Moving house can be a rather taxing job that will leave you both physically and mentally exhausted. Therefore, once you find yourself in the new place, you’re strongly recommended to slow things down and relax a bit from all the stress of Moving day.
Remember that you’re not a robot and the enormous moving stress may prove to be bad for your health. That’s right – the worst part of the house move is over now, so you can breathe a sigh of relief and take it easy for a while.
The thing is that it won’t be too easy to de-stress after moving, but you just have to try to unwind and relax in order to avoid any possible health problems. And while a hot bath or a refreshing shower and a comfortable bed should get you safely through the very first day, you’ll need a good long-term strategy to be able to de-stress and calm down after the madness of the entire relocation is already over.
Here are the best ways to unwind after a stressful move:
Order in tasty food
You might think that ordering some delicious food from a local pizzeria or a restaurant is not a big deal. And you’re right – it’s not. But at the same time, it’s those little things that will add up and help you relax after a tough house move.
Besides, you just survived a stressful move so you definitely deserve to pamper yourself with tasty take-out food rather than spend hours cooking in the new house kitchen.
Have a dinner at a nice restaurant
If you’re not crazy about the idea of dining among piles of cardboard boxes, then do consider going out to a nice restaurant with your family or some good friends to celebrate the successful end of a difficult move.
However, eating out can be costly, especially after an expensive house move. So, if you can’t spare any more for a fancy restaurant, then at least treat yourself to an affordable place that still offers good food – just anything to take a break from staring at those cardboard boxes and wondering when you’ll get to unpack them.
See also: What to do after moving into a new house
Treat yourself to a movie or two
A good way to relax after a rough move is to go catch a movie at a movie theater – preferably with a friend, of course. Or you can choose to grab a bowl of popcorn and watch a movie at home, late in the evening when you’re done with unpacking for the day.
In fact, you should consider setting up a rule of watching one movie each evening at the new home – firstly, as a break from all the post-move tasks, and secondly, as a way to acclimatize faster to the new environment.
Listen to relaxing music whenever you can
After a nerve-racking house move, you’ll most likely be so stressed out that you won’t be able to get that accumulated tension out of your body and mind in a single day. In most cases, you’ll need time to relax completely and feel alright once more.
And that’s where the power of music comes into play – classical music, relaxing music, evergreen tracks, or just a genre of music that you know will help you ease up and calm down. Play your favorite type of music when you’re unpacking too.
Good advice: How to unpack quickly after a move
Take exploration tours around the new town or city
Moving to a new town or city will mark the beginning of a post-move adaptation period that can last from a few weeks to a few months, or even more. One way to speed up your adjustment to the unfamiliar environment is to explore your new neighborhood and the new city through a series of exploration trips.
The good news is that your decision to get to know the new place better – start from your neighborhood and increase gradually the perimeter of your exploration – should help you relax more and more into the surroundings, thus eventually easing up the moving stress and fear of the new place.
Book a relaxing massage
Nothing can help you unwind more fully after a tough move than getting a relaxing massage as a reward of having survived a residential move. Qualified massage therapists will know exactly how to take the stress out of your body with the help of gentle massage techniques and soothing music.
If you can afford it, throw in an invigorating spa or beauty treatment to give your body and mind what they have been missing for a long time. Check online for massage centers in your new town and city and don’t think twice about it.
Read also: What to do after moving to a new state
Immerse yourself in the magical world of books
Once you unpack the absolute essentials, most of your other stuff can wait a bit until you get your bearings. Sometimes you may feel like you need to take a deserving break from all the post-move work that’s waiting for you.
And how exactly do you do just that? You lie in bed with a good book and read for hours, of course.
In fact, reading books is one of the most de-stressing and battery-recharging activities you can do after a stressful move. So, happy reading!
Use shopping as a therapy
Having paid the huge moving bill, there’s a high chance that you won’t be too thrilled about the prospect of going on a shopping spree and spending even more money that you probably don’t have in the first place.
But spending time at big shopping centers doesn’t have to be expensive in any way – it’s the fun of going from store to store with the purpose of taking your mind off all move-related thoughts.
And it goes without saying that you’re allowed to buy yourself something really nice to commemorate the successful move.
Exercise your body to free your mind
One of the ways to de-stress after a move and put your worried mind at ease is to include exercises in your daily routine. There are countless relaxing or energizing exercises you can do at home, just do a simple Google search and you’ll be overwhelmed by the offered variety.
Of course, jogging, swimming, lifting weights, or doing yoga will all help you increase the level of endorphins in your body and ease the mental anxiety you may be feeling. Just find a good gym in the new city and never look back.
Regular exercises will also help you sleep better at night, thus feeling refreshed and energized in the mornings.
See also: What to do when you move to a new neighborhood
Try meditation
Meditation can really help you relax after a stressful move. In reality, it’s one of the easiest and simplest ways to calm your mind – all you have to do is pick a quiet room in your new home, sit in a comfortable chair, close your eyes and then try to think about absolutely nothing. Instead, concentrate only on your breathing – in through your nose and out through your mouth.
Your mind will keep wandering and that’s ok – just try to think about nothing else but your breathing – breathe in, breathe out. You can start with 10 minutes a day and increase the meditation time gradually. Soon, you will be amazed by how much calmer you feel after your meditation sessions.
Organize a housewarming party
Another good way to unwind after a tough move and have some fun at the same time is to organize a housewarming party – an informal get-together to which you should invite any friends you have in the new town or city. In case you don’t have any good friends yet in that new place, then consider inviting some of your co-workers and even some of your immediate neighbors.
A housewarming party can serve two distinct purposes at the same time – 1) help you relax after a stressful move, and 2) help you meet new people who you might get to know better and hopefully befriend in the future.
Take a short vacation
You just survived a nerve-racking house move and being surrounded by piles and piles of moving boxes won’t really ease your mind and get you to unwind a bit before starting work on your post-move tasks. And that’s exactly why a short battery-recharging break from all move-related matters should do you a world of good.
If possible, take a few days off work (one weekend should also be good enough) and go someplace away from the city you just moved to. Depending on your area, you may choose to go to the mountains, the beach, or another place of interest that will let you have a well-deserved rest, both physically and mentally.
Good to know: How to overcome relocation depression
