{"id":67692,"date":"2022-12-01T21:24:33","date_gmt":"2022-12-01T21:24:33","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.mymove.com\/?p=67692"},"modified":"2022-12-01T21:24:39","modified_gmt":"2022-12-01T21:24:39","slug":"10-tips-for-handling-stress-during-a-move","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.mymove.com\/moving\/stress-relief\/handle-stress-while-moving\/","title":{"rendered":"10 Tips for Handling Stress During a Move"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p>Moving is stressful. No matter how many times you do it, it\u2019s still a huge undertaking to get your life boxed up and loaded onto a truck. <a href=\"https:\/\/studyfinds.org\/moving-more-stressful-than-divorce-having-kids\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">One survey<\/a> even found that moving was more stressful than a breakup or switching careers. To help make the transition a little easier, try out some of these tips for reducing moving stress.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div style=\"height:32px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"h-1-start-early\">1. Start early<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>A lot of times, stress accumulates more when we put off the tasks we\u2019re stressed about. The earlier you can start on your moving to-dos, the more wiggle room you\u2019ll have for the unexpected tasks that will inevitably come up.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><p>Start preparing as soon as you know you\u2019re going to move. Some good things to tackle early on include getting <a href=\"https:\/\/www.mymove.com\/moving-quotes\/\">quotes from movers<\/a>, packing up non-essential items like books and off-season clothes, submitting your <a href=\"https:\/\/www.mymove.com\/change-of-address\/\">change-of-address request<\/a> with the USPS\u00ae, and shopping around for a new internet plan.<\/p>\n  <section class=\"allconnect-widget--wrapper row\" style=\"padding-bottom: 2.5rem;\">\n    <div class=\"row-inner\">\n      <div class=\"myFinance-widget\" data-creative-set-id=\"2f34a1bc-e3de-4781-875e-7b2d8bf6614d\"\n        data-campaign=\"mymove-editorial-ac-widget\"><\/div>\n    <\/div>\n  <\/section>\n<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div style=\"height:32px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">2. Break up tasks into manageable chunks<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>When you think about the undertaking ahead of you \u2014 moving your entire life \u2014 it probably seems pretty overwhelming. The more you can focus on smaller tasks, the more confidence you\u2019ll gain to tackle the move.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cBreaking tasks down helps us to see large tasks as more approachable and doable, and reduces our propensity to procrastinate or defer tasks, because we simply don\u2019t know where to begin,\u201d said <a href=\"https:\/\/blog.trello.com\/microproductivity-break-tasks-into-smaller-steps\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Melissa Gratias<\/a>, Ph.D., a workplace productivity coach and speaker.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>A great way to keep yourself on track before and after your move is to write everything down that you need to do. These MYMOVE checklists are a good jumping off point:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\"><li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.mymove.com\/moving-checklists\/pre-move-checklist\/\">Pre-Move Checklist<\/a><\/li><li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.mymove.com\/moving-checklists\/change-of-address-checklist\/\">Everywhere You Need to Change Your Address When You Move<\/a><\/li><li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.mymove.com\/moving-checklists\/post-move-first-month-checklist\/\">Month One Checklist<\/a><\/li><li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.mymove.com\/moving-checklists\/post-move-second-month-checklist\/\">Month Two Checklist<\/a><\/li><li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.mymove.com\/moving-checklists\/post-move-third-month-checklist\/\">Month Three Checklist<\/a><\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n\n<div style=\"height:32px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">3. Schedule your goodbyes<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>If you\u2019re moving to a new city or state, you\u2019re going to be devoting a lot of time to goodbyes during a period in which you don\u2019t have much time to spare. You can keep your final week from being a flurry of packing and meetups by spreading them out a bit. Start scheduling dinners and goodbye parties as soon as you know you\u2019re moving, and make sure you leave yourself plenty of time to fit in moving tasks.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div style=\"height:32px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">4. Create a moving budget<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>It costs <a href=\"https:\/\/www.mymove.com\/moving\/costs-and-finances\/cost-of-moving\/\">a lot to move<\/a>. From rental trucks to boxes to security deposits, moving can drain your savings in a hurry. The best way to ensure that you\u2019re not stressing too much about how much you\u2019re spending is to create a moving budget and stick to it as closely as possible. You can also <a href=\"https:\/\/www.mymove.com\/moving\/costs-and-finances\/moving-cheap\/\">save money on your move<\/a> by comparing quotes from several movers, selling belongings you don\u2019t want to bring with you, and asking friends and family for help.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div style=\"height:32px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">5. Think about hiring professionals&nbsp;<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>If it fits into your budget, hiring <a href=\"https:\/\/www.mymove.com\/moving\/moving-services\/how-to-choose-a-mover\/\">professional movers<\/a> is one of the quickest ways to alleviate the stress of a move. They can handle the packing, the driving, and the unloading, so that all you have to worry about is getting yourself there. That said, the added cost could create some extra stress, too, so it\u2019s important to weigh whether it fits into your moving budget.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<table id=\"tablepress-14\" class=\"tablepress tablepress-id-14\">\n<thead>\n<tr class=\"row-1 odd\">\n\t<th class=\"column-1\">Distance<\/th><th class=\"column-2\">Professional movers*<\/th><th class=\"column-3\">Car shipment<\/th><th class=\"column-4\">Total<\/th>\n<\/tr>\n<\/thead>\n<tbody class=\"row-hover\">\n<tr class=\"row-2 even\">\n\t<td class=\"column-1\"><25 miles<\/td><td class=\"column-2\">$465<\/td><td class=\"column-3\">N\/A<\/td><td class=\"column-4\">$465<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr class=\"row-3 odd\">\n\t<td class=\"column-1\">100 miles<\/td><td class=\"column-2\">$2,059<\/td><td class=\"column-3\">N\/A<\/td><td class=\"column-4\">$2,059<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr class=\"row-4 even\">\n\t<td class=\"column-1\">500 miles<\/td><td class=\"column-2\">$2,538<\/td><td class=\"column-3\">$631<\/td><td class=\"column-4\">$3,169<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr class=\"row-5 odd\">\n\t<td class=\"column-1\">1,000 miles<\/td><td class=\"column-2\">$3,512<\/td><td class=\"column-3\">$1,099<\/td><td class=\"column-4\">$4,611<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr class=\"row-6 even\">\n\t<td class=\"column-1\">3,000 miles<\/td><td class=\"column-2\">$5,404<\/td><td class=\"column-3\">$2,373<\/td><td class=\"column-4\">$7,777<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n<!-- #tablepress-14 from cache -->\n\n\n\n<p style=\"font-size:11px\">*Average of quotes through MYMOVE for 2-bedroom apartment<\/p>\n\n\n  <section class=\"myFinance-widget--wrapper row\" style=\"padding-bottom: 2.5rem;\">\n    <div class=\"row-inner\">\n      <div class=\"myFinance-widget\" data-campaign=\"mymove-movers-flow\"\n        data-widget-id=\"5cf75d65-dcc0-4fe1-bf4a-a4c1646e5eb3\"><\/div>\n    <\/div>\n  <\/section>\n\n\n\n\n<div style=\"height:32px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">6. Keep all your important documents in a safe place<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Nothing will heighten your moving stress like a frantic search through all your boxes to find a misplaced document. As you\u2019re packing up, designate a box for all your essential documents like your passport, lease, birth certificate, and tax statements.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div style=\"height:32px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">7. Pack a self-care box<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>It takes a lot of extra effort to keep up with your self-care routines in the chaos of moving, but doing so can go a long way in helping you manage your stress. To make sure your supplies don\u2019t get lost in the shuffle, pack a self-care moving box with things like exercise equipment, scented candles, and journals.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div style=\"height:32px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">8. Designate a \u201csanctuary\u201d space as you unpack<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Chances are, your new place will be an obstacle course of boxes for a couple weeks. It\u2019s important to set aside a room (or corner of a room) that\u2019s untouched by the clutter \u2014 a place where you can unwind when the moving stress is taking its toll. Fill it with things that you find relaxing like a reading chair or scented candle.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div style=\"height:32px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">9. Prioritize your sleep<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Your sleep is probably going to be <a href=\"https:\/\/www.mymove.com\/home-inspiration\/bedroom\/trouble-sleeping-in-new-home\/\">disrupted when you move<\/a>&nbsp;\u2014 especially on the first night. <a href=\"https:\/\/www.sciencedaily.com\/releases\/2016\/04\/160421133630.htm\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Researchers at Brown University<\/a> found that the quality of sleep is noticeably worse during the first night in a new environment, with areas of the brain remaining more active throughout the night and more likely to wake up because of noises.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Your body usually settles into its new sleep environment after a day or two, but it\u2019s a good idea to start working towards good sleep right away. You can do this by creating a positive sleep routine, using sleep gadgets and apps, or making sure you\u2019re sleeping on a <a href=\"https:\/\/www.mymove.com\/moving\/the-best-mattresses-according-to-the-mymove-team\/\">mattress<\/a> that works for you.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div style=\"height:32px\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"wp-block-spacer\"><\/div>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">10. Go easy on yourself<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Moving is one of the most stressful life events you can go through, and it\u2019s normal to be feeling overwhelmed. The more you can accept that stress is part of the process, the less urgent it will feel. <a href=\"https:\/\/www.psychologytoday.com\/us\/blog\/your-personal-renaissance\/201906\/why-talking-about-our-problems-makes-us-feel-better\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Studies have found<\/a> that simply talking about negative emotions with someone you trust can provide profound relief. If you feel like you need to talk to someone, reach out to a friend or family member, therapist, or <a href=\"https:\/\/www.apa.org\/topics\/crisis-hotlines\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">crisis line<\/a>.&nbsp;<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Moving is stressful. No matter how many times you do it, it\u2019s still a huge undertaking to get your life boxed up and loaded onto a truck. One survey even found that moving was more stressful than a breakup or switching careers. To help make the transition a little easier, try out some of these [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":{"name":"Joe Supan","image":"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/06cf30dddf4fc0c63d8d4f7ef4edb974553073d84c0f916a2c1e400fb7321e08?s=96&d=mm&r=g","description":""},"featured_media":67749,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_mdd_references":["a:3:{s:17:\"prop:post_content\";a:0:{}s:17:\"prop:post_excerpt\";a:0:{}s:18:\"meta:_thumbnail_id\";a:1:{i:0;i:67749;}}"],"classic-editor-remember":["block-editor"],"_edit_last":["67"],"_wp_page_template":["default"],"_yoast_wpseo_focuskeywords":["[]"],"_yoast_wpseo_keywordsynonyms":["[\"\"]"],"has_brand_sponsor":["0"],"_has_brand_sponsor":["field_6296762625135"],"show_interactive_state_map":["0"],"_show_interactive_state_map":["field_5f5152909df2b"],"meta_title":[""],"_meta_title":["field_5be03537a7cf2"],"meta_description":[""],"_meta_description":["field_5be03543a7cf3"],"guest_author":["60189"],"_guest_author":["field_5c0819fd27bcb"],"is_sponsored":["0"],"_is_sponsored":["field_5bd0b6e23c564"],"_edit_lock":["1765391221:118"],"_yoast_wpseo_primary_subcategory":["1424"],"_yoast_wpseo_content_score":["30"],"_thumbnail_id":["67749"],"_wp_old_date":["2022-11-29"]},"categories":[[{"term_id":25,"name":"Moving Guides","slug":"moving","term_group":0,"term_taxonomy_id":25,"taxonomy":"category","description":"Book movers or recruit your friends? Which size truck should you rent? How much should you tip? Don\u2019t worry. We're moving experts, and we're here to answer your questions with all of the checklists, tools, and resources you'll need. It\u2019s all right here.","parent":0,"count":488,"filter":"raw","cat_ID":25,"category_count":488,"category_description":"Book movers or recruit your friends? Which size truck should you rent? How much should you tip? Don\u2019t worry. We're moving experts, and we're here to answer your questions with all of the checklists, tools, and resources you'll need. It\u2019s all right here.","cat_name":"Moving Guides","category_nicename":"moving","category_parent":0}]],"subcategory":[1424],"copilot-modal":[],"class_list":["post-67692","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-moving","subcategory-stress-relief"],"acf":{"has_brand_sponsor":false,"meta_title":"","meta_description":"","guest_author":{"ID":60189,"post_author":"1","post_date":"2022-01-03 22:16:53","post_date_gmt":"2022-01-03 22:16:53","post_content":"","post_title":"Joe Supan","post_excerpt":"","post_status":"publish","comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","post_password":"","post_name":"joe-supan","to_ping":"","pinged":"","post_modified":"2022-08-22 20:18:11","post_modified_gmt":"2022-08-22 20:18:11","post_content_filtered":"","post_parent":0,"guid":"https:\/\/www.mymove.com\/?post_type=guest_author&#038;p=60189","menu_order":0,"post_type":"guest_author","post_mime_type":"","comment_count":"0","filter":"raw"},"is_sponsored":false},"subcategories":[[{"term_id":1424,"name":"Staying Sane","slug":"stress-relief","term_group":0,"term_taxonomy_id":1424,"taxonomy":"subcategory","description":"Even the most organized move is going to be stressful and emotional. You may be moving to a new city and school district away from friends and family. With so much to do, in a short amount of time, it\u2019s easy to be overwhelmed. We know what movers are going through and can make settling in that much easier.","parent":25,"count":7,"filter":"raw","cat_ID":1424,"category_count":7,"category_description":"Even the most organized move is going to be stressful and emotional. You may be moving to a new city and school district away from friends and family. With so much to do, in a short amount of time, it\u2019s easy to be overwhelmed. We know what movers are going through and can make settling in that much easier.","cat_name":"Staying Sane","category_nicename":"stress-relief","category_parent":25}]],"featured_image":{"url":"https:\/\/www.mymove.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/11\/mm-tips-for-handling-stress-during-a-move-hero-scaled.jpg","thumbnailUrl":"https:\/\/www.mymove.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/11\/mm-tips-for-handling-stress-during-a-move-hero-150x150.jpg","caption":"Lourdes Balduque \/ Getty","alt":"Young woman in an empty apartment looking around"},"last_updated":"December 1, 2022","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.mymove.com\/api\/wp\/v2\/posts\/67692","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.mymove.com\/api\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.mymove.com\/api\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.mymove.com\/api\/wp\/v2\/users\/67"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.mymove.com\/api\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=67692"}],"version-history":[{"count":11,"href":"https:\/\/www.mymove.com\/api\/wp\/v2\/posts\/67692\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":67879,"href":"https:\/\/www.mymove.com\/api\/wp\/v2\/posts\/67692\/revisions\/67879"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.mymove.com\/api\/wp\/v2\/media\/67749"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.mymove.com\/api\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=67692"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.mymove.com\/api\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=67692"},{"taxonomy":"subcategory","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.mymove.com\/api\/wp\/v2\/subcategory?post=67692"},{"taxonomy":"copilot-modal","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.mymove.com\/api\/wp\/v2\/copilot-modal?post=67692"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}