Moving is an extremely stressful period in one’s life. Handling mixed emotions when moving is upcoming can be challenging. On the one hand, it’s the start of an exciting step towards a new location with the opportunity to explore and meet new people. On the other hand, moving comes with a lot of changes. So, moving stress is a natural result of all these emotions colliding.
A decision to relocate is hard because you’re uprooting your life, saying goodbye to friends, and starting over in an unfamiliar place. We move a lot of people here at Call the Movers and our number one goal is to make moving smooth and easy! But you can also take some steps of your own to turn this stressful experience into a positive one. We have prepared some tips for you to reduce moving stress and get grounded in your new community.
First of all, it can be helpful to understand what makes moving so stressful, and what you can do to reduce the stress.
CHANGES. Even good changes can be a little scary. When you move, you change the location you are familiar with, the layout of your home, maybe even your friends and your job.
MONEY. For many people, money is a big source of stress, because even if you are trying to fit all your possessions into the back of your car, there are still costs associated with moving into a new house or an apartment.
TIME. Whether you’re moving out of state to the other side of the world or just down the block, it takes time to get yourself and your belongings settled into your new place. The major changes that you’re making require time and cause stressful emotions. Read more about how to manage time and plan your packing here.
The moving experience will be a lot less stressful if you can seamlessly implement some of your old routines. Here are some simple ways to deal with moving stress to keep you and your family happy during your big transition.
Look for positive thoughts
When you’re moving, try to adopt an “I can do it” approach to help you go through difficulties. Focus on positive things, like meeting new people, exploring a new area, and finding fun activities to do in your new district or city. Even if it’s just one little thing, like being close to an interesting place, keeping that positivity in your mind can help you reduce your stress.
Stay organized
It’s important to have sufficient time to prepare well for the moving day. Furthermore, it is more important to use that time efficiently. Proper organization is key to reducing stress during a move. The solution is simple – stay organized during your move by creating a moving checklist and following it. Write down all the tasks you must finish and start ticking those tasks one by one.
Ask for help
The most important thing to remember about moving – you don’t have to do it by yourself! Reach out to your good friends or family members for assistance. An extra set of hands can greatly minimize the stress of moving and having someone else around is a great distraction from what might be an otherwise overwhelming task. Do not forget to show gratitude for any help you receive and to return the favor if and when the time comes.
Hire a professional moving company
The last thing you want to worry about when moving is the safety of your possessions. The best way to avoid this type of stress is to hire a professional moving company. Check out the reviews and choose the most experienced, reputable, and affordable company. Movers can help you with packing and safely wrapping up items, which are hard to pack like lamps and artwork. That’s a lot less work on your end and a lot less stress as a result. With movers’ help, you’ll be left with sufficient time to do a number of important tasks such as saying goodbye to your family, friends, and favorite places.
Listen to music while packing
Music has been used to heal the mind and body since Ancient times. Listen to music when you are dealing with packing or decluttering because music can have a profound effect on both the emotions and the body. Please note that faster music can make you feel more alert and concentrate better. Upbeat music can make you feel more optimistic and positive about life. If you want to rest after packing, choose slower tempo music to calm your mind down and to relax. Music will make you feel soothed while releasing the stress of moving.
Promise yourself a reward
Create a self-reward system to keep you going. You may opt for smaller rewards when completing an important task in your moving calendar – go to the cinema, buy and ice cream, or go out to dinner. Or you may prefer a more substantial reward after the move is done and over with – buying Netflix subscription or going away on a little trip.
Keep your valuables with you
When looking for good ways to reduce stress during a move the best way to make that happen is to take small valuable items with you. Never give valuable items such as jewelry, electronics, bank cards, cash, or keys to movers. Anything that you can carry yourself and that has great sentimental or monetary value should stay with you.
Do not forget to say goodbye
Saying goodbye to your friends may be the hardest aspect of your move, but it’s also an important step in moving on. Moving away from friends is always tough, sad and painful at the same time. If you’re moving far away and it’s possible that you won’t see a lot of these people or places again, take the time to give an earnest goodbye. Let your last memories of your old home be good ones.
Take care of yourself
Try to maintain your normal routine as much as possible, make sure you get enough sleep, and eat well, you’ll be in a better state of mind to navigate the chaos. Don’t feel guilty about taking time out to do things you like. It’s important to spend time doing what you enjoy to reduce stress.
Research your new area
Doing research on your new area early on in the moving process is an excellent way to help combat any negative emotions you have about leaving your old space. Being excited about your newest chapter can help you put your negative emotions in perspective without eliminating them altogether.
Life can be stressful and moving is no exception. We hope these tips help you keep calm throughout the process of moving. If you take some of these tips into consideration when you are going through this transition, it will make your life a whole lot easier! If it looks too much for the upcoming move, Call the Movers can help you. We are a full-service professional moving company in Fairfax County, and we are here to make your moving experience cool!
CALL THE MOVERS – WE KNOW THE WAY