In many ways, moving to a new home can be fun and exciting for many people, but the actual moving part of the experience isn’t something most people enjoy.
Moving day is stressful for many reasons, such as:
- It takes time many people don’t have to spare. Ideally you can take some time off of work in order to move from one home to another. But life doesn’t entirely stop just because you’re moving, so a lot of what needs to get done has to happen around your work schedule, and other obligations.
- It’s difficult to time everything perfectly. Whether you rent or own a home, it can be almost impossible to line up the day you need to be out of one place and the day you can move into the next. But even if you manage to time that part well, lining up movers or helpers for a particular day can be tricky.
- Something is bound to go wrong. It doesn’t matter how well you plan your move, there’s a good chance something isn’t going to go according to plan.
- It’s tiring and can even be painful. It’s pretty much a guarantee that you’ll need a good night’s sleep once moving day is done, but you might also need to see a chiropractor or massage therapist as well!
So, if you’re dreading your next move, it’s understandable.
However, according to this recent article, there are some people who enjoy moving, and embrace the process! Lemonade Insurance recently commissioned a study conducted by Talker Research which found that nearly 60% of Gen Z respondents enjoy the process of moving, versus only about 20% of those in the Baby Boomer generation for comparison sake.
While some of that might be chalked up to age differences, it probably doesn’t hurt that Gen Z’ers appear to be better at planning their move than any other generation represented in the survey.
So, let’s take a look at 5 things the survey found that you should plan on, in order to make your move more enjoyable… or at least a little less stressful.
1) Plan on Spending More than You Think It’ll Cost
Out of all generations, more Gen Z respondents focused on their budget, with 60% of them saying that they deliberately set aside money to fund their move.
However, even with careful planning, 80% of all people surveyed said that they exceeded their moving budgets by an average of $1,057.20. That said, even though it took five months to financially recover from their most recent move, 47% of them said they’d be willing to overpay if it meant they could avoid having issues during their move.
To be safe and set yourself up for less stress, put money aside to fund your move, and budget more than you think it will cost.
2) Plan on Updating Your Information With Companies
There’s a lot to remember and do when moving from one home to another, so it’s easy for something to get lost in the shuffle.
According to the study, the two most common things to fall through the cracks were:
- Forgetting to update their address.
- Forgetting to have their mail forwarded.
- Forgetting to update their homeowners or renters insurance.
Before moving day, make a list of every company you do business with and make sure to either call them, or go online and update your contact information.
3) Plan on Packing Ahead of Time
A Quarter of the people in the study said that the time and effort of packing was the most frustrating and stressful part of moving.
Forty-eight percent of those surveyed started packing up their belongings two weeks or less before the actual moving day, and 63% felt that the packing process should ideally start more than three weeks before moving day.
You can lower your stress levels by packing up things you don’t need on a daily basis as far ahead of time as possible. While you’re at it, take the opportunity to get rid of things you no longer need and donate them, or throw them away.
4) Plan on Making a… Playlist?!
Forty percent of Gen Z claimed that creating a fun playlist was a key factor in making moving day more enjoyable!
It may seem like unconventional advice, but setting some time aside to curate the perfect list of songs might help you to stay upbeat and motivated even when the day drags on, or things aren’t going as smoothly as you’d like.
5) Plan Some Recovery Time
According to the survey, on average it took three months to mentally and emotionally recover, and two months to physically recover after moving. Many people blamed the overall chaos of moving for taking a toll on their everyday habits and found that they were sleeping less, eating more junk food, and having lower moods for some time after moving.
Don’t be surprised if you feel out of sorts even days or weeks after moving day. But knowing that your mind and body will need some TLC ahead of time might be the key to shortening how long it impacts you. Try to factor in some time to decompress and relax after moving in, but also try to get back in the swing of your typical habits and schedule as soon as possible to avoid feeling like you’re still in chaos months later.
The Takeaway:
Moving can be fun and exciting, but the actual process is often stressful. It’s time-consuming, hard to time perfectly, and things rarely go as planned. Plus, it’s physically exhausting. However, a recent study by Lemonade Insurance found that almost 60% of Gen Z enjoys moving, compared to only 20% of Baby Boomers. Gen Z’s better planning might explain their enjoyment. Here are five tips from the study to make moving less stressful:
- Budget more than you expect the move to cost.
- Change your address and update your contact information with every company you do business with.
- Start packing at least 3 weeks in advance, and use it as a chance to declutter.
- Create a fun playlist to keep you motivated and make the day more enjoyable.
- Plan some recovery time for yourself after moving day, but try to get back to your normal routine as soon as possible to avoid prolonged chaos.
