There’s a good reason why moving house is often ranked as one of the most stressful events in life. In fact, there are several reasons for the moving anxiety that almost everyone gets to experience to some degree when moving between two homes.
Below you’ll see why moving is so emotional, but the more important question is what you can do to make your move less stressful. Your life is probably stressful enough as it is so you don’t really need the extra dose of anxiety that a house move will introduce into your life.
Luckily, there are several good ways to take the stress out of moving, or at least to reduce moving stress to acceptable levels. Too much stress is bad for your health, remember?
Yes, moving is stressful in general but it doesn’t have to be so in your particular case. Read on to learn how to handle the stress of moving in exactly 5 steps.
Why is moving so stressful?
First of all, you should understand the main reasons why moving is so stressful. Once you do, you will begin to see various ways in which you can keep the moving stress from reaching unhealthy levels.
What makes moving so stressful is the fact that several powerful stress factors will be at play ALL AT ONCE during your move, so even if you manage to tackle one of the stressors, the other ones will continue to influence you, often making you more anxious and nervous than you can handle safely.
- Moving is EXPENSIVE. With an average cost of $4,300 for an interstate move (distance of 1,225 miles), no wonder you will feel really stressed out. After all, your hard-earned money (and savings!) will be at risk. And unless you request an accurate cost estimate from reputable movers, you’ll have no clear idea how much your house move will cost either.
- Moving is TIME-CONSUMING. Sorting out and packing up your stuff can take many days to complete – days that you may not be able to afford. The thing is that the closer Moving day gets, the more stressed you’re likely to feel simply because you have a set date to be finish the packing task.
- Moving is CRUEL. Moving away means that you’ll be forced to leave behind good friends, family members, and all familiarity that have given you the support and comfort you need. But sometimes you just have no choice but to move away, thus making a huge step out of your comfort zone in the process.
- Moving is UNCERTAIN. Moving house is all about change – for better or worse, things are changing fast and your future looks as uncertain as ever. You don’t have a way of knowing what’ll happen after the move becomes a fact, so it’s only normal to feel scared (fear of the future) and stressed out due to the impending change.
Learn more: What makes moving so stressful?
How to handle the stress of moving
The stress of moving house may be real but you shouldn’t despair because there are proven ways to minimize moving anxiety or even eliminate it in some cases. Yes, your money, time, nerves, and future are all at stake during a house move, but you do have a great deal of control over the situation.
Here are the best 5 tips for stress-free moving:
1. Organize your time more efficiently
The idea that you’re working against a deadline (Moving day itself) is enough to give you a fair share of stress while you’re getting ready to move out. Will you be able to finish all move-related tasks on time?
The unfortunate combination of too many things to do and too little time to do those things is usually the main stressor when moving. It’s the troublesome thought of not being ready on time, the thought of still having stuff to pack when the movers knock on your door on the move-out day.
So, how can you organize your time more efficiently so that you can finish all those important tasks, including packing, ahead of schedule?
The answer is simple: follow a detailed MOVING CHECKLIST that will guide you through the entire house moving process, step by step, reminding you what you have to do next so that you don’t waste any precious time.
Ultimately, dealing with moving stress gets down to having enough time to do the things you have to do before moving away.
Must-read: Moving Timeline: Interactive moving checklist
2. Keep moving expenses to a minimum
Another good reason why moving is so stressful is the undeniable fact that a house move can be a rather costly business.
In the very beginning, you just don’t know how expensive your move will be, especially if you’re moving house for the first time. And it’s that financial uncertainty that can keep you tossing and turning at night – what if the move turns out to be more expensive that you can afford?
The first thing you should do to making moving less stressful is to learn the approximate cost of your move. Just ask several top-rated movers in your area to provide you with accurate cost estimates. It’s only after you’ve looked through those moving quotes that you’ll be able to breathe a sigh of relief.
Getting cost estimates from reputable movers is easy – the harder part will be to keep your moving expenses to a minimum, so that you don’t pay more money for the move than you absolutely have to.
So, what’s the best way to monitor your expenses? The answer is hardly surprising: create a moving budget to control where each dollar goes during the relocation.
Read also: How to make a budget for moving out
3. Tackle the tough task of packing
Without a doubt, packing will be the task that keeps your stress levels elevated throughout the preparation period. It’s the nerve-racking barrage of packing questions that are likely to keep you stressed out from Day 1:
- WHAT types of packing supplies do you need?
- WHERE should you find the required packing materials, including free moving boxes?
- HOW MANY moving boxes do you need?
- WHEN should you start packing for a move?
- HOW to pack fragile items so that they survive the move?
All these packing questions, one after the other, will not only increase the stress of moving, but they should also give you a massive headache even before you’ve started packing.
Of course, the main question for you early on remains whether you should hire professional packers to get the job done quickly and safely, or whether you should try to pack up your things by yourself, thus saving money in the process.
If you’re confident that you can manage the packing job by yourself, then do follow a PACKING TIMELINE to guide you.
Good to know: Should you hire professional packers?
4. Accept any help your friends offer you
It’s important to monitor your stress level during a move and take appropriate actions if the situation is seemingly getting out of control. Stress is bad for all family members, including any pets that you have – dogs, cats, or birds.
In most cases, stress will keep on increasing until you find good ways to release the built-up pressure before suffering a nervous breakdown. And one excellent way to handle the stress of moving is to admit to yourself that you can’t possible manage it all by yourself, and to ask your good friends for help.
It’s a calming feeling to know that you can rely on your friends during that difficult transition. You can ask your pals for any free packing materials they may have lying around their homes, or you can have them to help you pack up your things faster.
You may also be forced to ask your friends for a big favor – to help you lift, carry, and load heavy furniture and overstuffed boxes. After all, friends don’t let friends move on their own.
5. Keep moving day from being dangerous
One thing that you may be really worried about – especially when you’re organizing a DIY move – is the thought that you or somebody else from your family might get injured during the move-out day.
Moving day accidents do happen from time to time so you must make sure you’ve taken all the proper safety measures to prevent bad things from happening during the most dangerous period when moving to a new home.
The mere thought that you and your family (including pets) are as safe as you can be should have a calming effect on you and make moving less stressful as a result.
- Make sure you pack your things properly and the boxes you’re using are strong enough to withstand the weight of what’s packed inside them;
- Use the proper lifting techniques and utilize the appropriate moving equipment when moving heavy items to protect yourself from possible injuries and traumas;
- Dress appropriately for the occasion to avoid major slip-ups. Wear comfortable clothes that do not restrict your movements and have closed shoes with good traction for secure footing.
Moving house will always be a stressful experience, especially for first-time movers. If you sense that you’re too nervous about your chances of managing a low-cost, safe, and stress-free move, then do yourself a favor and trust professional movers with excellent reputation and years of experience.
