Making Your Move Less Stressful: Full Guide

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Planning a move is a process in which many people enter with a certain level of stress. It is very common to hear that moving is one of the most stressful events in one’s life. Even psychology has shown that people do find moves to be as stressfull as a job loss or a divorce! Besides, the experience of other people can paint our expectations to a great level. That is why even if we didn’t have a negative mindset before hearing some of the negative experiences, somehow we start to gravitate towards that end.  

stressed girl


One of the best San Jose local movers are the employees of our company. That is why we believe that we have the credibility to share some tips and tricks on how to have a stress-free moving experience! We are hoping to show you that with the right preparation and expectations moves aren’t as stressful as people often describe them. We have been lucky enough to have the opportunity to see how following these simple steps can improve your moving experience majorly! 

Pro Tip #1: List(s) making

Let’s start with our top tip! The simplest one, and yet probably the one that helps the most. Not only we recommend you to make a list, we recommend you to make a lot of them. The one to start from should be simply the rough scheme of the general things you need to check and organize before going into details. Per example: 

  • Set the moving date;
  • Decide if you will have a DIY move or hire movers;
  • Get the quote from the moving company;
  • Call the HOA;
  • Ask for a day off.

Needless to say, each of these can be fractured to smaller lists and we truly encourage that. Are you resolving the first task on your list – setting the date? Make sure to write down your thoughts and take some notes! Perhaps you need to check if you can get a day off? Are there any other obligations you might need to reschedule for this? Considering a couple of San Jose local movers? You can even make your own personal move planner to keep all of the information written in one place

notebook and a pen

Working directly with customers on a daily basis, we have seen that almost every customer has that one list that is probably the most important one – inventory list. Make sure to start making your inventory list on time. This way you minimize the risk of forgetting to pack, or forgetting to move some of items that might be valuable to you.

People often think that writing things down isn’t really necessary and they tend to keep this information in their head. This strategy would probably work great in many other areas of life, but when it comes to moves – there are just way too many details to remember.

Pro Tip #2: Budget planning

dollar bills on a flag

In everyday life budget management is one of the major stress triggers, and budget management for moving purposes is no exception. Our top advice – make a list! Pay special attention to your biggest expenses, so that you are aware of how much money you have left. Just like for every other part of the move, taking enough time to prepare is the best possible strategy. Having the general idea of the expenses you will have is a great way to start. Expenses will vary depending on the type of the move – whether it is a residential move, an office move, or labor move. 

The most affordable moves are usually the ones we do on our own. There are not that many expenses, we only need to invest in packing materials, some gas and food for friends or family that are helping. But trust us when we say that hiring affordable movers is not mission impossible! Most of the companies charge by the hour, but what is crucial in order to avoid budget related stress is that you are fully aware of the company’s pricing and possible additional expenses.

Pro Tip #3: Packing

There are many things you can do prior to the move to make sure that on the move day there are no unexpected surprises. One of the most important ones is to plan what and how to pack thoroughly. Creating the above mentioned inventory list is truly necessary. But rather than just gathering the items, make sure to have enough time to properly pack and secure the items you find the most valuable. 

Of course, if you hire movers and packers they will do this step instead of you! This will decrease stress levels, as the only thing you would need to do on your move day is open the door for professional movers and packers. On the other hand, this option might cost more, so in case that budget is your biggest stress trigger during move planning – no worries, you can easily do this step on your own!

a girl packing boxes smiling

People often feel that they are the ones who are able to handle their valuable items best. If that is the case and you feel that letting someone else wrap or move your precious item, feel free to do this on your own. Whatever option you decide to go for, make sure that the choice you make is the right one at that moment. And our top advice to do that is to take enough time upfront to organize.

Of course, some people simply don’t have much time to plan the move or they may end up hiring same day movers! In that case, the stress levels are certainly high. But if you have the adequate help, whether they are your friends or family, or you decide to hire professional San Jose local movers – things get much better.

Pro Tip #4: Timetable

The closer the move, the higher the stress. But if you work a bit on the schedule for the move day, it truly doesn’t need to be that way. 

We advise you to carefully pick the move date, so that you can take a day off work, or that your household members can be there to help you – with work or their company. Make sure to adjust the obligations for the day towards your movers or your help’s arrival. Just as always, traffic can make things a bit difficult when there is a strict timetable to follow. Still, it is very rare that the traffic situation affects the move schedule majorly. One of the most important parts of this step is to make sure to check with your HOA for any specific requirements they might have and make elevator reservations if needed. 

timetable paper

As one of the top San Jose local movers we have performed a lot of moves and have communicated with many customers. What we have noticed is that a huge stress buffer is the support system. The members of your household, your friends, neighbors, movers…! Feel free to share your concerns as everyone is there to help that day.

And finally…

After you do everything that is in your power – simply relax. It isn’t possible to plan it all. It isn’t possible to control many things, but if we genuinely give our best, the results will show we did right. 

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