Thursday, September 17, 2009

The Positive Effect of Moving


How many of us dread the upcoming moving because of all the stress that comes with it. Why not focus on the positive gains associated with changing one’s location instead.

First of all changing your surroundings will allow you to look at your life from a new perspective, to rediscover things that have become mundane and dull. You might wake up in the morning full of excitement because it’s not the same routine that you used to follow automatically. The day may actually be full of surprises: learning that your neighbor is a really nice guy and you can eventually become good friends; discovering a nice park near your new house; learning that your commute to work is now shorter and more convenient. You suddenly remember that you always wanted to jog in the mornings but kept putting it off because your previous neighborhood was too industrial. Or the magnificent view from your new window inspires you to throw a party for the friends you haven’t seen in a long time.

Sometimes changing a location is a form of an escape from unpleasant memories. A painful breakup or even divorce, rude neighbors, betrayal of a close friend, feeling that your life reached stagnation and you lost your purpose. You want to have a fresh start, to close that chapter of your life and start a new one. You want to feel hopeful and in control at the same time: you know that things can get better but you shouldn’t just wait for it to happen, you need to take action. If you were seriously hurt in the past, moving to a new place helps you heal and move on faster.

In many cases moving symbolizes your achievements and is a result of your hard work. People tend to improve their living conditions as they move up in age, they have careers and can afford to buy their dream house, which will be fun to compare to the first rented shoe-box apartment. It’s a feeling of pride and self-confidence that comes from living in a cozy house that you always wanted to have, but could only afford to buy now.

There are so many positive changes that come along with moving to a new place, you just need to remind yourself when feel too stressed out, that if you are open to change, it can bring new experiences and emotions that will make your life fuller and more joyful.

Wednesday, September 16, 2009

Things You Need to Do Before the Move


Moving is considered one of the most stressful experiences in a person's life. No matter how much planning you did in advance, on the day of the move you wind up discovering that you are totally not prepared. You thought the the packing process can be finished within a couple of hours whereas even after two days of non-stop packing there is still loose stuff all around you. So here are a few things you could do to make your life just easier.

Pick your moving date and stick to it.

Your planning will be more efficient if you know the exact date by which everything needs to be done. If you decide that you want to move some time at the end of October, chances are you will move in December, because you won't be ready on time. Moving involves many aspects apart from packing and loading, so make sure you give yourself enough time to do everything with no hustle. If you are moving interstate, you will need at least 4 to 6 months for making the moving preparations.

Prepare yourself to deal with a lot of clutter.

It's in a human's nature to keep bringing stuff in, but neglect taking it out. We've been living among our things for so long, that we actually stop noticing some of them. But once you start packing, you will be surprised by the amount of things you have no intention to take with you into your new dwelling. Discovering the fact a day before your move leaves you with little options - chances are you will just throw the unneeded things out. However if you start going through your belongings in advance, you can actually sell, donate or give away some of the things you don't need, but someone else might find them useful.

Know who you need to inform about your future move.

Letting your mom know that you are moving is not really enough. Make sure you notify other parties as well, even though your mom should probably be the first one to know. Send enough notice to your current landlord - many tenants end up losing their security deposits just because they neglected to give at least one month notice. Arrange for a change of address and mail forward service with your Postal Office. Don't forget your bank, insurance provider and utility services. Well, as always notifying your friends wouldn't hurt either, unless you deliberately plan to keep your new location a secret

According to D. Eisenhower, "plans are worthless. Planning is essential." You will save yourself a lot of headache if you start planning your move early.