7 Tips to Emotionally Cope with Moving to a New City

Especially if you lived in a home for 10 to 20 years, you may feel attached to the place that you need to move from. Saying goodbye to cherished neighbors and leaving behind a home where you had unforgettable memories can leave you tearful and stressed out. This is normal when you developed sentimental attachments to the home. Why is moving so hard emotionally? Let’s look at how you can cope with your move to a new city.

Tip #1: Set Aside Moments for Downtime

If you believe that you will struggle emotionally with the move, set aside time to keep from emotional burnout. First-time movers should do this as well because it lowers the stress felt during the move.

Write a list of the positive highlights that will happen because of the move. Along with the positive things, write down your worries and the actions to take to lower your stress levels.

Why is moving so hard emotionally? Even those who move often feel stressed during a move because it stresses them financially, emotionally and physically. You can schedule downtime because it lets you replenish your emotional stores to keep going during the move.

Tip #2: Unpack Quickly

Some people will leave their possessions in boxes for weeks after a move, but this adds to your emotional turmoil. Surround yourself with familiar things as quickly as possible and eliminate the risk that you can’t find what you need when the need arises.

You might wait a day or two after moving into the home but taking your items out of boxes can make the new home feel more welcoming.

Tip #3: Explore the Neighborhood

Again, this exploration aids in a sense of familiarity with the place. Are you wondering why is moving so hard emotionally? One of the biggest reasons comes from the fact that nothing feels familiar after the move, and you feel no ties to your new place.

In a 2016 study from Social Indicators Research, researchers from Germany and the Netherlands discovered how recent movers spent more time on the computer speaking with family and friends to comfort themselves after a move.

Why is moving so hard? It creates the perfect storm of issues, such as no friends nearby and an unfamiliar environment. You can reduce those feelings by getting familiar with the new location right away and meeting new people to form new bonds.

Tip #4: Take Time to Settle In

Before you try to get back to normal life, take a day or two to settle into the new home. Setting a busy schedule right from the get-go leaves you no time to set down roots.

Why is moving so hard emotionally? This is a major transition for most people, and it requires time to adjust to the new setting. Even if you just moved from Raleigh to Morrisville, you had to say goodbye to a familiar environment and move into one where you need to adapt.

Give yourself the time to do it so that you can eliminate the stress from the move early on.

Tip #5: Hire a Solid Moving Company

Why is moving so hard emotionally? You need to take many actions to ensure that everything lines up before you make the move, which can stress you out. Saying goodbye to a cherished home can leave you drained. You make it worse if you have to move everything yourself. You may start to feel the tears welling up as you put everything in boxes.

Hiring a moving company, such as Movin on Movers, can help to reduce that emotional burden. You may still feel stressed out, but you will feel it less.

The movers will handle the physical lifting and risk the potential dangers. Did you know that some of the most common injuries from a move include broken fingers, broken hands and broken toes? You can even injure your back from the heavy lifting.

Instead, hire a moving company to handle the lifting. Why is moving so hard emotionally? It’s because even physical things can make you feel bad emotionally.

Tip #6: Plan It Well

Moves will go easier on you if you draw out a plan. The things that you want to plan out include:

• Budget
• Day of the move
• Packing
• Call utility companies
• List the items needed

Good planning eliminates the emotional stress that you feel on moving day. Use the move as an opportunity to get rid of the things that you don’t want in the new home.

Tip #7: Know the Signs of Transitional Trauma

Going through the transition of a move poses more trauma to some than others, but most people will experience it on some level. Learn how to recognize the signs of transitional trauma and address specific feelings. Signs of transitional trauma include:

• Hopelessness
• Isolation
• Fearfulness
• Aggression
• Irritability
• Difficulty concentrating

Don’t use drugs or alcohol to cope with those feelings. Instead, address the specific problem. For instance, if you feel isolated, speak with friends or family online. You may head out to a church or gathering of some type to connect with locals in the community.

If you feel aggressive or irritable for what seems like an unknown reason, the biggest thing is recognizing it because it goes a long way to stopping those feelings.

Conclusion

Why is moving so hard emotionally? Going into the unknown can stress us out. Especially if we will leave behind cherished memories at an old home, it can leave us feeling emotionally drained. Taking some of the actions outlined can lower the emotional stress felt during a move. Plan it well and try to pack ahead of time. You don’t want to set up a move a couple of days beforehand because you simply won’t be ready for it, and it will be harder on you.