Seven of the Top Reasons Why Moving is Hard!

When it comes to making a move, whether it’s across town, or across the globe, it’s common to feel overwhelmed. Though it’s an exciting time, moving can also be extremely stressful. Here are some of the top reasons why moving is such a challenge, as well as some advice for making it a little less difficult.

1. Moving Can Involve Tons of Preparation

Making a move is no small task. It often involves months of planning and packing. This is especially true for people who have been in their current home for a long time. Going through decades worth of clutter to try and get rid of the stuff you don’t want to haul to your new home can be extremely exhausting.

For many people, such as those who have moved into the “empty nest” phase of life, moving to a smaller home just makes sense. But people who are downsizing probably face the biggest uphill battle when it comes to getting rid of excess belongings before a move. Many decide to have garage sales or give items away to friends and family members. If you want to prepare for a move quickly, one of the best ways to unload extra household goods is to donate them to charity. Many charities will come and take them right from your home if you call and arrange a pickup.

After you get rid of everything you don’t want to bring along on your move, you’ll still have plenty of items left to pack. Finding boxes to put them in and figuring out where to store them until moving day is another challenge to address when you’re getting ready to move.

2. Moving Can Involve Unforeseen Expenses

Many people who are planning a move don’t realize all the costs involved. There are the obvious expenses, such as purchasing packing materials, renting a moving truck, or hiring a mover. But what about the cost of cleaning and making repairs on your current home? Sometimes your buyer will insist that you cover these costs as part of the deal for purchasing your home. You also may have to leave some appliances in your home, in which case you’ll need to figure in the cost of buying new ones for your new residence. If you’re moving with any items you consider valuable, buying moving insurance is a wise choice. Before you know it, the financial burdens of moving can start to add up.

3. Moving Can Disrupt Schedules

Many people have lives that are filled with their kids’ extracurricular activities as well as hair appointments, dental appointments, and visits to the doctor or houses of worship. When you decide to make a move that’s any significant distance away, these activities will all be interrupted. You’ll have to go through the time-consuming process of finding all new dentists and doctors, a new house of worship, as well as new places for your kids to take music lessons or join sports leagues. Checking recommendation sites or going through the yellow pages in your area can help. Relying on word of mouth from trusted sources may be even better. You can also check to see if local businesses are listed in the Better Business Bureau when it comes to finding reliable service providers in your new location.

4. Moving Can Negatively Impact Children

Children often have a hard time with moving. At their tender age, living by a predictable routine is extremely important. Do your best to be sensitive to their reactions to this trying time in their lives. Though you may be old enough to have lived through several moves, this may be their first experience at being uprooted. It’s normal for them to feel upset, resentful or hurt. Let them know you’ll be there to support and encourage them each step of the way.

5. Moving Can Interfere with Relationships

Children and adults alike can struggle with the impact moving has upon relationships. Many people find, to their dismay, that friends and family from “back home” don’t always make as much of an effort to stay in touch or visit once you move away. It’s normal to feel hurt and neglected when this is the case. Rather than wallow in these negative feelings, however, you can do your best to initiate contact with those you’ve had to leave behind. You can do so by using online video chatting, talking on the phone, or staying in touch on social media. You can also put forth an effort to form new friendships through involvement in groups and activities in your new location.

6. Moving Can Involve Unexpected Hassles

Moving involves lots of details. These can include things like remembering to forward your address or getting your electricity and water shut off or transferred to the new homeowner. On moving day, you could end up dealing with unexpected delays or problems with your moving company. Making lists of things to do in preparation for your move and checking them off as you can help you to avoid plenty of headaches.

7. Moving Can Cause Disappointment

Last, but not least, moving can sometimes be a letdown. Some people move to escape problems in their lives or because they assume that “the grass is always greener” somewhere else. Though there are plenty of legitimate reasons to move, such as health or financial reasons or career opportunities, it’s not a decision that people should enter into lightly. Once you do choose to move, however, following the advice in this article can help you to make a smooth transition to your new location.