Moving house can be incredibly stressful, in fact in a Legal & General survey, 57% of people said that moving house is the ‘most stressful thing you can do’ above both ‘having a child’ and ‘going through a divorce’.
Whilst moving house is very much a short-lived event, usually spanning no more than 2 weeks, it’s the intensity of that period of time that can lead to such high stress.
By identifying why moving house is so hard, you can begin to mitigate those causes and make moving house a genuinely enjoyable experience.
In this article, we’ll explore the five most common reasons why moving house is so hard and how to make it easier.
Five reasons why moving house is so hard:
- Unexpected physical toll
- Ageing population
- Lack of preparation
- Lack of research
- Property access issues
Let’s take a look at those five reasons in more detail and get the bottom of how you can make moving house easier.
1. Unexpected physical toll
“Take it from me, stubbing hands and feet is common when moving furniture. You need to be physically fit, it’s very taxing” commented Falconer Removals’ Nathan Smith.
Whilst the odd bump and scrape is inevitable, especially if you’re attempting to move house on your own, the sheer physical tole of lifting, moving, setting down for sometimes days on end is something that the body simply isn’t used to.
According to a Workplace Insight study, 81% of UK office workers spend between four and nine hours each day sitting at their desk. The number of those employed in office-based roles in the UK is growing year-on-year and this means less people in the UK in the necessary physical condition to suddenly spend a day to a week moving heavy furniture.
The physical toll is worse if you leave packing to the last minute.
How can you make the physical toll easier?
There are ultimately two ways in which you can ease the physical toll of moving house, by either being proactive or reactive.
1. Proactive – Minimise household items
Not only can donating or recycling unwanted household items relieve stress, but even by cutting household possessions by 25% can significantly ease the physical toll and length of time when moving. This could take the form of ditching books for a Kindle, or clearing out old clothes.
2. Reactive – Hire a professional removals team
We appreciate it’s not always feasible to start clearing out items, especially if you’re helping a loved one move house, or if you have a high quantity of valuable items, so hiring a reliable and professional removals team who have trained for such a physical task could be the simple solution that also reduces stress.
2. Ageing population
The UK population is getting older, with an ONS 2021 consensus suggesting that the population of England and Wales has continued to age since 2011.
As the UK population ages, moving house becomes harder for several reasons:
- Reliance on family members to support, bringing more people into the process.
- Accumulation of items and family heirlooms that often require careful packing and transportation.
- Having to sell, donate or move household items when downsizing.
- Less physically able to move heavy items.
These reasons all equate to a less independent process when it comes to moving house, meaning that it’s not only harder for the elderly to move house, but also harder for their family.
How can you make moving house easier for the elderly?
Aside from preparing well in advance and reducing household items, there really is only one reliable solution; hiring a well-reviewed removals team.
The emphasis here really is on ‘well reviewed‘, especially as you’re more likely to require specialist antique removals and the higher quantity of valuable items requires a removals team that is known for being both professional and insured.
3. Lack of preparation
Arguably the most common reason that moving house is so hard. Preparation is absolutely key and it becomes more important the further you’re moving and the larger your property is.
A lack of preparation can not only increase stress but may lead to surprise fees down the line as you rely too heavily on your removals team during the moving process.
It could take the form of a tick-list or even a spreadsheet – prepare the way you prepare best.
How to prepare for moving house
There are a vast number of solutions to preparing for moving house, in fact we literally wrote the guide on preparing for your removals team. Here is a quick summary:
- Keep aside anything you need from the kitchen for the night and morning
- Prepare an overnight bag for all members of the family
- Put aside any important documents and electronics
- Pack your beds on the day
- Empty and defrost your fridge/freezer
- Use good quality boxes
- Label boxes clearly
- Do not overload boxes
As the saying goes ‘proper preparation prevents poor performance’, so create a plan and stick to it. There’s no such thing as being too prepared.
4. Lack of research
Due the physical nature of moving house, researching your options and techniques may seem unnecessary but it could make the difference between a stressful and a stress-free house move.
The consequences of a lack of research before moving
There are two common consequences following a lack of research; falling into the ‘man and a van’ trap and not checking reviews. Often both can go hand-in-hand.
Due to the cost difference, many movers – particularly those moving house for the first time – hire a ‘man and a van’ as opposed to a removals team despite there being a huge difference between the two. By hiring a professional removals team you can guarantee that your removals service will be experienced, fully insured and reliable. This makes the moving house process a whole lot more stress-free.
Not checking reviews is also a common pitfall, when assessing your removals options, ensure you’re basing your decision on verified review (Google reviews are often the easiest to find), and making sure the reviews are recent and consistent as things can change.
5. Property access issues
Everything is planned to the minute, the handover of keys is clear and your possessions are packed properly into boxes – everything should go smoothly. It’s at this point you may be getting a call from your removals team as they are unable to access your property or place the van close to the access point.
The above is a common story, and one that becomes more common the more rural you live. The issues that arise can also become more severe the larger your house is. Such a scenario can often lead to a house move taking up to twice as long as expected or the project being rescheduled completely.
Beautiful, serene and a potential massive headache on moving day.
How to make property access easier
The solution is simple and you don’t even need to head out to your front gate with a tape measure. Ensure you communicate any potential access issues to your removals team as soon as possible. This way, your removals team can prepare by using certain sized vans from their fleet.
A professional removals team will also insist on a site visit prior to moving house – this is a sign that you have booked a highly professional removals team and will allow you to run them through any potential access issues prior to moving day.
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We hope this guide to why moving house is so hard & how to make it easier has helped make your removals process easier and more stress-free.
At Falconer Removals, we use meticulous moving techniques, passed down and perfected through generations for over 132 years, to ensure your goods are moved with expert precision and kept in perfect condition. Get a quote from our team today.
For more expert advice on how to pack, move and store your belongings — or other FAQs on how removals work — check out our blog page.
Written by Aled Nelmes for Falcomer Removals.
