Are you currently in the middle of a stressful moving process? Or maybe you have just started house hunting and are already feeling overwhelmed?  It is common knowledge that moving house can be stressful, having to undertake significant amounts of admin, manage finances and logistics, as well as dealing with the emotions that come with moving.

Despite all this, moving house can also be a fun experience, starting a new chapter in life and providing you with new opportunities. If you have been considering moving but have been hesitant due to associated stress, or you have already got the ball rolling and are looking for some advice, here are some of the things you can do to help minimise that and make the experience as seamless as possible.

Document everything

Moving house includes lots of documentation, this is unavoidable. From emails with mortgage advisors to building surveys, there is lots to keep track of during the buying process.

The best way to manage this is by documenting and storing everything in an organised manner to make sure nothing gets misplaced and that it can easily be referred back to if required.

Stick with whatever organisation methods you find easiest in other elements of your life for this. For example, if you are already experienced in digitally filing things, create a dedicated folder within your inbox to store all house-related emails. If you are more used to organising on pen and paper, get a notebook specifically for moving information and be vigilant with making notes.

Decide your must-haves

An effective way to remove some of the stress from moving is to decide on your must-haves early on in the process. Take some time to consider what it is that you need from a house and how this differs from ‘nice-to-haves’.

This could be a certain number of bedrooms, a particular garden size, off-road parking, or proximity to your workplace. Whatever it is that you require from a home, establishing this early on will save you considerable time when it comes to searching for your next house. It is also handy to do as you can then set up alerts on websites like Rightmove and Zoopla meaning you are notified every time a new house that meets your criteria is listed.

While knowing what you want, it is also wise to keep your options somewhat open by viewing a range of different homes such as new builds and older properties that fit your conditions. Doing this will allow you to make a more balanced judgment on what you want and give you peace of mind that you have assessed all your options.

Request information ahead of time

As well as managing a lot of documents yourself, you are also going to be asked to provide a lot of information later on in the process. This can be overwhelming, especially if you are a first-time buyer.

It can be handy to request a list of the information you are going to be asked for early on, giving you time to collate everything and removing the stress of having to submit it with a quick turnaround time.

This is likely to include proof of your deposit and information regarding your current employment. Being able to collect this in good time means a stress-free submission later down the line.