How To Take The Stress Out of a Home Move

Moving house can often be a stressful experience. You have your ideas on the best ways to move, your partner has theirs, and the only thing you seem to be achieving successfully other than packing boxes is going round in circles.

With every room in the house to pack up, every old room to clean up, and the need to transfer all of your precious items safely across to your new house, it can be daunting knowing where on earth to start.

But believe it or not, you can take the stress out of moving – if you plan ahead, stay organized and even, get a little help.

If you’re currently stuck in the house-moving-hell and fear you can’t see a way out, or if you’ve got a big move coming up, here a few tips to take the stress out of it, so you can actually enjoy moving into your brand new home:

Start Early

Now, I know that this hardly feels like a ‘tip’, given that this is all your family and friends have been telling you to do since you first announced your move, but honestly, it really is the best policy.

Everyone always starts a big move with the best intentions of starting early and getting organised, but stick to these and they’ll guarantee you a much less stressful move.

Firstly, load up on any empty boxes you can get your hands on; ask family and friends if they’ve got any spares kicking around in their garage, or take a trip to your local supermarket to see if they’re disposing of any.

Start by packing up any items you don’t regularly use or ones that you know you won’t need in the days and weeks to come. Items such as ornaments, pictures, clothes and electronics are always good places to start. Rather then leaving everything to the last minute, packing as you go along is the most effective way of staying organised.

Out With The Old, In With The New

One of the biggest problems associated with moving is the transferring of items you don’t actually need.

If you’ve lived in your current home for a number of years, you’ll most certainly find you’ve managed to accumulate random items that actually don’t do anything apart from contribute to clutter and mess.

As you’re packing up each room, take time to sort through every one of your items and assess whether you need it – if you haven’t used it in the last year, chances are, you won’t ever use it again.

Aside from taking up your time during the packing process, which could be better spent on other aspects of the move, it’ll only take you longer to unpack and find homes for these unnecessary items on the other side.

You wanted to move into a new home for a fresh start, right? Well, don’t clutter your new house with old stuff – it’ll only result in old mess in new territory, and more work for you in the long run.

Hire a Man With a Van

Now, I know that you think that hiring help from a company is just an unnecessary cost when you can do an equally good job on your own. But actually, it’ll really help to reduce those stress levels throughout the whole of the moving process.

Hiring a man with a van will not only help you to move your items from one house to another, but they’ll also help with your packing, provide you with packing materials, and make sure that your items are treated with care from start to finish.

Ask family and friends if they know of any reputable movers, or look in your local directory for accredited companies, and you can guarantee that the small fortune you’ll part with to hire some help, will be 100% worth it when it comes to your stress levels.

How To Treat A Cold

Aaachoo! Most of us will have a cold this winter, but do you know how to treat it?

NHS Choices reveals some of the myths around treating a cold and offers advice on how to
get well quickly

According to NHS Choices, on average an adult can expect to catch a cold between two and four times a year, with more people suffering during the winter months. But do you know how best to treat a cold?

Myths about cures for the common cold:
· Vitamin C – according to NHS Choices, one in three people believe that Vitamin C can help cure a cold. In fact, research has shown that Vitamin C doesn’t prevent or cure a cold.
· Echinacea – many think that Echinacea can be used to prevent a cold or treat one, but research has shown that there is no proof of this being the case.
· Over the counter medicines for colds – over the counter medicines do not cure a cold. The usual ingredients are painkillers and decongestants, which only help manage the symptoms.

In reality, the best thing you can do if you do get a cold this winter is to rest, eat well, avoid stress and keep hydrated. As most colds are caused by viruses, you don’t need antibiotics to help treat it.

Dr. Knut Schroeder, GP, says: “Many people will catch a cold this year – but there really isn’t any miracle cure out there. A balanced diet and regular exercise can help you to stay healthy. But, if you are to catch a cold then my advice is to try and stay warm, drink plenty of fluids and to eat plenty of fruit and vegetables. All this can help your body naturally fight the cold virus.”

For more information on surviving colds this winter visit, www.nhs.uk/livewell/coldsandflu.