Moving can be an exciting time for many people. They think about all of the opportunities available to them at their new place, the new home that they’re moving to, and also the bad memories they could be moving away from. However, it’s not uncommon for people to feel stressed out or anxious about a move too. Moving can cause a lot of mental and even physical stress at times.
So let’s cover where this stress comes from, how you can deal with it, and also offer some suggestions on ways to reduce the stress of moving.
Why does moving cause stress and anxiety?
The thought of moving to a new home can lead to a lot of negative thoughts, and this is where most of the stress comes from. For instance, there are going to be a lot of changes to your life throughout the moving process, such as leaving the home that you’ve grown accustomed to and the neighborhood that you’re so familiar with. Meeting new people can also cause anxiety, and you might need to acclimate yourself to a new job as well. All of these new changes happening in such a short span of time can be tricky to deal with.
The solution is to try and introduce those changes as slowly as possible. For example, if you have to start a new job, then try to start it well before you move. If there’s an opportunity to work from home or even to commute to your new workplace from your old home, then it can really help you adjust to those changes.
Other people might be concerned about money. This is arguably one of the biggest causes of stress when you’re moving. You have to think about the cost of moving, the cost of a new mortgage that you might be paying, or even just the costs of living in the new location that you’re moving to.
Ideally, you’ll have sorted out your financial situation well before this becomes a problem. Be it finding a new job or just downsizing some costs that you’ve grown accustomed to, it can really help to make these adjustments as early as possible. If you’re not financially prepared to move, then you might want to reconsider the idea of moving altogether.
Lastly, organizing your time can also take its toll on your mental health. After all, moving home can really feel like your life needs to be paused temporarily just so that you can handle all of your responsibilities. I can feel like you barely have time to do anything, and most of your evenings after work will probably be spent on packing up and organizing your belongings.
So if you can, try to take a bit of time off work. Take as much time as you need to prepare all of your stuff for moving, and make sure you take a few days off to complete the moving process and give yourself a moment to settle into your new home. It’ll take the stress of time constraints off your shoulders, and you’ll have a much easier time settling in.
Helpful tips to help you move home and avoid stress
So we’ve already given some suggestions on what you should do to overcome some of the stress and anxiety of moving, but let’s cover a few more general tips to make the move easier.
Be prepared when moving
It’s a good idea to be as prepared as possible for the final moving date, but also for settling into your new home. For example, you should always have a moving bag or suitcase that has plenty of clothes and daily essentials that you’ll need. This ensures you don’t have to stress over opening all of your boxes to find something simple like a bath towel or your toothbrush. Secondly, it also helps to do a bit of research into the neighborhood that you’re moving to, or even your workplace if you’ve found a new job.
If you’re moving your family across the country, then it can also help to be prepared with school choices, local places to shop for groceries, communities and clubs to join, and so on. Integrating into a new town can be tough, so it really helps if you’ve done a bit of research beforehand.
Search for ways to make moving easier
There are a bunch of different ways to make the moving process a whole lot easier. For example, you could rent a PODS container where you can put all of your stuff into for it to be moved at a later date. This lets you spread the packing process over the course of several days or even weeks, and then you can have it shipped across the country to your new home. It’s a lot more convenient than making several trips to your new home to move stuff, and it’s more convenient than having all of your belongings stored in boxes inside your home or garage.
Checklists can be really helpful
A moving checklist can be really helpful for anyone that is under a lot of stress or pressure during their move. A checklist gives you a simple set of tasks to follow, such as what you need to pack, what services you need to contact to have transferred or canceled, and so on. You can think of it like a moving plan that you follow every step of the way. It makes things a whole lot easier to follow and keep track of so you don’t feel rushed.
Don’t be afraid to ask for help
Whether it’s from friends and family members or a professional moving company, asking for help can really lower the stress and anxiety of moving. Don’t shy away from seeking assistance, especially if the stress of moving is already affecting you in a negative way. To many people, helping someone move can be a fun and positive bonding experience, and many of your closest friends and family members probably won’t mind–especially if you get them a meal or some drinks as a thank you!
Candid Mama
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