Congratulations! Moving to a new home marks a new chapter in your life. It also marks a really busy, stressful, and emotionally-trying period. You will probably find yourself with more things to do than you thought were humanly possible. Here are some tips to help you manage your life before a move and avoid the eminent mental breakdown.
Just get rid of all that stuff!
The most stressful thing about moving is packing up all of your belongings and transporting them to the new home. It also one of the most expensive aspects of moving. Make your life easier by getting rid of as much stuff as you can. Start early on so you have time to donate items, give away items to friends, or sell off items for extra cash. You will feel great about starting your new life with less clutter.
Say goodbye to your friends while getting stuff done
If you are moving long distances, then you will suddenly have a surge of invitations from all your friends who want to see you before you leave. This can be very stressful! Of course you want to spend quality time with all your friends, but do you really have time for a million coffee dates and parties before moving day? Kill two birds with one stone: ask friends if they can help you with parts of the move (like packing, taking items for donation, cleaning up the old place, etc). Then you can spend some time with them while getting stuff done.
Stay organized
Did you give notice to your landlord? Have you changed your address with the post office? Have you checked your insurance policies to see if coverage carries over to the new city? These are just a few of the zillions of things you'll have to do when moving. Stay organized to stay sane! Download moving checklists and tackle each task one at a time. You will also want to create a moving binder where you keep everything pertaining to the move.
Don't try to do everything yourself
To reduce stress during a move, you are going to have to let go of some control. Who cares if your plates get a bit disorganized if it means that your friends are helping you do the packing! Pay the extra money to have professional movers pack up your breakables. Let your older kids purge and pack their own rooms. It might not go as smoothly as if you’d done it all yourself, but you deserve a break!
It is okay to have a breakdown
No matter how much you plan for the move, it is still bound to be stressful. It is okay to have a mental breakdown or two! In fact, you should expect to breakdown. That way you will at least be prepared for it when it inevitably happens.
