Why People Hate the Act of Moving

Why People Hate the Act of Moving

If you are like most people facing a move, you're probably feeling pretty overwhelmed and frustrated. It won't take long before you join the many thousands out there who literally hate the act of moving. But for a process that occurs quite often in our lives, why is it that so many people hate relocating to a new home? Sure, we know we hate it, but we don't always connect with the reasoning behind that hate. Yet, in pinpointing the issues at the root of these feelings, those who find themselves in a position to relocate can take steps to alleviate the points of stress. To this end, let's take a look at the most common reasons why people hate the act of moving today.

Moving is Like Death

It might sound strange, but there are plenty of well known psychologists that will tell you moving is so stressful that it comes second to death itself. And in many ways, relocating to a new place can be a lot like a death of sorts; you are leaving behind your old life for something totally new and completely different. For some, this might be exciting to a degree, but because a part of you is left behind, it is also like letting a small piece of you and your life die. There are a few ways to address this situation, but the best involves bringing closure to the parts of your life that exist only in your currently location. Saying goodbye to friends and acquaintances is something that should be done, and you should take time to cancel memberships and return borrowed items that you have in your possession.

There's So Much to Do!

With everything involved in the moving process, a person can easily and quickly become overwhelmed. Between finding a good mover, packing everything you own, planning out how you and your family will get to your new home, budgeting for the things you will have to pay for, and more, it's easy to see just how chaotic relocating to a new home can be. Thankfully, this is one of the easiest things to take care of and approach in a way that will greatly reduce the stress involved. Start by planning and building a moving schedule, a budget, and getting quotes from long distance moving companies (or local companies). Go through the process of finding a mover so you aren't handling everything on your own. Plan ahead and stay organized by keeping a file of important paperwork nearby, as well as posting a copy of the schedule you've created in a place where every member of the family can see it. And don't underestimate the power of the family itself; let everyone help when it comes time to get things like packing taken care of.

Getting Scammed

Getting scammed by a moving company is one of the biggest things that people worry about when they are moving. There are lots of companies out there that operate under questionable circumstances and we've all heard the horror stories of people having to pay thousands of dollars more than they planned or risk the movers holding their goods ransom. While there are plenty of scam companies out there, avoiding them isn't as difficult as it used to be. Thanks to the internet, getting a good feel for the reputation of a company is easy. People love to share their experiences online, and as such, you can find information about services offered by given company easily just by running a search and looking for reviews of a company. Knowing how to avoid bad moving quotes, but getting a written, binding estimate, is another good route to take.

Avoiding Damage

The damage of the things you've collected and purchased over the years is yet another important thing to consider when you are moving. While most movers offer some kind of insurance, and have experience that will help them avoid damaging the things they are entrusted with, accidents can and do happen from time to time. If you have high value items, this is an understandable stress. As with the other points of stress, however, there are a couple of things that you can do to ensure your goods make it to your home undamaged. The first thing you can do is hire a well reputed company that is known for handling things well. You can also make sure to pack everything in a way that protects your things as well as they can be protected. Ultimately, though, it will be the insurance that you purchase that helps you avoid nasty damages and losses associated with the moving process. Don't let your movers handle your goods without having an insurance policy in place to cover everything.

Money Concerns

Of course the moving cost associated with the process of relocation is another big stress point that you will have to worry about when you are moving. Though this cost will vary depending on where you are moving or how much you are relocating, there are only a few ways to cut costs. Regardless, plan on spending at least $4,000 for a smaller move, and up to $10,000 for a larger, cross country move. Saving money on moving can be difficult, but it's not impossible. While you could choose to move yourself, even self-service moves aren't totally cheap. As such, it's better to save money on things like packing supplies, by obtaining used boxes and padding, or by hiring a mover who only offers transport, leaving you to pack for yourself, so that you can control your costs and keep them within the budget that you created earlier in the process.

Packing and Organization

A lot of people complain about organization when they are moving to a new home. They often find themselves in a sea of boxes when they arrive, which can cause higher levels of stress at a time when they are most unwelcome. Knowing where things go can help you unpack and settle in faster, allowing you to get your life back onto a track that is both healthy for your family, and helpful in getting over the stress of having to leave your old life. The best way to remain organized is to use an inventory system and labels on all of the boxes that are packed. Full service moving companies do this with barcodes, but you can do it with colored or marked labels that you place on each package as you seal them. Another thing that you can do to help you stay organized involves keeping all of your important paperwork together in a folder that will not get packed. Keep copies of everything you sign, pictures you take, and information about your new home in that folder.

Moving Made Easy

A lot of things can get lost in the process of moving, least of all your sanity. If you are able to approach the situation from the right angle, however, you can find moving to be both simple and somewhat enjoyable. Keep these tips and hints in mind as you get further into the relocation process and you'll see that moving doesn't have to be something that you hate too.