Even just the idea of moving to an entirely different home, neighbourhood, or even country is exhilarating. Most individuals look forward to leaving their former home and beginning a new life, mainly if they were previously living in adverse situations.
Moving to a new neighbourhood, city, state, or country can be nerve-wracking, despite the fact that it may sound thrilling. This is referred to as moving-related emotional stress.
To put it another way, relocating to a new place leads to an array of strong emotions, which inevitably lead to “moving stress.” It will be difficult to plan a move. The best course of action is to comprehend and adequately prepare for it if you want to move with less stress and settle into your new house with ease.
Does Moving Cause Emotional Stress?
Why does moving out of your home seem stressful? Moving house should be a chance at a fresh beginning in which you can leave all the stressful experiences of your life behind you.
Anxiety may not always result from moving. Some of the factors that might make moving out emotionally stressful are listed below:
1. Changes
Moving involves a lot of changes, including relocating to a new home and city, starting a new career and environment, and making new friends. Fear of change is common. It’s normal to experience this when moving.
2. Money
Moving comes with a lot of responsibilities. For those preparing to relocate, money is one of the major sources of stress. No matter how frugal your lifestyle is, relocating to a new home may still be expensive. Moving will undoubtedly affect your finances, whether you have the money to do so or not.
3. Time
It seems like your life is temporarily put on hold when you are moving houses. While in pause mode, your focus is on moving, which can be stressful. Whether moving locally or relocating to a foreign location, you need enough time to pack your belongings and settle in.
Moving-Related Stress Symptoms
Only when stress becomes intolerable and unmanageable for you does stress become detrimental. Moving-related stress arises if you:
- Having trouble unwinding
- Intent on avoiding confrontation
- Tend to become overwhelmed and triggered easily
- Feeling down and unproductive
How to Manage the Emotional Stress of Moving?
Moving doesn’t have to be scary. The following advice can help you enjoy your relocation and feel less stressed:
1. Have the right mindset
You must convince yourself that the change is necessary and helpful. You may anticipate getting to know new people, tasting new foods, and seeing new places. This sort of mentality will help you feel less stressed and settle in more quickly.
Remind yourself that just because you are relocating, your previous relationships don’t have to end. These days, long-distance relationships are easier to manage thanks to applications that let you email, text, chat, or video contact your old friends, coworkers, and neighbours.
2. Research
Knowing more about the new place you are moving to would be quite helpful. If you are moving to a different country, you should look into how easily accessible your workplace, local grocery stores, pharmacies, hospitals, and schools will be.
Knowing these things will help you feel more at ease about moving.
3. Create a checklist and set a timeline.
Creating a checklist will be very beneficial as it could be difficult to balance many tasks before a big move. Write out your objectives and divide them into manageable tasks that you can do in advance before moving day.
Boxes or other packing materials could be items on your checklist. Both the items you need to bring and the ones you need to get rid of should be on the list. You can also list your financial commitments to complete your move. You might also add your travel and backup plans to the list.
You need to decide on a moving day schedule. Arrange your packing and payment schedules in advance. Choose a date for moving in and settling down as well.
Certain things, especially those that are beyond your control, cannot be rushed. If you have this in mind, relocating will be simple and fun for you.
Checklist for a Stress-Free Move:
Two months before:
- Obtain quotes from several office movers in Kent and choose one.
- Declutter your house.
One month before:
- Get packing supplies.
- Measure the dimensions of your new room.
- Plan any renovations (painting, new furnishings) for the relocation location.
- Schedule a day off from work to move.
- Start by packing the items you use the least.
- Start gathering items (such as jewellery and passports) that you must carry with you.
One week before:
- Pack every last item and name each room carefully.
- If required, give the new location a thorough cleaning.
- Check with the movers one more time.
The day before:
- Put your first night’s essentials in a box (cups, plates, coffeemaker, some cooking utensils, and a set of sheets).
- Put a few outfit changes and toiletries in an overnight bag.
- Get lots of rest.
D-Day (On the day of the relocation):
- Go through your old house one more time. Make sure everything is spotless and damage-free if you are renting.
- If you are renting a new property, check it for damage and take pictures.
- Clean any hidden spaces in the flat that could become inaccessible once the furniture is in place.
4. Declutter
A house may accumulate a lot of memories and even junk after many years of habitation. Moving brings a chance to organise and declutter your life. Now is the time to decide what should be kept and what can be discarded.
Bring only the items that are essential to you. Your new home might be the backdrop for fresh memories, so you’ll need room for new mementos and keepsakes. If you bring a lot of your old belongings, you won’t have room for them.
5. Get Help and Bid Farewell
To assist you during your relocation, ask your friends and family or coworkers. Spend time with them; before you move out, this might be a great opportunity to bond. Helping out won’t bother your buddies. As a way of saying thanks for their help, you can buy them food or drinks.
Instead, if you want to avoid worrying, you may hire professional movers which will make everything easier for you.
A goodbye is merely a goodbye. You will always cherish the memories and friendships you have made.