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Anxiety About Moving Out - Tips for Leaving Fear Behind

May/16/2021 12:00 PM- Moving -

Relocations are considered one of the most stressful events in the lives of Americans, and rightfully so. Feeling severe anxiety about moving out is a result of detaching from the setting you are used to, leaving your friends and family behind, and switching workplaces, and with all the hard work you have to put into your move, it can only make you feel worse.

A worried man sitting at the table

When we dream about seeing ourselves in another city or another part of the country, working a different job, that fantasy always seems like an adventure. But when we decide to actually do it or life just takes us in that direction unexpectedly, and the relocation day draws near, we start feeling anxious. What will I do? How can I leave everything behind? How will I organize my move? These questions keep piling up, causing a lack of sleep and making us feel more tired than we should normally feel. If the fear of relocation gets complete hold of us, it can be a serious problem to our health, so we must find a way to cope. Make sure you stick by these relocation tips to fight off the fear of making such a big change in your life and keep both your health and your sanity. 

Is It Normal to Be Nervous About Moving Out?

The average homeownership period in the US is somewhat longer than 13 years, and that’s enough time spent in one place to get attached and feel homesick when you move out. Homesickness is not a new feeling reserved only for modern times, it has been known since ancient times and mentioned both in the book of Exodus in the Bible, as well as Homer’s Odyssey. 

It can happen to just about any of us. When this feeling entwines with all the tasks a relocation consists of, such as choosing a relocation company, it will only intensify it. While it’s perfectly normal to feel a bit under stress to keep you focused on each task ahead of you, it can be too overwhelming and get in the way of normal functioning, and even distract you from noticing relocation scams

Reasons We Feel Anxiety About Moving Out

Aside from feeling like you’re detaching from the home you are used to living in and leaving all of your memories behind, you should know that relocation is something that truly tests our nerves. However good we are at organizing, paying attention to relocation essentials, and even keeping track of all the things you need for your first apartment, these tasks can and will add up, making us feel like we’re not up to it. What actually bothers us the most and causes higher levels of anxiety about moving out of state to skyrocket can be narrowed down to the following:

  • Trying to figure out the exact amount of money you will need to handle everything, including your relocation budget, and considering the ways you can save money to move is a stress trigger. Sure, using an app to compare moving companies can help you choose movers that will fit into your projected budget, but you still have to calculate all the additional expenses, and it can cause a serious headache.
  • Leaving your current place and changing the scenery for a completely new one is not the only change you’re going to go through. You know that it’s unavoidable to leave your friends and family behind and switch jobs, but even if you’re advancing, it can truly be scary.
  • Relocations take a crazy amount of time to pull off properly. If you don’t start organizing the packing process, as well as all the other tasks early on and have to pack to move in a hurry, you will certainly start feeling overwhelmed and like everything is getting out of hand.

These are all understandable causes of both stress and tension, but it shouldn’t get the better of you, and above all, start affecting your wellbeing. So finding out how to keep your composure and both feet on the ground is crucial. 

A stressed man surrounded by boxes

Manage Your Anxiety About Moving Out and Battle Fear With Simple Tips

Dealing with fear and stress is important in so many ways - it will help you stay on track and is essential to your health. You need to keep the balance between feeling a bit anxious, which can give you the much-needed drive to pull through the relocation, and letting it turn into a nightmarish experience. So how do I cope with anxiety moving out - you ask yourself. From finding some useful relocation hacks and taking needed breaks amidst the chaos to seeking help from the people around you, it’s manageable to get through it all feeling victorious.

Leave the Old Place in Memories

Many people struggle with the fear of leaving their home and the city they are used to, and it’s because we tend to forget that new experiences await ahead. Whatever our reasons to relocate are, we must see it as a good change and a chance to start anew. After all, in this day and age, it’s quite easy to stay in touch with people who mean something to you through video calls and chat apps, so it can be easier to look straight ahead.

A woman holding a pillow

Learn to Identify the Symptoms

Having a stress-free move is something that each of us strives to amidst all the chaos of changing places along with everything else in our life. But if you start having difficulties when you try to relax, get angry and annoyed quickly, and start feeling overwhelmed or depressed, it’s a clear sign that you need a break. If you stress out about trying to figure out how to move efficiently and even get some physical manifestations of everything that is bothering you, it means the issue is spiraling out of control.

The Symptoms May Be Both Emotional and Physical

Being overly stressed and anxious can manifest in many ways, ranging from snapping at every little thing to feeling inadequate and depressed. While these are all symptoms that affect our emotional state, showing physical signs of being under too much tension is alarming. If you start noticing different aches and pains in your body that even include chest pain and headaches, if you have trouble sleeping and it leads to low energy levels, that’s when you must react and give yourself a much-needed break, and even seek medical attention. If you are relocating with pets, take a break and commit to your furry companions, because that’s a certain way to remind yourself that living is not only about worry and stress, but also happiness and fun.

A woman holding her head

Adopt a Healthy Lifestyle

Staying away from too much caffeine and completely avoiding alcohol, as well as cigarettes, will only help you pull through. Make some space in your schedule for activities you are used to, such as long walks away from crowds, but don’t tire or strain yourself too much. Eating healthy is one of the ways to lower stress levels, and it’s something you should keep doing even after you move into the new place. Add a blender and a smoothie maker to your new apartment checklist to keep following a healthy diet and use this chance to improve your overall lifestyle.

Good Organization Is the Key

Believe it or not, if you start preparing for the move early on, it will do wonders in taking away the stress. If it’s possible, start as early as two months in advance by making a to-do list, which will help you stay in control of every aspect of the relocation process. If you do everything in a timely manner, it will do wonders for your composure and make sure you stay focused on every task without skipping anything. Use a moving app to hire professionals to give you a helping hand, thoroughly declutter the house, and get rid of everything unnecessary by donating it to organizations like the Salvation Army or throwing away the unusable stuff. Don’t forget to call utility companies, as well as change your address before you move out, so the new owners won’t have to google “how to stop getting mail for previous residents”, and you won’t start stressing about mail that’s not arriving at your new home.

A notebook and pens

Ask Family and Friends for Help and Support

Whatever we do in life, our family and friends are there to support us. Whether you need someone to talk to and avoid keeping the tension bottled up or you require assistance with that long packing list of everything that needs to be put into boxes, don’t be afraid to call your support system to the rescue. Let’s face it, relocations are complex and hard, and without any help, we can get overburdened with both too much work and worry. Let them give you a helping hand to throw away all of the items movers won't move and make sure there aren’t any things you forget to do. In the end, you’ll get to spend some more time together and have some fun before leaving.

How Do I Cope With Moving Out for the First Time? Say Clearly What’s Bothering You

Feeling anxiety about moving out for the first time is a pretty common thing. It’s an experience you’ve never gone through before, leaving the home you grew up in to venture into independent living. When we decide to start “adulting”, that is one of the biggest decisions of our lives and should be viewed as something beautiful and adventurous. You will be the only person responsible for how things turn out, but nevertheless, you shouldn’t let the anxiety about moving out of the parents’ house cloud the silver lining of this event. Use a moving company app to look for reliable movers, and they can do all the hard work for you, while you take a deep breath and start enjoying the leap of faith toward independence.

Friends having a picnic

Give Yourself Time to Get Used to the New Home

From the first moment you think about “how do I mentally prepare to move out?” to the move-in day, a lot can happen, but with positive thinking, good support, and extraordinary organization, it can all run smoothly and with minimum stress. Following these tips, calling friends to come to aid, and contacting professional movers through an app for moving will make sure you have a great relocation experience and bring back fun and adventure in this fresh stage of your life. Don’t stress about not loving the new house right away, give yourself some time. After all, our home is where the heart is, and our heart is with our family or where we grow and create a circle of friends.


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