Moving house is said to be one of the most stressful things that you can experience. Stress is difficult to measure, but moving house along with bereavement, divorce, financial worries, and work worries, is known to be a very stressful time. That said, there are ways to help combat the stress of moving house. If you believe that it will be a negative and stressful experience, then the chances are that it will be so, whereas if you approach it with a positive attitude, then the experience will likely be less stressful. Obviously, the circumstances surrounding your move will play a huge part in how much stress you experience, and you may have little control over these circumstances. However, if you are feeling stressed, don’t despair, as there are steps that you can take that will help to reduce the feelings of stress associated with moving house.
Why is Moving House so Stressful?
First, let us explore why moving house is so stressful. If we can understand why we get stressed, then it can help us to deal with the causes of stress and hopefully, give us some clues for how to manage and reduce that stress. Many of us are comfortable in our everyday routines, we enjoy the peace of mind that comes from familiarity. Moving house immediately takes away all sense of the familiar and leaves us having to get to know our surroundings again. The other main stress of moving house is the physical and mental organisation required to do so.
Moving house is a complex and time-consuming process. It requires planning, thought, flexibility and stamina. When you consider all that you need to do in order to move, it is easy to understand why many of us suffer from stress when faced with the prospect of moving. It is why many people decide to extend their current home, rather than have to cope with all the hassles of moving house. Though building projects certainly come with their own unique set of stressful challenges!
Common Causes Of Stress When Moving Home
If you are moving areas then moving home can have a whole added layer of stress. Fear of living in a new area, fear of making new friends, sadness at leaving behind friends or family. Even if the reason for the move is a positive one, perhaps you have a new job, or a new relationship, the move itself may be tinged with sadness. If you are staying in the same area, but simply changing houses, this can still have a sadness of nostalgia. Maybe your child took their first steps in that sitting room, or it was your first home. Even if we are moving for good reasons, we can still feel sad about what we are leaving behind.
The stress of logistics around moving is exceedingly common. If you are buying and selling, you are often in a chain, which relies upon other people’s sales to go through, in order for yours to do so. If you are renting, you will need to hand back your home in a good condition to ensure that you receive your deposit back. The physical act of sorting and packing a home up can be overwhelming, daunting, and stressful. All these factors can contribute to the stress that many people experience when they are moving house.
Symptoms That You Have Moving House Anxiety
As moving house is known to be stressful, it can lead to a variety of mental health issues like an increase in anxiety or even depression. Being aware of the warning signs for these mental health issues can help you to spot them as they start, which in turn will help you prevent them from becoming entrenched. One common symptom of anxiety is difficulty sleeping, are you waking up in the small hours of the morning and lying there worrying? Another may be increased heart rate, palpitations, or sweating, these are all your body reacting to the increased stress hormone cortisol. Headaches or stomach aches are other common symptoms of anxiety.
Tips on How to Deal with the Stress of Moving House
Stress may be inevitable, but it can be managed depending on how you tackle the stress points of moving house. Firstly, write a list. Your list needs to have everything on it that you need to do, whether it is getting a removal quote, or sorting out your linen cupboard. If you write each point down, you can then order them however you wish. Some people like to split their lists into daily tasks, or order of importance, some people like an app for their smartphone, while some enjoy a more traditional notepad and pen. Whatever works for you, having a list will reduce some of the stress about forgetting to do something. Also, you will gain immense satisfaction each time you tick something off!
If you are overwhelmed by the idea of packing, please talk to our friendly team here at Excalibur Removals. We can offer a full packing, and unpacking service, which will be one thing off your mind.
Don’t leave everything to the last minute. Obviously, the legalities must be done at various times, which you will have little or no control over, but there are things you can do ahead of time, which will make the weeks leading up to your move easier. Start decluttering, it is very easy to accumulate possessions over time, but spending time sorting your belongings will make it much easier when you come to pack.
Ask your friends to help. If you are feeling overwhelmed, ask for help. People love helping, and will be happy to do so. Ask your friends what they like doing, they might take your kids to the park for a couple of hours for you, or they may love sorting cupboards!
Breathe. It sounds obvious, but when we are stressed our breathing becomes shallower, which results in less oxygen reaching our brains, this in turn reduces our cognitive function, making it harder to make decisions and perform tasks. Breathing is so important! Mediating or doing yoga can help to reduce your stress and promote good breathing techniques.
Make sure that your children and animals are being looked after during the day of your move, both children and animals can become stressed by moving, and may react badly. Ensuring that you have someone to look after them on the big day, will help to reduce your moving house stress on the big day.
Choose a Reliable & Professional Removals & Storage Company
While we can’t stop moving house from being stressful, we can help to reduce the stress of moving house. Good planning will help you to feel more prepared and in control, make sure you ask for help, and most importantly, make sure you choose a reliable removal company for your next big move.