Moving to a new home is both exciting and stressful. You may think that it’s all roses, but it can be quite traumatic at the same time. The main reason is that there is a lot to do.
It’s even harder if you’re moving to an entirely new community, but there are ways to cope when moving to a new house.
Take Care of Yourself
A big move is not only emotionally difficult, but it’s also physically demanding. The best way to be successful in moving is the same way you can be more successful in anything you do. Eat right, exercise regularly, stay hydrated, and work on being mentally and emotionally strong during the times you’re not being bombarded with change and more things to do.
Talk with Friends and Family
Be open with your friends and family about your moving thoughts. If you need help, ask them. If you are worried, tell them. If you’re happy and excited, express that too. If they’ve moved to a new house, ask them how they felt and how they coped. People like to help and will be more than happy to support you.
Understand You Will Feel Awkward
When you move, it’s going to feel strange. First, that’s normal. If you move overseas or to a new state with a different culture, you can experience something called culture shock. If you do feel strange, the best way to cope is to go to an area of your new place that makes you feel normal. You’ll know it when you do it.
Research the Area in Advance
Learn everything you can about the area before you move if the house is not nearby. Join local groups on Facebook or Meetup.com, visit the places of worship and the library. Whatever you normally do where you are now, check out those same places in your new location.
Get Back to Your Routines
As soon as possible after the move, get back to your normal daily routines in terms of meals, exercise, waking up, and sleeping. Sometimes, moving oddly feels like a vacation at first because you’re eating out more. And the sooner you can get back to those normal routines, the sooner that you’ll feel comfortable again.
Get Help
If possible, don’t make moves on your own. Hire someone to help if your friends and family really can’t or won’t. You can hire people via Thumbtack.com or by checking out nationally known moving companies to help. You may need people to help you pack, clean, move, and unpack.
Add Touches of Home Early
As soon as you can, put up the things in your new house that make your home feel like your space. Get your bed put together and made, set up the bathroom so you can take a hot bath, and get the kitchen organized so you can fix healthy meals. You’ll feel so much better if you do these things first.
It’s totally natural to feel out of sorts when you first move into a new home. It takes time to get used to even walking through it. Every time you take a shower, fix dinner, go to bed, it will feel strange at first. But eventually, within a few months, it’ll feel totally normal again.
