all need a sense of home and stability, and moving temporarily removes all familiarity in our environment. Our daily activities, routines, and comforts are made difficult if not impossible as we relocate ourselves and our possessions. 

So how do we make moving easier, and maybe even enjoyable? After all, the opportunity and necessity to start afresh can be just what we need. But even in a great move there will be a period where everything feels wrong. In my 12 moves I have found a few key things that make a world of difference. 

• Plan the food. Whether it be takeaways, or a frozen meal, do not forget to plan how you will feed yourself for a day or two. In the moving madness we can forget our basic needs, and suffer the consequences. Have an essentials box with the basic equipment you need to eat, drink, and clean the dishes that is ready to go as soon as you get to your new place.
• Make the beds. When moving, everyone in the household has lost their sense of a safe place to retreat to, or to collapse into at the end of the day. So, making up the beds is always a major key to creating a ‘we are going to get through this’ vibe. 
• Unpack the kitchen, as quickly as you can. I used to insist that I did this myself (as chief cook) afraid that I wouldn’t be able to find things if someone else did it. But in my last move I surrendered control to a great friend who just got the job done, and I learnt some excellent lessons: most of us put the same things generally in the same areas; feeding the exhausted family is easier without boxes cluttering the kitchen; and it is simpler to rearrange the location of items when they are already unpacked than it is to decide where to put it all at once. As you get to know how you use your new kitchen, you can adjust as you go. So, forget perfection and embrace function, at least until you have your bearings.  
• Now, create ONE clear space. Visual clutter can dramatically increase our stress levels, and no more so than in the chaos of a move. It will take some time for your house to feel like a home, but if you can get just one area clear, everything else feels a little less overwhelming. Don’t worry about getting a whole room sorted out yet, just give yourself a cleared off couch and a wall free of boxes to give your brain some space. Or one clean corner with a chair and an empty surface to be able to sit and put your coffee down. If you are moving a family, create a space you can be together.

Once you’ve got over all the major moving logistics, it’s time to sit down and have a good look around. Hopefully by now you’ve got your rooms generally functional, you can start to think about designing your new life.

How do you want to live? What is most important to you and your family – time together? Entertaining? Hobbies or sports? Relaxing? Think about what your best life looks like, and how these spaces can facilitate that.

Perhaps you moved some time ago, but still haven’t worked out how to make your house work for you. You can start asking yourself these questions whether you moved last week or last decade.

In my next post, I will walk you through the practical steps to make a house a home, one room at a time. And don’t worry if it all feels impossible right now. Creating a home takes time, but you’ll be surprised what a big difference a few small changes can make.