The most stressful moving tasks and situations

Without a doubt, moving house is one of the most stressful situations one can face in a lifetime. Whether you have already moved before or you are doing it for the first time, sooner rather than later you will realize that relocating is an intense experience. Regardless of the reason for the move, the process itself is very demanding and overwhelming. As it turns out, a household move is considered as a major source of anxiety. The mere prospect of leaving your family nest is one of the most stressful moving tasks. Let alone other factors that can contribute to your overall stress level. If moving happens as a result of some unfortunate family events such as loss of your loved one, divorce or financial disaster, it can get even harder.

Facing an imminent household move is a major upheaval for the entire family.
The outcome of the move depends on your financial situation, time, flexibility, additional help… If you are lacking some of these factors, the situation is likely to become even more problematic. While adults tend to focus on solving practical issues and tackling logistic moving matters, kids will mainly concentrate on the loss caused by the move. The truth is that every individual responds to stress in a different way. They have their unique strategies to cope with the most challenging life tasks and situations.
Here’s the list of the most stressful moving tasks along with the tips on how to successfully manage them and beat the fear and anxiety.

How to keep your sanity when dealing with the most stressful moving tasks?

A household move can be emotionally challenging for a number of reasons. Since the road to your new home is rarely smooth, you are likely to encounter a lot of obstacles and difficulties along the way. Overcoming them successfully is just as important as dealing with other most stressful moving tasks. Although moving is notorious for being one of the top stressors in a lifetime, you shouldn’t focus on that aspect. Rather than worrying about what could go wrong during the moving process, you should focus on organizing each stage of the move as thoroughly as possible.

However, the more you know about the potential hiccups, the better prepared you will be while sorting them out.
Let’s take a look at some of the most common stressors you are likely to face throughout the move.

Dealing with house-hunting and selling inconveniences

Purchasing/renting a new home and selling the old one is a major ordeal especially if you are moving on a tight budget. Searching for a proper home for you and your family can be very difficult due to a number of factors you should consider.

Hiring a good real estate agent is certainly an option, but there are so many other decisions and choices to be made in terms of location, neighborhood, house/apartment features, and amenities… Also, if you are the owner of your current home, you will have to figure out what to do with it – whether to sell it or rent it out.

Upkeep and cleaning tasks

Repair works and home improvement projects on both properties will require a considerable amount of time and money, so make sure to calculate all additional expenses that may pop up throughout the process. Also, both homes will need deep cleaning, so make sure to leave your home neat and tidy before the moving truck arrives. If you are moving to another country, it’s quite impossible that you clean it personally, so you may consider hiring professional renovation and cleaning services.

Breaking the news to your friends and relatives

Letting your family and friends know that you are moving is never easy. Sharing the big news with your loved ones proves to be one of the most stressful moving tasks, especially if you are relocating to another state. Children might be really shocked by the decision, so you should be very patient and attentive while communicating this important decision.

Adolescents and young children may have trouble understanding why they have to leave everything they know behind and face the uncertainty of a new environment, so they are likely to show strong disagreement, anger, and even sadness. Not every child will have the same reaction to the big news, so try to be as supportive and considerate as possible. And more importantly, allow your kids enough time to process the idea of moving and to adjust to a new home.

Choosing the right moving partner

Hiring trustworthy movers seem like a logical step when performing a large scale move. It can be a tricky task, especially if you are an NYC resident. Moving industry in New York City is constantly growing and as a result, there are various types of movers and moving companies. Unfortunately, some of them are performing fraudulent actions and being a victim of such a company is probably the worst thing that could happen during the move. In order to obtain the best possible service make sure to research moving companies carefully.

Read reviews on long-distance movers NYC, get several moving quotes and compare them and be well-informed about the terms and conditions of the move. Always keep in mind that the wrong choice of movers could cost you a lot of money, time and energy.

Gathering packing supplies

Unless planned properly, packing, moving, unpacking without any professional help can take longer than expected. This option makes sense only for short-distance moves and involves a lot of heavy lifting, bending, planning, loading, unloading, packing, unpacking…

Also, getting quality packing supplies can make all the difference between a smooth and disastrous moving experience. Aside from gathering quality moving boxes New York, you should consider using their alternative – plastic moving bins. Although there are several places where you can obtain free moving boxes, investing in some more eco-friendly moving solutions will most definitely pay off in the long run. Furthermore, the way you pack your belongings will largely determine their fate while on the road.

Creating a home inventory

Make a checklist of all the items your movers will transport to a new place. Go through each room and note down your possessions so that you can easily check if something’s missing once your goods reach the new place. Purge ruthlessly before you start packing in order to reduce the moving load. You shouldn’t move everything you own, so do whatever it takes to get rid of unnecessary items. Also, bear in mind that your movers will refuse to transport the following items, so make sure to dispose of them prior to moving day:

• hazardous and flammable materials
• personal documents
• perishables
• pets and plants
• valuables

Packing fragile items

Delicate items need special handling, so make sure you know all packing techniques or hire professionals to do that for you. Packing your belongings properly will ensure their safety on the way to the new home. It’s highly advisable to label each box clearly so that your movers and helpers know how to handle them.

Handling paperwork

Collecting and sorting all necessary documents before the move is one of the top priorities and also one of the most stressful moving tasks. Some documents should be retrieved, updated or canceled and all these procedures may take a while, so start dealing with the paperwork as early as possible. Things may become even more complicated if moving to another country. Have all personal documents in order and also have your medical and school records transferred to the new local institutions.

Saying goodbye to friends and your home

Leaving behind your friends and home is never easy. Take your time to visit your favorite places and to see all your friends. Organize a farewell party for your friends, family, neighbors to close an important chapter of your life and welcome a new beginning. To be honest, no one’s fond of a disrupted lifestyle, but if you decide to perceive it as an adventure, it may become one.