Any tips for making shifting to new home easier?

The most successful and less stressful moves were when we hired movers. I highly suggest it if you can, or if you are moving for work, see if your employer can contribute. It takes a huge burden off.

Purging now is always best. I would be so fatigued from the process I would just throw random things into boxes and then be left to deal with them when we unpacked. This is a great time to go through things and donate/recycle/trash what you no longer need.

If you aren't quite as organized (like me!) I would also suggest having a system set up for when you unpack. Knowing where everything is going to go will make a huge difference. Invest in some good containers and storage boxes to help keep things organized in your new home.

Best of luck!

Moving house is always right at the top of lists of “most stressful life experiences” and it’s not surprising considering all the physical and emotional aspects of relocating. If you have been in the same house for many years, the things that you have accumulated over time can certainly add to the stress of moving as you need to decide what to keep and what to donate or dispose of.

We have moved several times in the past few years and I can offer the following tips based on my own experiences:

• Sort through one room at a time. Divide the items into four categories: keep, donate, recycle, and trash. Get rid of the items that can be recycled or need to be thrown out as soon as possible, and arrange for your local hospice or other charity organization to collect the donated items on a set date before the move.
• If your kids are old enough to help, let them identify clothes and toys they have outgrown. If you have younger kids and want to store these items, pack them beforehand and mark the boxes so that you know they do not need to be unpacked on the other side. If you are ready to part with these things, add them to your donation pile.
• When you pack boxes, number them clearly and note the room and contents. This will make it much easier for you to direct the movers when you arrive at your new home.
• If you have the chance to do so, take a good look at the kitchen of the new house and decide where you would like everything to go. It helps a lot if you can get the kitchen right the first time.
• On moving day try to have one person at the old house and one person at the new house to supervise the loading and unloading of boxes and furniture. If you have pets try to find a neighbor to look after them while all the moving day busyness is happening.
• Accept that it’s going to take a while for the new house to get sorted out.
• And lastly, wait until the old house is empty before cleaning – otherwise you’re going to drive yourself crazy trying to clean while people in and out.

Good luck with the move! I hope your make many happy memories in your new home.

Always such a stressful experience!
I find that allocating family members (and even friends willing to help) a room each to pack up can reduce time although items to chuck out might be missed using this process. If done this way around, you could sort out what you want to keep and what goes to charity or to sell when you unpack at your new place.
Also labelling boxes and making sure your essentials like toilet paper, scissors for unpacking boxes and personal essential items are handy when you arrive in your new home.

We have moved our big family many times and whilst it is still a stressful and tiring process, here are my best tips.
1. Label all the boxes you pack properly with the room that they will need to go in.
2. If you have a lot of stuff to get rid of, hire a skip bin.
3. Place signage on the doors of the new place so that movers can place the correct boxes directly into the correct rooms.
4. If you have time, have one person unpacking at the new place while the moving crew is transferring things.
5. Don't worry about cleaning the old place until everything is out. Its much easier this way.

Best of luck with the move :)