New research from O2 Home Broadband identifies moving home as one of the top five most stressful things we ever have to go through – up there with getting divorced!

17% of movers admit that worrying about the big move keeps them awake at night, with the cost of moving and time it takes to move top of our worries:

•    More than a quarter (27%) worry about the cost, as 39% sacrificed nights out with friends, spent less on clothes or gave up a holiday to compensate
•    Nearly one in five (19%) worry about finding the time to pack

Tea, TV and take-ways were identified as the things we do in the first few hours to help us feel at home after a move – 61% of us make a cup of tea, 42% set up the TV and 14% even find the local takeaway within the first few hours of moving in.

Whilst more than a third (37%) admits to procrastinating over their unpacking, it seems getting online is important to home-movers with around half (49%) getting online in the first two weeks.

But if you live next door to a new mover, don’t expect a visit anytime soon, 21% of movers have put off meeting their new neighbours and 9% take more than a month before they get around to saying hello.

With so many things to think about it’s no surprise that millions of us get stressed about moving home, O2 Home Broadband and Homes & Bargains’ very own Alison Cork have come together to offer advice and tips to take the stress out of moving:

MAKE A PLAN: Stress is caused primarily when events happen that are outside of our control. The best way to deal with moving is to have a clearly defined and realistic moving plan so that you feel you are in charge of the process. Start by writing out a tick list of all the tasks that you need to cover off, with a timeline that starts at least three months before the move date.

BUDGET: More than a quarter of us (27%) admit to worrying about the cost of moving so why not build this cost into the mortgage to help spread the cost of payments, don’t forget to account for this cost when doing your sums.

SPREAD THE COST: With 16% of us cutting back on luxuries such as holidays and clothes because of the cost of moving, your new home might seem like a punishment when it should be a pleasure! To help, set up a separate savings account called ‘Moving’ (even if you are not yet thinking of it) – just a few pounds a week will fairly quickly cover the cost of moving. Better than losing that week in the sun!

TAKE TIME: Nearly one in five (19%) of us admits that we were worried about finding the time to pack and all the things they had to organise for the move. However, most of us underestimate the time we will need. Don’t put yourself under unnecessary pressure. Take more time off work than you think you will need and get as much as possible unpacked and sorted, what you don’t unpack immediately tends to sit around in boxes for months afterwards! It’s a completely false economy not to take enough time to unpack properly.

DECLUTTER:  It takes us on average two and a half weeks to get our home in order after the big move*. Packing and unpacking is challenging both practically and psychologically, as it forces us to look closely at all our possessions. Make it easier by taking some time well in advance of moving, to edit your possessions, de-clutter, and get rid of/sell your unwanted items. Not only could this offset the cost of moving, but it will mean you have less to take!

PRIORITISE:  Around half of us (49%) make sure we get back online in the first two weeks following the big move. Part of achieving a smooth and stress free move is to feel that you have moved seamlessly into your new home without a break in services. So make a list of what means most to you – your internet or TV – and make sure that these are prioritized so that whatever else happens on move day, you have the reassurance of these comforts. There are many people who can help along the way, like O2 Gurus, technology experts offering advice and help with any questions you might have about setting up broadband in your new home.

GET LOCAL: Whilst more than a fifth (21%) put off meeting our new neighbours, we shouldn’t underestimate the importance of getting to know them. Having a local support network and a sense of community is vital to your personal wellbeing, and it is important to take the time to connect with those living around you. Ultimately, a house only becomes a home because of the people living in and around it, not because of the thickness of the carpet!

For more information about O2 Home Broadband visit www.O2.co.uk/broadband.

300g Caster Sugar

3 Red Peppers

300g Cherry Tomatoes

5 Chillis

3cm chunk fresh ginger

Tbsp Garlic

Heat 200ml of Cider Vinegar with 300g caster sugar until the sugar has dissolved.  Add the red peppers, cherry tomatoes, chilli, ginger and garlic.  Simmer for 1-2 hours, or until the mixture thickens.  Using a hand blender, roughly blend the mixture leaving some chunks.  Boil mixture for approx 1 minute.  Wait for the mixture to cool and then decant into sterilised jars.

100g Dark Chocolate (70%)

100ml Double Cream

Splash of espresso

Chocolate flakes (made by grating the last 20g of the dark chocolate bar)

Cocoa powder

Heat 100ml of double cream and add chopped fresh chillis, simmer for 3-4 mins .  Remove from heat and allow chillis to infuse for 10-15 minutes.  Sieve the cream mixture to remove the chilli.  Return to the heat and add 80g of dark chocolate and a splash of espresso.  Stir until the chocolate has dissolved.  Refrigerate for 4-5 hours until the mixture stiffens.  Roll the mixture into bite size balls and roll in chocolate flakes, cocoa powder or both!

20ml Agave Nectar

25ml Fresh Lime Juice

Fresh Chilli

Coriander stem

Chop the chilli and muddle in a mixing tin, add coriander.  Add Tequila, balance with fresh lime and agave nectar.  Shake hard and serve over rocks.  Garnish with a chilli.

900g/2lbs baking potatoes

3 tbsp dark soy sauce

Sunflower non-stick cooking oil spray

Method

• Preheat the oven 200C/400F/Gas6
• Cut the potatoes into thick chips, place in a large non-stick roasting pan.
• Toss the potatoes in the soy sauce and spray lightly with the oil.
• Bake for 35-40min turning occasionally, until golden brown and crisp.

Fish Wiggles:

2 x 175g/6oz plaice fillets, skinned

110g/4oz dried breadcrumbs

½ tsp turmeric

1 tsp mild chilli powder

1 egg, beaten

Sunflower non-stick cooking oil spray

Method

• Preheat the oven 200C/400F/Gas6
• Cut the fish into strips 1cm/ ½ in wide.
• Mix the breadcrumbs and spices together in a bowl.
• Break the egg onto a plate and whisk it with a fork.
• Dip one piece of fish at a time into the egg, and then dip in the breadcrumbs to coat. Put the fish on a plate. Keep on dipping and coating the fish pieces until they are all coated.
• Place on a baking tray and spray the fish and tray with the cooking oil, bake for 10-15min until golden and cooked.

Tomato Sauce

450g/1lb vine tomatoes

1 tbsp olive oil

1 small onion, finely chopped

1 clove garlic, crushed

1 tsp tomato puree

1 tbsp fresh thyme, finely chopped

1 tsp sugar

salt and pepper

Method

Pre-heat the oven 200C/400F/Gas6

Put the vine tomatoes into a small roasting pan and drizzle with 1 tbsp of the oil. Bake for 10-15min until soft.

Heat the remaining oil in a fry pan and soften the onion and garlic without letting them brown.

Add the tomatoes (vine removed), puree, thyme, sugar and seasoning stir together over the heat for 3min.

Pour the sauce into a liquidiser or blender and whiz until smooth.

*If serving to young children I would suggest sieving the sauce to remove any skins.

*To utilise the oven properly start off the potatoes and half way through the cooking time add the fish and vine tomatoes.

*Make sure both fish and potatoes have cooled down before serving to children.