Making a Big Move: Practical & Emotional Tips for Relocating

Big change is happening in my neck of the woods, and I wanted to share it with you, friends, in hopes that if you find yourself in a location transition, you might relate and find what I have tried and learned to stay organized and grounded throughout supportive for your move as well.

My husband, dog and I are moving from Colorado to North Carolina. The last time I moved across the country I was 25 and all of my belongings fit in two stuffed suitcases. This time around, we had to sell our home, pack our belongings into countless boxes to store, hire a cross-country mover, prepare to drive 24+ hours, and wrap our heads around uprooting an established life.

Through the chaos though, moving is so exciting. It’s wonderful to have a fresh start, try some place new, and experience another place in the world. Whether you are moving by choice like we are, or relocating for work or other requirements, I hope these practical and emotional tips will help your move go smoothly, help you process the big change, and will make you feel calm through it all.

Practical Moving Tips:

Purge First

There is really no better time to get rid of things and clear the clutter than when you are moving. Take this time to go through EVERYTHING. Clean out your junk drawers, go through your clothes and donate what you haven’t worn, recycle cords that don’t go to anything, sell extra furniture on Craigslist or NextDoor. The more you can get rid of on this side of things, the less you will have to deal with in transit and in your new space.

Don’t Delay Packing

Pack a box a day even if it seems too early, or set aside an hour a day leading up to a big move to organize and pack. Moving can be overwhelming, so do a little bit at a time to make it feel more manageable.

Designate Zones

Put all of your packed boxes in one area, all of your donate/sell items in one area, all of your trash/recycle in one area. If everything is mixed together, you waste so much time re-looking at items that you have already made a decision on. Keep things divided - it’s much simpler!

Do a Dry Run

In our case, we are putting our big items in storage, and then driving our two cars with the things we will need immediately. I’ll be honest, we over-estimated our car space by A LOT! If you are driving or know you have limited space for storage, don’t wait until the day you are moving to figure it out! Test out how much can fit in your car, etc. so you don’t end up scrambling at the final hour.

Emotional Moving Tips:

Take Care of Your Body

Moving is a lot already, so don’t let your body and physical health get worn down. Do yoga and movement each day to keep your body in shape and stretched (especially if your lifting a lot of boxes!). Keep your energy up with caffeine, but be careful not to overdo it on the coffee! Take your vitamins, get plenty of sleep, and drink so much water. Moving is easier if you aren’t depleted doing it, and when you feel good you can handle the emotional toll of moving more effectively.

Communicate

Communicate more than you even think is necessary with you partner, children, or anyone who is moving with you. Check in with each other about how you are feeling about the move including what you are excited about but also about what makes you nervous. Moves are a big change, so talking about it together can really help you process it and not feel overwhelmed.

Ask for Help

Moving is a lot, and it’s ok to not be able to do it all on your own. Ask a neighbor to help you pack, ask a friend to sit with you while you clean out your closet, ask your partner to chip in on a talk that feels particularly daunting to you. You don’t have to do it all, let others support you.

Find Stillness

Especially when your physical space is in chaos, there it is so important to still find peace and stillness for yourself. Moving is so much bustle and to-do’s, that it can be really easy to get out of touch with yourself and your emotions. In order to prevent that disconnection, find a few minutes of stillness each day. That could be meditation in a quiet corner, a cup of coffee outside with your journal, or sitting in a park if the house is a war zone. Take time to pause.

I hope these tips were helpful for you for your next move!