How to Deal With Moving

Moving is often listed among the most stressful human experiences. You have to pack up an entire house, say goodbye to your friends, and start all over somewhere new. You may not be able to cut all the stress from your move, but you can find ways to make it easier. Give yourself plenty of time to make the transition, and take joy in setting up your new home.

Part 1
Part 1 of 3:

Coping with Stress

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    Research your new hometown. Before you start packing your belongings take some time to get to know your new hometown. Look up the town online and see what they have to offer.
    • Make a list of your hobbies and see if your new hometown has a place for them. If you're into comic books, look for a comic book store. If you're into skateboarding, see if your new town has a skate park.
    • Look for things that set the town apart from other places. You may find some interesting facts about your new hometown. Share these things with your friends. Involve your friends in your moving experience to help ease the anxiety of moving.
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    Visit your new school. Ask your parents to let you visit your new school before you move. When you visit, ask about any clubs you might want to join. Try to get to know a little bit about what activities the school offers.
    • If you are moving in the middle of the school year, some of the clubs might be full, or deadlines may have passed for certain activities. Talk with the administration and see if they can find ways to get you involved.
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    Get involved with the moving process. Ask your parents to make you a part of any pre-move visits. If they're going to look for a house, ask to go along. Seeing your new home may help you cope with the stress of moving.
    • While you're visiting, take a look at your new neighborhood. Try to familiarize yourself with the town. Try to find a city map and highlight where you'll be living. Highlight where your new school will be, and any places you might want to visit.
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    Throw a going away party. Before you leave your new place, invite all your friends over and have one last get together. Share memories with your friends before you leave.
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    Take pictures of your house before you pack it away. A few weeks before you start packing, take some pictures to remind you of what it was like living there.
    • Take pictures of your family doing everyday things. Try to capture the experiences you had living in the house.
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    Talk to your friends and family. If you're feeling nervous about moving, open up to your friends and family. Let them know what's on your mind, and ask them for support.[1]
    • Make plans to visit your friends and family after the move. While you won't be able to see them as much as you used to, that doesn't mean you have to lose touch with them completely.[2]
    • Make sure you give yourself plenty of time to say goodbye. Spend quality time with your friends and family. Visit your favorite hangouts and take walks through your neighborhood.
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    Take care of yourself. Moving is stressful and time consuming, but don't let it get in the way of your health. In times of stress, it is especially important to eat well and get enough rest.[3]
    • Set aside time to make healthy dinners. Invite friends over to help ease your stress.
    • Your mental health is important as well. Don't focus on the negative aspects of moving. Think of the new experiences you'll have, and the new people you will meet. A positive outlook will help you get through the difficulties of moving.[4]
    • Anxiety typically lead to a lot of thoughts taking you away from being present, so it may be helpful to have a practice that helps you develop more mindfulness. Try exercise or some kind of meditation.
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Part 2
Part 2 of 3:

Getting Used to Your New Home

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    Accept the move. You may be going through a lot of different emotions during the move. Rather than fight the move, accept it, and learn from the experience.[5]
    • You will experience change for the rest of your life. Don't let it get the best of you. Open yourself up to new experiences and try to stay positive. You have the opportunity for a fresh start. Join a new club at school, or try-out for one of the sports teams.[6]
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    Stay close with your family. Don't push your family away because of stress. You may think your parents are trying to ruin your life by moving, but they are not. Your family moved as a whole, and you need to rely on each other.[7]
    • Talk to your parents about any fears you might have. Reach out to them and use this time to build stronger family bonds.[8]
    • Moving is always related to uncertainty, as you are leaving people and locations you knew for something unknown, so it is normal to have fears and feel anxious or lonely.
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    Get your room set up. Getting your bedroom in order will help you settle down in your new home, and make you feel more at ease.[9]
    • After you get your bedroom set up, start unpacking things that you know you'll need in the next few days. Help your parents with any moving related chores. Try to involve yourself in the moving process as much as you can.
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    Establish a routine. Start getting familiar with your new home as soon as possible. Take walks around the neighborhood and introduce yourself to your neighbors.[10]
    • Explore your new city. Seek out things to do to help you get comfortable in your new city. Try new restaurants or go to the park. See what your new town has to offer and go experience it.[11]
    • Start meeting new people and connecting with them.
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Part 3
Part 3 of 3:

Planning the Move

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    Start planning as soon as possible. If you can afford to have some overlap between leases, you can take your time moving from one place to the next. It will cost you more money, but it may be worth it.[12]
    • Try to give yourself at least a week of overlap. You may be able to talk to you landlord about paying a prorated rent rather than the full month.[13]
    • You may not have the option to have any overlap, but you can still start the moving process early. Start packing nonessential items as soon as possible.[14]
    • Make sure you have a strategy for packing. Set a schedule for yourself and check your progress. Don't let your move-out date sneak up on you.
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    Get rid of things you don't need. Before you start throwing everything you own into boxes, take some time to sort your stuff. If you haven't used something in a long time, toss it.
    • Donate the things you can't sell to a thrift store. You could also see if your friends need anything, and give some things to them.
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    Organize your boxes. As you pack up a room, remember to label the boxes. Write the contents of the box and what room it belongs in to make things easier. Remember to label breakable items as fragile.[15]
    • Go to a grocery store and see if you can take some boxes from the back. If you can't find any free boxes, you can always buy some from moving supply stores.
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    Pack a suitcase. When packing bedrooms, keep a suitcase on hand to store essential items. Pack toiletries and spare clothes as if you were taking a trip.[16]
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    Hire movers. If you don't have the time, or the desire, to move yourself, hire some help. Ask friends and coworkers for recommendations.[17]
    • Make sure the movers take a thorough inventory of what you plan to move. The bulk and weight of what you move will impact the cost of moving. Getting an accurate estimate will help you budget the rest of your move.[18]
    • Check with the American Moving and Storage Association for a list of reliable movers.[19]
    • If you can't afford to hire movers, see if you can get a few friends to help you with the move. Offer to buy them dinner afterwards to return the favor.
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Expert Q&A

  • Question
    How do you deal with a best friend moving away?
    Alexandra Janelli
    Alexandra Janelli
    Certified Hypnotherapist & Anxiety and Stress Management Coach
    Alexandra Janelli is a Certified Hypnotherapist, Anxiety & Stress Management Coach, and owner and founder of Modrn Sanctuary, a holistic health and wellness facility in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. With over 10 years of experience, Alexandra specializes in helping clients push through their roadblocks to achieve their goals using her hypnotherapeutic approach. Alexandra holds a BS from the University of Miami. She graduated from the Hypnosis Motivation Institute with an Advanced Training Graduate Diploma in Hypnotherapy and Handwriting Analysis. Alexandra is also a Certified Life Coach from the iPEC Coach Training Program. She has worked with Academy Award Nominee Actors, world-renowned photographers, singers, top-level executives, and professionals across many sectors of business. Alexandra has been featured on MTV, Elle Magazine, Oprah Magazine, Men's Fitness, Swell City Guide, Dossier Journal, The New Yorker, and Time Out Chicago.
    Alexandra Janelli
    Alexandra Janelli
    Certified Hypnotherapist & Anxiety and Stress Management Coach
    Expert Answer
    Identify what's triggering you about the situation, because the present problem is that your friend is moving away. What does that mean for you? It might mean that you're going to be alone, or that you'll be without a confidant. Try to identify what is and isn't logical about those fears, and figuring out what you want to do about it.
  • Question
    How do you get over family homesickness when you move?
    Alexandra Janelli
    Alexandra Janelli
    Certified Hypnotherapist & Anxiety and Stress Management Coach
    Alexandra Janelli is a Certified Hypnotherapist, Anxiety & Stress Management Coach, and owner and founder of Modrn Sanctuary, a holistic health and wellness facility in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. With over 10 years of experience, Alexandra specializes in helping clients push through their roadblocks to achieve their goals using her hypnotherapeutic approach. Alexandra holds a BS from the University of Miami. She graduated from the Hypnosis Motivation Institute with an Advanced Training Graduate Diploma in Hypnotherapy and Handwriting Analysis. Alexandra is also a Certified Life Coach from the iPEC Coach Training Program. She has worked with Academy Award Nominee Actors, world-renowned photographers, singers, top-level executives, and professionals across many sectors of business. Alexandra has been featured on MTV, Elle Magazine, Oprah Magazine, Men's Fitness, Swell City Guide, Dossier Journal, The New Yorker, and Time Out Chicago.
    Alexandra Janelli
    Alexandra Janelli
    Certified Hypnotherapist & Anxiety and Stress Management Coach
    Expert Answer
    Take a look at what it means to move away from your family. What are you fearing? Where does this move leave you? If you move away physically, what happens to you in relation to your family? What changes and shifts now that you're far away now? It's all about understanding how you can cope with and deal with that. Maybe you can call them every day, or invite them to come visit.
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Expert Interview

Thanks for reading our article! If you'd like to learn more about dealing with moving, check out our in-depth interview with Alexandra Janelli.

References

  1. ↑ https://experiencelife.com/article/how-to-handle-a-move/
  2. ↑ https://experiencelife.com/article/how-to-handle-a-move/
  3. ↑ https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/the-in-between/201407/moving-out-leads-anxiety-introverts
  4. ↑ https://experiencelife.com/article/how-to-handle-a-move/
  5. ↑ https://www.psychologytoday.com/blog/teen-angst/201008/so-youre-the-new-kid-the-block-how-address-the-pressure-and-adjustment-moving
  6. ↑ https://www.psychologytoday.com/blog/teen-angst/201008/so-youre-the-new-kid-the-block-how-address-the-pressure-and-adjustment-moving
  7. ↑ https://www.psychologytoday.com/blog/teen-angst/201008/so-youre-the-new-kid-the-block-how-address-the-pressure-and-adjustment-moving
  8. ↑ https://www.psychologytoday.com/blog/teen-angst/201008/so-youre-the-new-kid-the-block-how-address-the-pressure-and-adjustment-moving
  9. ↑ http://childdevelopmentinfo.com/how-to-be-a-parent/communication/talk-to-kids-moving/
  1. ↑ https://experiencelife.com/article/how-to-handle-a-move/
  2. ↑ https://experiencelife.com/article/how-to-handle-a-move/
  3. ↑ https://www.psychologytoday.com/blog/triggered/201307/chaos-under-control-dealing-anxiety-about-moving
  4. ↑ https://www.psychologytoday.com/blog/triggered/201307/chaos-under-control-dealing-anxiety-about-moving
  5. ↑ https://www.psychologytoday.com/blog/triggered/201307/chaos-under-control-dealing-anxiety-about-moving
  6. ↑ http://lifehacker.com/5591389/the-start-to-finish-moving-guide
  7. ↑ http://lifehacker.com/5591389/the-start-to-finish-moving-guide
  8. ↑ http://www.moving.com/tips/hiring-quality-movers/
  9. ↑ http://www.moving.com/tips/hiring-quality-movers/
  10. ↑ http://www.moving.com/tips/hiring-quality-movers/

About This Article

Donna Novak, Psy.D
Co-authored by:
Donna Novak, Psy.D
Licensed Clinical Psychologist
This article was co-authored by Donna Novak, Psy.D. Dr. Donna Novak is a Licensed Clinical Psychologist based in Simi Valley, California. With over ten years of experience, Dr. Novak specializes in treating anxiety and relationship and sex concerns. She holds a BA in Psychology from the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA) and a doctoral degree (Psy.D) in Clinical Psychology from Alliant International University-Los Angeles. Dr. Novak uses a differentiation model in treatment that focuses on personal growth by increasing self-awareness, personal motivation, and confidence. This article has been viewed 33,396 times.
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Co-authors: 18
Updated: March 18, 2023
Views: 33,396
Categories: Stress Management
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