

There are a few major life events that are widely understood and acknowledged to be contributors to severe stress. Generally, they are known to be death, divorce, getting married, severe illness, losing a job and moving and while there are several others, these cover most. Dealing with these can be hard because it not the same as a broken arm or other physical trauma, the trauma is emotional and very hard to express, understand or even diagnose the exact cause. Sometimes it surfaces as anger, frustration, irritation, blame, or even depression and it isn’t obvious what the root cause can be. One of the experiences listed above that can, in most circumstances, be predicted and prepared for, is moving. This seldom happens immediately, and you are more likely to have time to spend preparing. Here are some tips to help you on the way.

Find the right people

If you’re moving interstate, from say South Australia to New South Wales, it’s good to be more specific and stipulate which city you’re moving from and to when looking for the right removal company to use. For example, Adelaide to Sydney. Then do an online search, Google “interstate removalists Adelaide to Sydney” to see which companies come up. Some companies may have reviews that you can read but know that they’re often biased or staged. Also, look at forums that could give more honest feedback. You want to find a removal company that isn’t too pricey but is affordable and reliable. They need to have a reputation of being on time, efficient, trustworthy and competent.

Call around

The price range of removal company quotes can vary dramatically and there is often room for negotiating the price. So, find comparable prices and then negotiate a little. Try to get a discount, or if not, get them to offer you some additional services, like fragile packing.

Start early

You can start early with your packing. We always tell ourselves we are going to go through all of ‘those boxes’ that have been sitting there since we were in high school. Twenty years later, they’re still sitting there. Take the time to go through a box or two each week. It will help get rid of some clutter and can be very therapeutic and rewarding going through all memories. Not only that but when you manage to throw away some old junk, it will make you feel more on top of the move.

Think small

The big and obvious things are easy to pack but don’t be fooled. All the small items also need a box to travel in, and these can often finicky to pack. You may want to put them in old shoe boxes or bubble wrap them to prevent breakages.


This is your time to declutter, do one room in the house at a time and go through things that you haven’t used in over two years. Start becoming more ruthless and switch off your emotions for a little while and decide whether you think you’ll be using or wearing it in the next 2 years. If not, dump it.