Even if you’re moving to your dream city or home, packing and transporting your belongings to a new location can be stressful. From the packing, organizing, moving, and logistics to the many emotions that come with moving, you’re bound to feel overwhelmed at some point. To take some of the weight off your shoulders and make things a little easier, we’ve compiled a list of the top ways you can reduce stress in the coming weeks. What you should do is as follows:
1. Develop a Moving Checklist
Do you have a million details running through your mind? Are you juggling details for moving out, moving in, connecting and disconnecting utilities, quitting and starting a new job, family, packing, and other responsibilities? When people try to keep all of these details in their heads, they frequently become overwhelmed. Reduce stress and forgetfulness by making a checklist of everything. When you finish something, you can cross it off your list, get it out of your head, and see exactly what’s left to do. Furthermore, crossing something off your to-do list releases a small amount of dopamine, which motivates you to tackle the next task!
2. Make Time to Say Farewell to Friends
Moving is an emotional process that is often overshadowed by the fact that so many things must be completed. Schedule time to say goodbye to people when you know you’re going to move. Put it on your to-do list and on your calendar so you can properly say goodbye to your home, neighborhood, friends, and experiences. Some people don’t realize they need this time until it’s too late (or it’s too late for them! ), and you’d be surprised how much it helps! It’s also a good idea to take photos of your home and friends before you leave. It’s always fun to look back and reminisce as the years pass.
If you’re worried about not having enough time to say goodbye to everyone, invite a different friend over each afternoon or evening to pack with you. As a thank you, buy them dinner and talk about the upcoming change. It will give you two chances to catch up and feel more settled before moving on to the next chapter.