How To: Better Handle the Stress & Anxiety of Moving

Moving into a new home is one of the most exciting times in an individual’s life, but it can also prove to be one of the most stressful.  

Whether it be financially draining, time-consuming, or just an overall change in your life, many aspects of moving can cause anxiety to skyrocket. 

So, to better help the balance of the mover’s emotions, here’s what you need to know to better handle the stress and anxiety of the big move, so you feel all the excitement and less worry. 

What’s Bringing You Down? 

To better understand what’s causing your moving stress, you’ll need to determine the issue, whether it be one big problem or several smaller issues. 

One common dilemma that can weigh on a person’s mind isn’t exclusive to moving, and that’s financial stress. Moving is expensive, as is anything relating to real estate as a whole, and money concerns will cause headaches aplenty when trying to move. 

On top of financial burdens, time consumption is a big one that people struggle to cope with, as moving takes up a lot of time no matter how close or far you’re moving. 

Changing scenery and leaving your old home behind for a new area and new life isn’t exactly stress-free either, and will cause even the most experienced mover to suffer from some headaches. 

Baby Steps & Research 

Often, movers will see the big picture and completely overwhelm themselves. To counter that, it’s best to take things slowly early on and take them to step by step. 

For starters, the earlier the moving process has begun, the better for your mental health, giving you ample time to prepare for move day. 

Taking enough time to de-clutter instead of hastily packing items into boxes will also be better in the long run, as it’ll better handle the time-consuming part of moving with fewer items to take from the old place to the new house. 

A tried and trusted method to put your mind at ease is to research your surrounding areas before moving. 

It’s much the same as checking a menu online before you go to a new restaurant, in turn helping you feel better adjusted when you go to eat. 

For moving, it assists in finding the best moving route, the best way to travel from home to school or work, the ideal places to purchase groceries, and of course the best restaurants to eat at when you’re all settled in. 

Mental Health Takes Priority 

Whether you’re the most avid mover or a novice at the task, moving takes a toll on everyone mentally and that needs to be acknowledged. 

Before preparing all the nitty-gritty details and lists, ensure you have a plan for your mental health and well-being too. This can be something small like regular walks to get out of the house or even some breathing exercises to relax and clear your mind. 

Indulging in your favourite pastimes or spending time with loved ones are also great ways to ease your mind in such a stressful time. 

Taking further time off work or other endeavours would also ease anxiety and stress caused by moving, as you’ll have more time to plan and prepare instead of the usual weekend people set out for their move. 

Taking time off will also help you explore the new surroundings around your home and gives you time to rest in what is usually a time where rest is a rarity. 

Preparing The Lists 

Now that your mind is more at ease, you can start assisting future you as well and begin ticking off lists before move day. 

There are plenty of lists you can rely on to prepare for your move and these lists will help ease your moving anxiety. 

The first is a change of address checklist, which details everything you need to do when moving from one home to another, and everyone you’ll need to inform. For more information about this checklist, check out our guide here. 

Ultimately, the best way to put your mind at ease is to prepare an overarching moving checklist detailing the upcoming weeks of packing, being sure to not leave the packing until the last minute. 

This checklist should encompass all aspects of packing and move as a whole, which we’ve already got you started on with our great Moving Checklist here. 

Don’t Be Afraid to Ask for Help 

It may seem like the best option to bear the weight of stressful things upon yourself when moving, but it’s easy to get overwhelmed and bury yourself in anxiety that way. 

In situations like that, there’s always the option to ask for help, whether that be from family members, friends, or a moving company as a whole. 

This help doesn’t have to be a whole grand gesture, it can be as little as helping move some boxes on moving day, but even the smallest bit of help can go a long way to removing the stress of moving. 

Professional movers can be pricey and thus, less appealing to use, but they don’t all have to break the bank either. Our friends at Muval put together a great comparison service between removalists to give you the best price available. Want an idea of how much it’s going to cost you? See Muval’s helpful breakdown of estimated removalist costs by State, residence size, and volume of items.  

Ultimately, each individual has their own process of dealing with stress, but hopefully, these tips have helped make the process a whole lot easier. 

If you’re still unsure about all the little things involving moving, check out our all-encompassing blog on moving house here. 

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