They say that moving house is one of the most stressful life challenges alongside others such as, having a baby and getting married. “Pah, no way, I have moved from rental to rental, packed up my little Yaris and got on with it, how hard can it be? We buy houses to do them up regularly, this will just be like one of those.” I was wrong, very wrong and I take it all back!!
Moving house is stressful. The reward obviously is that you get the fuzzy, happy feeling and all the anticipation of moving into your home, not a house. So can we take some of the stress out of the situation?
I view a lot of properties, I can see past the work that needs doing to the potential of what it could be. There is no emotional attachment to the physical house in the business, just respect for those who have lived there and their memories. So when it came to choosing a home for us to live in for years to come, to start a family and get a dog, (Matthew this is happening, I promise I won’t call her pixie so that it doesn’t embarrass you calling her in the park, but it is happening!!!) I thought I had probably desensitised myself to feeling anything about a house.
On TV you see people talk about that ‘gut feeling’ you get when you know you have found your house. It’s real. I went to view what is now our new home and fell in love with it immediately for a number of reasons, but mostly for it peacefulness. It took me back to my Nan’s home as a child. I loved that house. Maybe houses hold energy?
Choosing your home
Nothing is perfect, know the things you won’t compromise on and be a problem solver on the rest. The chances of finding a house completed to your exact taste etc. limits your market and the possibilities.
Patience
There is a process to follow and it is not quick. Get a good solicitor and get organised. The quicker you can respond and deal with the paperwork, the smoother things will run. Then it’s down to the legal teams to do their thing, we just have to be patient. That’s not to say that you don’t ask for updates, but try not to stress yourself at this stage. Easier said than done, but distract yourself.
Taking the stress out of packing
Is there actually anything that can make this less stressful? I’m not sure, but take it as an opportunity to get organised and to fit in some squats you didn’t plan on doing. I was adamant we were not going to take any crap to the new house. I got ruthless on my shoes, clothes, paperwork, toiletries. It is surprising how much of our stuff we don’t regularly use. That’s where the packing started. Just tackling it a box at a time meant it felt a lot less stressful at the end.
If you are moving into a project house
If like us you are moving into your new home but have the task of renovating it while you live there, yes the upheaval of what is to come can be stressful, however, it will be worth it. So just get the house clean, choose a room to be your comfy haven and make a plan of attack on the renovation. In the scheme of things, 6-12 months of work will go very quickly.
Know your budget
Do you have a pot of money saved for the work, or are you doing jobs as you go? Either way, know your top priority jobs, know your budget and get quotes on the work. This way you can have a timeframe for how long it will take and also how much to save per month to go towards those jobs. Try to save where you can. I wrote about renovating on a budget previously, doing up your own home should be no different. Shop around and see where you can save some pennies, you can find out more on this here. http://lifeaboutthehouse.com/renovating-a-house-on-a-budget/
Oh and finally, rooky mistake over here, remember what you actually put in the boxes! Doh!
Now here we are, a few more glitter strands in our hair and totally shattered, but we are in! Over the next few months we will renovate and share any useful tips and hints along the way. I already have a room full of up-cycle projects to get on with.
The fun and games don’t end there, we should be completing on a flip project this week too. When people say you’re mad, this week I probably agree with them.