A move of any size or distance can be stressful and exhausting. However, relocating to another state or even country can drive even the most organized people insane!
Preparing yourself for the experience and getting your ducks in a row as early as possible is crucial if you want to keep your head on straight, your paperwork in place, and your mind at rest.
With so much to get done, it can be tough to know where to even start. Here’s a list of tips that will help you stay organized during the process, minimize your stress, and ensure you make it to the other side unscathed.
Get the Basics in Place ASAP
First of all, when you’re moving to another country, there are a lot of documents and processes that you’ll need to get underway early since they can take some time. Visas as a good example of this.
As soon as you know that the move is happening, get these processes moving. Start looking for visa agents, the best travel insurance options, renewing your passport, etc. When these big, important tasks have been handled, you can chill out and know that the most important things have already been taken care of.
Keep a List on Your Phone
Having a massive moving checklist on your phone can be surprisingly helpful for keeping you organized. You can do this in the note app on your phone, a to-do list app, or any organizational tool you prefer.
You might choose to have one long list with checkboxes, or you may decide to organize it and break the list down into sections. You could have sections based on your timeline (what to get done in each week leading up to the move) or based on categories (admin tasks, rooms to pack, items to purchase, etc.).
Make a Plan for Your Belongings
When you’re moving far away, especially overseas, you need to make a decision about your stuff. You’ll either need to find a way to transport your belongings to your new home or sell/donate everything and start fresh.
If you’re going to be shipping your belongings, you’re going to want to look for affordable ways to do so. Research container shipping and any other options that might be available to you. If you don’t want to do this, you’ll need to start selling and donating your stuff. Use social media, have a yard sale, and ask your friends and family to support you.
Start Packing Early
If you are going to be taking your stuff with you (or even some of your stuff), it’s a great idea to start the packing process as early as you can. Start by packing up all the items in your home that you don’t use often and that you know you won’t need until after you’ve moved.
As the weeks go by, more and more items will be able to get packed away. This same tactic can be used for selling your stuff too! You can sell unneeded items months ahead of your move and then have a yard sale and donation day for the last items right before you go.
Keep a Folder
In 2023, a lot of our paperwork and documentation will be digital. However, some of us prefer to work with physical copies, and sometimes it’s even a requirement.
For this reason, it’s a great idea to invest in a simple binder to help you organize and store all your documents safely. This way, when you need to access something or submit something, you won’t be scratching through every drawer in your home looking for the right piece of paper. Everything will be neatly and safely stored in one place!
Do Loads of Research
There’s a lot of research to be done when moving to a new city or country. You can do research for the important stuff, like job hunting, safety in your new city, which neighborhoods to live in, prices and the cost of living, schools for your children, etc.
However, it doesn’t have to be all admin all the time. You can spend some time doing research on the fun stuff too. Look online for the best restaurants to try out in your new city, fun things to do in the area, where all the locals hang out, what the cuisine is like in the country, and even what slang words to expect once you move!
Ask For Help
Finally, don’t try to do it all on your own. If you’re moving with your partner or family, be sure to delegate and share the tasks equally between you.
If you’re moving on your own, reach out to friends and family to help you out in whichever way they can. Sometimes even a shared meal and venting session can help let out some of the frustrations of moving.
