Moving house can be stressful. I’m moving house this weekend and I can definitely vouch for the fact that it causes stress!
Here are the ways that I find it’s causing stress:
- I’m still looking for a place to live but I have to move at the end of the week! There seems to be a shortage of rental properties available and lots of people wanting to find somewhere to live. And due to the fact the tenancy period is coming to an end for the property I’m currently in I absolutely have to move. But…. in the 2 months after giving notice I still haven’t been able to find anything so I have to put everything into storage and stay with family temporarily. Staying with family is not a bad thing but having to move twice is! And then there’s deciding what to put into storage and what I absolutely cannot do without.
- Whilst packing and clearing things out I have to continue to work – from home as I’m self-employed. I like working from home but being knee-deep in boxes is not conducive to productivity!
- Packing gradually can create a lot of confusion. I’ve packed some things I don’t need only to find that I did actually need them. There’s only so much you can pack beforehand that you’re unlikely to need over the coming 2 – 3 weeks.
- Increase in financial outlay. It costs money to move house even if you do it as frugally as possible. There’s the storage space that has to be rented (thankfully they offer a free van for the day); the house has to be professionally cleaned (or potentially lose some of the deposit if the agent doesn’t think you’ve cleaned it well enough yourself); there’s the window cleaning to pay for. And then most properties are more expensive so there is more commitment on future rent.
The upshot of all this is STRESS. And how is this stress manifesting itself?
- disturbed sleep
- tiredness from the lack of sleep
- distraction when trying to work
- disturbed digestion
- increase in cravings
The biggest issue is the lack of sleep. I can almost feel the cortisol (“fight or flight” hormone) being released from the adrenals in the middle of the night when I wake up and start thinking about the uncertainties. Should I compromise and take the flat I saw today or hold out for a better one? Should I pack all my clothes or get rid of everything I haven’t worn for the last year? How long will I need to keep things in storage? The questions go round and round!
When you don’t have enough sleep everything else suffers. Your digestive system goes haywire – leading to cravings and eating things you shouldn’t. It’s harder to think and solve problems. And it’s just plain annoying!
How to Deal With the Stress of Moving?
I’ve been working on using the stress techniques that I’ve detailed in other articles on this website. This includes:
- Ensuring I go for a walk every day and get my attention out of my head and onto the environment
- Deep breathing – it’s very easy to breathe too shallowly when under stress so you don’t get enough oxygen. Deep breathing is also a way to relax, especially during the night when not being able to sleep
- Drink a green smoothie. This helps with keeping nutrition balanced especially if sugar and refined carbs have crept in.
- Keep as orderly as possible when packing. This helps to lessen confusion in the environment. If you can have a designated space to put packed boxes that’s good. That way you’ll see what has been packed and what still needs to be done. Throw away the rubbish as you go and make regular trips to charity shops to give things away.
- Take a break. Sit in the garden for 10 minutes and soak up a bit of vitamin D or meet a friend for coffee. The packing will always be there so why not take a short break from it.
- Relax for at least 1/2 hour before bedtime. Going straight from packing to bed does not aid in getting a good night’s sleep!
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