4 Ways to Reduce Stress During a Move

By Alicia Geigel on June 7, 2018

For many of us, at some point in our lives or another, we move from place to place. The move could be for many reasons, such as a job opportunity, desire to live elsewhere, family reasons, etc. As someone who has been in a large, state to state move, there are many opportunities for stress to take over and become easily overwhelmed. Unfortunately, this is a natural occurrence of the moving process, especially if you are under specific time constraints.

There are so many things to remember and take into consideration when moving, such as: changing of your address for multiple places, like your bank and doctors, packing all of your possessions, organizing toss and keep piles, etc. Though stress is inevitable during such a large life change like moving, there are certain steps you can take to help alleviate this and make your transition less stressful and easier! Are you about to move away from home? Fearful of the tasks and responsibilities you will have to take on in the process? Worried that stress from the move will put you in your grave? Follow these four tips below and I guarantee you will have a calmer, smoother moving experience and transition!

Image via Pixabay

1. Make a Plan.

No planned, large-scale life change goes without stress, but having a plan can at least make the stress more manageable. Get yourself a notebook or binder and write down all of your plans when you intend to move, including the official moving day, weeks set aside to pack, deadlines for certain responsibilities, etc. Clearing your schedule and assigning specific days for moving duties can help you organize what you need to do.

The real estate site, Trulia, states in an article with Forbes notes, “Request a day off work, or clear your schedule for the entire weekend. You’ll achieve more by packing continuously for several hours than you will by packing in short bursts of time. If possible, bribe some of your friends to help. Promise that you’ll buy them dinner and drinks, or offer some other treat, if they’ll donate a few hours of their time to helping you pack and move.”

2. De-Clutter.

One common problem most of us share is that we all have unnecessary clutter that we’ve been holding on for a number of months or years. This may be old documents, clothes that don’t fit, outdated electronics, etc. You don’t want to lug around this clutter to your new place, so it’s a good idea to clear any clutter you may have. Doing so will make the process easier but not only reducing the number of items to pack, but also lessening the items to transport from one place to another, which can be super tiring.

In the same article from Forbes, Trulia states the best way to de-clutter is to organize items you no longer want into three piles: sell, donate and throw away. “Clear the clutter from your home by organizing things you no longer need into three piles: SellDonate, and Toss. Sell items on Facebook. Craigslist, LetGo, or even hold a yard sale to get rid of unwanted items while making a quick buck! Donate items to Goodwill or other thrift stores to help out others and also score a tax deduction! The remaining items that are neither good enough to sell or donate, simply throw away.

3. Research the New Area.

Of course, it may sound obvious to research the new area before moving, but actually digging deep into the ins and outs of your new town/city will make you feel more confident and prepared.

Carol Morgan of The Huffington Post states, “For example, find the schools, the malls, the restaurants. See what events regularly happen in the area. Get a feel for where you will be setting your roots down.” Finding out stores, cafes, parks, and restaurants in the area can make it even more exciting to get to where you’re going!

Image via Pixabay

4. Spend Time to Relax.

The hectic nature of moving can take a toll on you both physically and emotionally, leaving you drained and exhausted at the end of the day. While, of course, it is important to prioritize tasks during the process, do not forget to take time for yourself to relax and spend time with loved ones before leaving. Reserve a day to have dinner with family or friends, take a trip with a friend to a park, have a mental-health day to binge your favorite show. Do whatever makes you feel relaxed and comfortable about taking the next step and moving away!

As someone who is planning on making a large-scale move from home, I completely understand the stress and anxiety of gathering everything up, saying goodbye to home and starting a new life elsewhere. Just remember that though it may be hard at times, you’re moving to better your life and be happy! Friends and family will always be there for you, no matter how far away you may be. As always, good luck!

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