Why Is Moving So Stressful? The Top 10 Most Stressful Moving Tasks

Moving is stressful – surveys say that it ranks among the most stressful events in human life. This comes as no surprise considering the fact that moving is such a costly, laborious, and nerve-racking endeavor.

But what makes moving so stressful? All the tension and anxiety typically associated with the moving process derive from a handful of specific stress factors:

# Financial pressure – Moving is very expensive and can easily drain your savings or even lead to financial difficulties.

# Time pressure – There is just too much work to be done and the time is limited, so it’s very difficult to complete your moving preparations in an effective and timely manner.

# Emotional pressure – Moving takes you out of your comfort zone and forces you to dive into the unknown with all its challenges and uncertainties. Not to mention how sad it is to leave close friends and favorite places behind and how daunting the mere prospect of starting your life anew can be.

Every moving task you’ll have to take care of prior to your relocation will meet at least one of the above “stress requirements”. Some chores, however, will be not only difficult, but also costly, time-consuming, and nerve-racking at the same time, so they will result in much greater stress than others. In order to make these overwhelming tasks a little easier, you need to know what to expect – and how to prepare.

So, let’s have a look at these most stressful tasks and explore the best ways to deal with them:

1) Breaking the Big News

Informing family and friends of your life-changing decision requires neither strenuous efforts, nor time or money, so it should be an easy thing to do. The big news, however, may come as a shock and cause a lot of conflicts and tension in your home:

• If you’re moving out of your parents’ house, mom and dad may think that you’re not ready to live on your own (See also: How to tell your parents you’re moving out)
• Your spouse or partner may not want to relocate (See also: What to do if you want to move, but your partner doesn’t)
• If you have children, they may get upset or scared by the prospect of leaving their safe familiar world behind and diving into the unknown (See also: How moving affects children)

Besides, as soon as you break the news, you’ll have to start dealing with hectic moving preparations and laborious relocation-related tasks. They will disrupt your daily routine and will deprive you and your family members of proper rest, leisure time, enjoyable activities, etc., which will inevitably result in exhaustion, downbeat mood, and emotional outbursts.

Announcing your move marks the beginning of the relocation chaos – both literally and figuratively. So, it’s no wonder that many people find the simple task of informing family and friends about their plans extremely stressful and difficult to cope with.

2) Finding an Appropriate New Home

When planning a house move, your very first task is to find an appropriate new home for you and your family.

Searching for a new home is extremely time-consuming and very difficult, especially if you’re moving to another city or state. You’ll have to visit your new location several times before the move in order to look for a suitable place to rent or to buy – your trips will incur a lot of extra expenses and you may not be able to find what you’re looking for. Or the property you pick may turn out not to be right for you.

If you can’t visit your new area in person prior to the relocation, it may be best to move into temporary housing first. This will give you the opportunity to explore your new surroundings and experience life in your new city before setting your mind (and your heart) on a permanent residence. If you choose this option, however, you’ll have to move twice within several months and to put most of your belongings in temporary storage for the meantime.

Considering all the above, it is easy to understand why hunting for a new home ranks among the most stressful moving tasks. You need to research your housing options really well in order to find the perfect new home for you and your family.

Related: 13 critical mistakes to avoid when moving into a new house

3) Finding Reliable Movers

When moving to a new place, you need to find a way to get there – with all your belongings in tow.

Unless you have decided on a self-move (which is only a good idea if you’re moving short distance), this means that you need to find trustworthy movers to transport your belongings to your new home.

There will be no shortage of moving companies willing to take care of your relocation needs, but choosing the best mover for you may be a bit tricky. Your decision will define the kind of moving experience you’re going to have, so you have every reason to feel stressed when shopping around for movers.

There are three different aspects of the process that cause trepidation and anxiety:

• Avoiding moving scams – It is no secret that falling victim to moving scams is the worst thing that can happen to you when moving house. So, watch out for red flags of moving fraud (low-ball estimate, no contact information, no USDOT number, no website or website that contains no specific information, records of past problems and complaints against the company, etc.) and steer clear of rogue movers;
• Selecting a moving company – There are several crucial steps to hiring a moving company and skipping any of them may result in great trouble. You need to carefully research your options, read moving reviews, get moving quotes, ask the right questions, get on-site binding estimates, and compare the received offers in order to pick the company that best suits your needs and your available budget. This process takes time and requires great focus and presence of mind;
• Negotiating with the movers – Once you have chosen a reliable moving company, you need to settle all the little details of your move – charges and fees, pick-up and delivery dates and times, desirable extra services, specific requirements and preferences, liability coverage, and many other relevant issues. To negotiate the most favorable conditions for your move, you need to be well prepared (gather as much information as possible to gain bargaining power) and to use clever tactics (competitor play, careful use of additional services, early booking, etc.).

4) Purging Your Possessions

You may not want to part with any of your belongings when moving house, but the fewer items you relocate, the cheaper and easier your move is going to be – so, you’re strongly advised to resist the temptation to throw everything you own into moving boxes and declutter your home before the move:

Make an inventory of your items

Go through every nook and cranny of every room in your home and document all your belongings – note down the type, number, characteristic features, approximate value, and current condition of your items. You can use specialized software, advanced moving apps, video records, and other innovative tools to complete this task in a quicker and more efficient manner, but it will still take quite some time.

A moving inventory is extremely useful though – it will allow you to easily organize your items by type, value, or location; to label the boxes properly and ensure quick and efficient unpacking; to keep track of your possessions; to prove the condition your items were in before the shipment should any conflict arise between you and your movers, etc.

Get rid of unwanted stuff

While making your moving inventory, set aside any duplicate, outdated, worn out, or damaged items, as well as any items you don’t like or won’t be able to use in your new home.

Donate those that are still in good condition to charity, give them away to friends, or sell them for some extra cash – just get rid of them before the move to save the time and the money required for their relocation.

Needless to say, you should throw out any damaged or absolutely useless pieces.

See also: How to get rid of unwanted items when moving

It may be quite stressful to decide which of your prized possessions to part with – items you like but don’t have enough space for in your new home, pieces that have no practical or monetary value but evoke cherished memories, deep emotions, etc. Keep in mind though that lighting the load will make your actual move less stressful, so it’s definitely worth it.

5) Packing

Without a doubt, ensuring the safety of your belongings will be among your primary concerns when moving to a new home.

Hiring experienced professionals to handle your household items and personal possessions is the first step to a safe and trouble-free relocation. Proper packing is the other essential requirement for keeping your belongings intact during the moving process.

Quality packing materials will provide good protection to your items, but you also need to know how to best pack your possessions in order to keep them safe during transit.

Different items have their own specifics and you need to pack them accordingly.

You can find detailed information on how to safely and efficiently pack each of your possessions on the following links:

How to pack fragile items for moving

How to pack furniture for moving

How to pack kitchen appliances for moving

How to pack electronics for moving

How to pack books for moving

How to pack clothes for moving

Must-read: Fundamental packing rules for a safe and successful move

6) Dealing With the Paperwork

Taking care of the paperwork is often more difficult and tedious than all the other moving tasks. Why? Because you need to visit various institutions to retrieve, update, register, or cancel certain important documents and you have no control over the time and the procedures that will be required to put your paperwork in order.

Here are some tips to make dealing with the paperwork a little less stressful:

• Collect your documents ahead of time – personal documents, financial papers, medical records, school records, moving-related documents, insurance policies, etc.;
• Sort out your papers – Get an accordion folder or a file box and sort your documents by subject. Put all the receipts for expenses incurred during the moving process in a separate plastic pocket of your documents’ folder and keep them till the end of the year as you will need them for tax deductions (receipts from charity organizations you have donated items to should also be preserved for the same purpose);
• Keep your documents safe – Keep your documents with you all the time and make sure they don’t get accidentally loaded into the moving truck. You should never entrust important documents to movers as they may be lost or damaged during the transportation or you may need them before your shipment has been delivered. Just in case, make scanned copies of all your personal documents (birth certificates, marriage certificates, driver’s licenses, passports, insurance policies, etc.) and email them to yourself or store them in the cloud;
• Meet the deadlines – You will have a limited timeframe to update some of your documents after the move (driver’s license, car registration and insurance, voter’s registration, etc.), so you should check your new state’s regulations and take appropriate measures to put your paperwork in order in time.

Don’t forget to change your address with the USPS either right before or immediately after your move in order to have your mail duly forwarded. Also, remember that you need to transfer utilities in order to have electricity, gas, and water when you arrive in your new home.

Dealing with paperwork is much of a hassle, indeed, but having your documents in order will help you get your life back on track after the relocation in a quick and effortless manner.

7) Saying Goodbye to Close Friends and Favorite Places

Leaving favorite places behind and parting with close friends is always sad.

You need to find a way to say a proper goodbye to the people who matter to you – throw a farewell party, enjoy favorite fun activities with your pals, prepare small gifts for each of them, make plans to meet again soon, etc.

Visit one last time every location that has special meaning for you and spend some peaceful moments there alone.

Don’t forget to say goodbye to your old home too – you will surely miss it.  

When you think of it, you will not only be able to stay in touch with your old buddies after the relocation (despite the distance between you, they will be just one phone call or video chat away), but will also make new friends in your new area. So, cheer up and chase any downbeat thoughts away.

8) Organizing a Safe and Smooth Moving Day

The success of your entire relocation depends on how smoothly things will go on Moving day, so it comes as no wonder that the moving stress reaches its peak on this special day.

All your careful planning and elaborate preparations can be ruined by a single mistake or misfortunate event, so you have every reason to feel anxious and stressed.

Worst of all, most of the important circumstances that determine the outcome of your efforts are beyond your control – you can’t make the movers come on time and do a good job, can’t guarantee favorable weather conditions, can’t prevent traffic accidents, etc.

What you CAN do to make sure things will go according to plan is:

• Contact your chosen moving company several days in advance to confirm your scheduled pick-up date and time;
• Get ready in time – prepare well before the movers arrive, so that you don’t lose valuable time taking care of urgent last-minute tasks;
• Reserve a parking place for the moving truck right in front of the entrance to your home;
• Reserve an elevator (if applicable);
• Take appropriate measures to prevent property damage;
• Keep entryways, corridors, and paths clear of obstacles to prevent accidents;
• Keep kids and pets out of the way to avoid someone getting hurt.

As long as you stay calm and focused, you will be able to make the right decisions and keep stress at bay, even on Moving day.

Must-read: Moving day checklist: Tips to survive the Big Day

9) Loading and Driving the Moving Truck

If you have decided on a DIY move, you’ll have a couple of extra stressful moving tasks to take care of:

Loading the moving truck

Not only will you have to lift and carry large and heavy items, but you will also have to properly pack your belongings in the moving truck and secure them well.

None of these tasks is easy to complete, not to mention that any mistake you make will result in damages or personal injuries.

If you are up to the challenge, at least make sure you have all the proper equipment (utility dolly, furniture pads, moving straps, protective materials, etc.) and several reliable friends to help you.

See also: How to load a moving truck

Driving the moving truck

Driving a large moving truck for hours on end is no piece of cake.

The vehicle is heavy and “clumsy” – you’ll have to brake earlier, make wider turns, drive slowly, and watch for overpass, bridge, and tunnel height limits. It will be difficult to maneuver the large truck along narrow city streets and to take it along busy highways to your final destination.

You’ll have to be very alert all the time to avoid road accidents and to safely transport your belongings to your new home.

Not to mention, that you may have problems finding an adequate parking place too.

See also: How to drive a moving truck

Unloading the moving truck and unpacking your items

You will be totally exhausted when you reach your final destination, but you will have some more strenuous work ahead of you – unloading the moving truck, unpacking your items, reassembling your furniture, setting up your home, disposing of the packing materials, etc.

10) Getting Your New Home Ready on Time

To be able to receive your shipment and set up your new home, you need it to be completely ready by move-in day:

• Arrange for any repair works and remodeling projects to be over before your items arrive.  Otherwise, you’ll have to put them in temporary storage and stay at a hotel until your property is ready. Have in mind that the renovation process requires a lot of time and money, so you will have to plan it well in advance and allot thousands of dollars for the project;
• Deep cleaning your new property will be very difficult if all your items are already unpacked and put at their rightful places. So, you are strongly advised to do a thorough cleaning before the moving truck arrives – wash the windows, scrub the floors, and wipe down cupboards, walls, railings, light switches, and door knobs, as well as every surface in the kitchen and bathrooms. This task involves a lot of time and strenuous work, but you need to get it done before you can set up your new place and finally feel at home.

Preparing your new home in time is difficult, even impossible if you’re moving across the country. You may have to hire professional renovation and cleaning services to do the job for you.

Still worse, this is not the last task to take care of before you can resume your normal daily routine – even after you have moved in and the relocation seems to be over, you will still have to shop around for some new furnishings and household goods and to take care of a number of urgent post-relocation tasks. You will not know your way around your new city and may not have time to look for discounts, so you may easily overspend after the move, miss important deadlines, etc.

This final stage of the moving process causes a lot of extra stress as it comes at a moment when all your physical and mental stamina has already been exhausted and you’re out of energy and ideas. To avoid the anxiety and troubles associated with the proper preparation of your new home, you need to plan and organize everything in advance – not only the repair works and the cleaning procedures, but also the administrative issues and the purchase of essential items (you can order furniture and appliances ahead of time, take advantage of ongoing promotions, deals on shipping, etc.).

Must-read: How to organize a stress-free move

Regardless of how difficult all the above moving tasks may be, striving to accept change in a positive way and adapt to your new world is probably the most stressful task you’ll be faced with when moving to a new place. What do you think?