Tips to Make Moving Stress-Free When Buying a New Home

When you buy a new home, you may feel an exciting mix of emotions. If the thought of uprooting your family and starting a new journey in an unfamiliar place stresses you out, you’re in good company. Use these tips for making moving less stressful so you can enjoy your new house.

Do You Feel Stressed About Moving?

It’s normal to be stressed when you’re moving into a brand-new house. In the next couple of months, you’ll be facing many changes and likely spending more time and money than you might feel comfortable. Be patient with yourself as you navigate these new changes and adjust your budget to fit your unique lifestyle.

Healthy doses of stress can help you stick to your goals and move efficiently, but overwhelming anxiety can hinder your progress. As you plan your move, consider these symptoms to figure out if you have unhealthy levels of stress:

• Difficulty relaxing or sleeping.
• The tendency to avoid people.
• The feeling of being overwhelmed.
• Depression or feeling worthless.
• Pain throughout the body.
• Muscle tremors.
• Difficulty focusing on one thought.
• Chronic worrying.
• Disorganization and forgetfulness.
• Avoiding responsibilities.
• Changes in your eating habits.

Tips for Stress-Free Moving

As you’re preparing to uproot your life, you’re probably wondering how to move into your house smoothly. Throughout this process, keep in mind that stress is typical for this exciting yet intimidating time of your life. Follow these tips to help make moving less stressful.

1. Give Yourself Enough Time

At any time in the moving process, you might feel like time is slipping away from you. Take plenty of time to create a plan and get yourself ready for the move. If you wait too long to pack and clean, you’ll be much more stressed. While you can’t do everything in advance, do what you can before dealing with those last-minute details.

Aside from feeling like you don’t have enough time, you should also be realistic about how long the whole timeline will take. Moving doesn’t always go according to plan, so allow some wiggle room for unexpected obstacles along the way. Going into the process with a clear plan will help you control your stress.

2. Make a List

Writing out a list helps you stay on task as you plan to move. Create a checklist of what you need to do, and the timeline you want to get everything done. Consider these items to help you get started:

• Get enough boxes or other storage containers for your belongings.
• Transfer the funds you need for closing costs or security deposits to the right bank account.
• Figure out the best way to get to your destination and how many trips you’ll need to take.
• Plan when and how you’re going to pack your belongings.
• Think about whether you need to keep your items in a storage unit temporarily.

3. Ask for Help

While it can be hard to ask for help, you should consider getting assistance from your friends and family during this stressful time. Your loved ones have most likely moved at some point, so they understand the frustration you may be feeling. Send a text out to those around you to see who’s available to help you in one of the following ways:

• Pack all the rooms in your house.
• Move boxes or heavy furniture.
• Bring you some food during stressful moving or packing days.
• Sit with you as you sort through your thoughts and emotions.

If your friends or family are available to help, consider paying them back with lunch or drinks when you’re finished. If you’re moving far, you may not get to see some of your loved ones for a while, so use this opportunity to make fun memories with them.

4. Start Packing When You Have a Move-In Date

Packing all your belongings can add to the stress of moving, especially if you don’t know where to start. By the time you know where your new house is and when you can relocate, you should begin gathering your belongings. Follow these steps to make packing less of a hassle:

• Declutter: While living in your current residence, you may have collected too many items over the years. Reduce the number of boxes you bring with you by throwing out or donating things you don’t need anymore. Figure out what you want to get rid of now so you don’t have to try to make space for these items in your new home.
• Label: Categorize your boxes by room and item so that you can sort your belongings more easily while unpacking. Consider filling an “open first” box with scissors, toiletries, snacks and other essentials to help make moving day go smoothly.
• Pack your boxes: Start packing the rooms you don’t use as often before tackling the kitchen or bedroom. Try to avoid stuffing your storage containers too full, or else they might fall apart as you try to move them.

5. Say Goodbye

Goodbyes are painful and often sad, but they are necessary for helping you let go of your old space. Whether you’re moving across the world or around the block, your relationships or job situation may change, so you need to grieve what you’re losing to accept what’s ahead of you.

Before you move out of your old home, consider throwing a party or inviting your friends out for dinner. Visit the places and people you most enjoy so you can relive the memories one more time. Once you’ve appropriately said goodbye to your old living situation, you can embrace the new and appreciate every moment of your move.

6. Do Your Research

Moving into an unfamiliar town is stressful because it involves many changes in your life. Research the area where you’ll be moving to feel comfortable with your new home. Look online for information about how to move around your new hometown and check out the local restaurants. If possible, meet your neighbors and ask them about what you can do around town.

7. Take Care of Yourself

In the rush and stress of moving, it’s easy to forget about your personal needs. To keep a level head in the pressure of all, make self care a priority by:

• Getting enough sleep: If you’re stressed, you may have trouble sleeping until you’re finished. Do your best to get enough sleep throughout the night so you’ll have enough mental and physical energy to tackle your move.
• Taking a nap: Since moving is stressful, don’t be surprised if you’re more tired than usual. Make time to rest throughout the day.
• Eating well: While moving, you may want to grab a quick bite or forget to eat altogether. Try to get three healthy meals throughout the day.

Make Philly Your Home With Streamline

One way to take the stress out of moving to Philadelphia is to buy a move-in ready new construction home. You can design your semi-custom home from Streamline before you move in to make sure it’s everything you want it to be. If you are interested, please contact us online or call us at 267-652-1443 to see if we are a good fit for you.