Moving stress and how to deal with it

Anyone who has been there will tell you that moving house is hands-down one of the most stressful experiences of your life - right up there with divorce, redundancy, and the loss of a loved one. But why is that the case? And what can you do about it? We’ve helped thousands of people move to a new house and have the knowledge of how you can reduce stress during your move. Here’s how…

A giant leap

Moving is fundamentally a big deal. Firstly, you are making the biggest investment you will likely ever make, based on a handful of viewings, and the surveys and assessments of a group of professionals you have never come across before.

On top of that, a house – in most cases – is far more than a financial investment, it is your home; an extension of yourself and the rooting place for your family’s future happiness. So, no pressure there then!

Moving house is an emotional process, from the sadness at leaving a home where you’ve made memories, to the excitement and anticipation of a new life somewhere else, to the fear and anxiety that comes with stepping into the unfamiliar and the unknown. Having to familiarise yourself with everything from the location of the light switches, to the layout of the nearest supermarket can layer up the stress factor too.

Moving stress

If that leap from the familiar into the unknown wasn’t anxiety inducing-enough, the moving process is littered with time-consuming and cumbersome jobs, like sorting through and packing possessions, notifying everyone from the bank to the DVLA of your new address, and transferring energy and internet providers. There are unfamiliar activities too, from negotiations with estate agents, making and accepting offers, and the conveyancing process itself.

Meanwhile all the normal stresses of daily life – job, children, pets – are still there filling up your hours as they always do – making a lack of time another item on the long list of potential sources of moving stress.

So, what can you do about it?

Start early

The process of sifting through and packing up a life cannot be accomplished in a weekend. Yes, professional movers can sweep in and pack up your house in a day – but they will pack everything from the magazines on the coffee table to the leftovers in your fridge – and you’ll be left to deal with it all at the other end.

Moving is a great opportunity to shed some of the baggage and clutter you’ve doubtless accumulated, but the process of sifting and sorting need not wait until your days away from completing. Start at the same time as you begin your house hunt, and by the time you get the keys to your new pad, you’ll be ready to move in with only the things you really want as you start a new chapter of your life.

Keep on top of things

Organisation is key, and if you’re not naturally that way inclined, make sure you make use of the wealth of handy checklists and guides available online which help you reduce potential stress triggers when moving. It can be helpful to create a moving timeline to keep an overview of all the steps. Keep a careful watch over your budget – moving comes with many costs, but if you account for them ahead of time, you can cut out a lot of the stress in outlaying so much money. Keep all your documents organised and together too, so that information is to hand when you need it.

Ask for help

If you need the kids out from underfoot, or you want some company or moral support sorting through your cupboards – then reach out to family and friends for help. Even someone cooking you dinner while you attend to other tasks can give you a boost. As we said at the outset, loved-ones who have been through a move themselves will know what you’re up against and doubtless be happy to help out.

Self-care

With so much to take care of, it can be easy to neglect to care for yourself – but if you run out of steam, so will your move! If you find yourself eating take-out night after night while comparing energy and internet providers, waking at 4am every day with a head full of worries, and reading buildings surveys over breakfast, then its time to take a step back. Moving can be an all-consuming process, so carve out time to eat well, exercise, and take a break in the evenings to minimise the impact on your sleep.

Avoiding Stress and moving your mindset 

Of course, ultimately the best way to deal with stress is to avoid the root causes, and when it comes to moving house, so many of those stress generators come out of the conveyancing process: unexpected costs, unnecessary delays, poor communication, having to chase up your solicitor every step of the way.

While we might have come to accept this all as ‘par for the course’ when we move house – it doesn’t need to be that way – and with us, it isn’t that way.

We believe that when we handle your move, we should take the stress off your shoulders – rather than add to it. That’s why we created Zen Move.

Our unique approach combines our commitment to clutter-free conveyancing driven through as smoothly as possible by our experienced team, with a FREE seven-week programme of mindfulness and moving tips and tricks to help you reframe and manage all the other stress-inducing elements of your move.

Yes, moving stress is a reality – but, if you can move your headspace, you can also embrace it as an exciting time of new possibilities and opportunities, and make it more of an energising and fruitful transition to a brighter, better way of life.

So, be prepared to stop worrying. Get in touch now on Lucy@zenmove.co.uk or 03303801514 and find out how we can change your perception – and your experience – of moving house.