Are you thinking of moving this year? Have you been eyeballing a different space for you or your family? You might be well aware that moving can bring on a lot of anxiety and stress. You’ve probably helped your friends or neighbors move into a new home. What you may not know is how much emotional toil it takes on the family who is moving.
Recently, our family moved from one house to another—only 3 minutes apart by car. Yet, it was still difficult! We had plenty of help from wonderful friends and family who stayed long into the moving day to continue to support us. We received help with organizing our kitchen, putting boxes away and we even had friends who fed us dinner that night. What a blessing! Moving can be one of the most stressful events you can ever go through. Some families move often—every few years—and others are stable and are looking for their “forever home.”
To lighten this burden of stress when moving here are some helpful tips from www.moving.com
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Accept that stress is a normal part of the moving process: Recognize right off the bat that there will we some stress involved with moving. Once you do this, you’re less likely to let it set you back when it happens. Remember, stress is a natural human response to a demanding circumstance
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Give yourself enough time: allot yourself enough time to get everything done. Personally, when we mentally decided we wanted to sell, our real estate agent told us to “start packing.” We took pictures off of walls and boxed up things that we didn’t use every day. Keep in mind that you’ll need about 2 days to pack up a one-bedroom apartment, 5-6 days for a three-bedroom home. Take time to research a moving company, rental truck, setting up utilities in your home, and cleaning the home that you’re leaving. Don’t leave things to the last minute if you can help it!
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Start Small: Tackle the little things first and take care of the small stuff. It’s better to get something done rather than nothing—even if you feel overwhelmed. It’s important to manage your stress by starting with the little things.
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Stay Organized: Organization is the key if you want to make moving less stressful. Be sure to label your boxes so you can identify where they’ll go in the house later on. Also, keep track of the contract you may have with your movers, new leases etc.
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Hire professional movers: If you can make room for it in your budget. This means a lot less work on your end. Be sure you do the research to hire someone who is trustworthy and reliable.
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Ask for Help: It’s ok to ask neighbors, friends and family for support when moving. Especially take up the offer when it’s given. An extra set of hands goes a long way and can help minimize stress for every one involved. Be sure to show gratitude to those to reached out to you!
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Get some Sleep!
When there’s a great deal to be done, you definitely need your sleep. And, of course, we know that sleep deprivation can bring on more stress. Do yourself a favor and get the rest your body needs in order to prepare for the move. Consider treating yourself to a de-stressed, like a massage or a nice evening out. You have earned it!
