No doubt about it, moving is hard: the time, the money, the stress. Whether you’re moving across town or across the country, you have many of the same problems, only at different levels of intensity.
Sure, moving brings on new adventures and opportunities, but it’s tough to see those things when you’re neck deep in boxes and bubble wrap. Even if the move is welcomed, it can be difficult to see light at the end of the tunnel. However, even the toughest parts of moving really do have their plus sides. Just put the packing tape dispenser down for a minute, and consider. It just might make moving a tiny bit easier.
A chance to revisit: Unless you’re the kind of person who just throws everything into boxes without sorting (and you’re out there, we know), you’re going to go through everything you own during the packing process. You’ll look into all the drawers, cupboards, closets, storage areas…and, well, look at that…you found your old high school yearbook. Hey, you looked good. And there’s the playbill to that special show you and you-know-who attended. And you finally found that sweater…how did it get there?
You can reconnect with your past while you go through the masses you’ve accumulated through the years. You’re multi-tasking in the best possible way: accomplishing a necessary task and getting some enjoyment out of it. A total win-win.
A chance to let go: As you revisit, you can also let go. Do you really both need and want everything that’s in your home right now? Can you let go of things that have painful memories…or no memories at all, anymore? (Just why are you saving that pile of videocassettes? You haven’t owned a VCR in years.)
Don’t be brutal and toss things you’ll miss, but you may be able to get away with whipping out your phone and taking of picture of that old track trophy. You’ll still have the memory, but the only space you’ll need is a teeny tiny bit on your phone. And bonus! Significant weeding can lower your moving costs.
A chance to visit: A lot of people find moving stressful because they’re leaving behind friends and family. Yeah, you’ll eventually make connections in your new location, but that doesn’t help now. But this might: you’re not moving to the moon. Seriously. Wherever you’re going, there’s transportation there and back again.
You can make plans to return, and your nearest-and-dearest can come see you. You won’t be separated by an insurmountable wall, or a moat, or an army of dragons. It’s just space. Plans for getting together with your besties will give you something to look forward to while you adjust to your new area.
A chance for a new beginning: OK, so it’s not a brand new home or apartment, but it’s new to you. This is the time to start fresh. As you unpack, really think where you want your stuff to go and how you want to arrange it. There’s no law that says you need to put the television in the living room or the microwave in the kitchen. (We know; we checked.) Think about where things would work best for you.
And the fresh start extends outside the boundaries of your home, as well. What have you always wanted to do that you never did before, because you couldn’t fit it into your old life? News flash: that old life is gone. Now’s the time to make some changes. Maybe you’re in a less populated area, so you can start riding your bike again. You know you missed it. Or perhaps you can try some neighborhood restaurants instead of falling back on the same old chains. Or _____________. You fill in the blank.
Bubble wrap. It’s the best. When you’re done unpacking, feel free to pop to your heart’s content. You’ve earned it.
Susan Sherwood writes for a local and intrastate moving company in Maricopa County, Low Budget Movers. While moving can bring out the stress in the best of us, she writes to bright light to these situations.
