How can we reduce the stress of moving house?
It’s well documented that house moving has a place in the top five most stressful things we go through in life. Some studies even say that it’s more stressful than divorce, I’m not sure that’s true but it made me wonder if there are things we can do to make the whole thing a little easier on us.
Moving house also should and can be exciting, here are some things to try to remember.
Have a flexible plan
Time lines on house-moves stretch and retract depending on many factors- the day, the chain, the solicitor, the time of year, the survey, the mortgage company and the solicitor’s holiday. It can be very unsettling to be at the mercy of so many people, so many factors – we are left in limbo unsure if things will actually work out.
How can we roll with whatever outcome happens? It can be difficult but when making a plan or schedule, try to make it as flexible as you can. If everything looks too ‘tight’ take advantage of self-storage to give yourself some breathing space.
Taking a break
Nobody can do everything. When you are planning your move, make sure you can take some time off work so you can settle in. Give yourself plenty of time to cathartically pack up your house – make sure you only take the things with you that you really want. Taking time to run through all of your belongings and getting rid of anything that is no longer useful in your current life can be a therapeutic and liberating process.
Stress Relief
The important thing to remember is that it’s normal to feel overwhelmed when moving house. A couple of things that can release the overall tension are:
- Seven, Eleven breathing – breathing in for a count of seven and in for 11, repeated at least ten times can stop the panic kicking in.
- Meditation and Mindfulness. Headspace have a free app to guide you through simple meditations – they can add a moment of calm in a sea of chaos.
- Try to keep exercising, even if it just walking the dog even when everything is on top of you. When we are mentally frazzled it is easy to feel physically tired too.
We all know that things are harder to cope with when we are tired so try to make sure you get as much sleep as possible as well as sticking to a healthy, balanced diet.
If you start to experience symptoms such as mood swings, racing heart you must visit your GP for help with your stress level.
Visit your new area
Disruption of your routine can be stressful – we like knowing who we are and where we are. Keep visiting your new area so that you can get excited and imagine your new life. It is also helpful to orientate yourself with local amenities so that you can find things simply when you arrive.
Give yourself a treat in your new local area – take the kids out for dinner, spend some time in the park – find the wonderful things your new place has to offer.
Create a document box and survival pack
To make the actual moving day easier, make sure you have a document box for all the important papers including birth certificates and passports. Create a survival pack with fresh clothes, pajamas, toiletries, bedding snacks and drinks for you and your family so you always have the things you need to stay the night anywhere.
If we can take the pressure off by storing your stuff whilst you are moving house or looking to buy, please get in touch >>
Helpful links:
https://www.reallymoving.com/help-and-advice/moving-house-checklist
