Moving is the physical uprooting of a life and as such, it is a huge, scary event. To see one’s life taken out of place and reorganized into cardboard boxes is uncanny. With all the stress involved in a move, especially in one that includes a career change; professional movers can help ease the pain. However when hiring strangers to transport your worldly possessions, you are quite literally placing the contents of your life in their hands. Possessions are only the material side of life but to take a removed, philosophical perspective when moving is a stretch even for the best of us. So, if you decide to hire movers, I suggest choosing a company you trust and talking to the people who will be handling your things to ensure that all the proper precautions are taken.

If you decide to undertake the transportation yourself, you can take equal care by using the proper boxes and pads to protect your furniture and delicate items. Also, enlist the help of a friend or two to avoid being overwhelmed by the task. Friends also help to keep the mood upbeat and they can distract you from any long trips down memory lane. Instead of reminiscing, you should look forward to your new place. A little foresight goes a long way and it is far easier to label boxes so that they find the right rooms than to rifle through a sea of unmarked cardboard. Labeling is best done by location, so room first and then if necessary the area within the room, such as: kitchen, cupboards. To label boxes based on their contents is much more confusing because it is difficult to gauge the space items such as dishes will take up. Another factor to keep in mind is weight distribution; although it may be easier to pack a box with just books, you are bound to regret doing so later.

Moving is one of the most stressful experiences a person can go through and change of environment is a leading cause of depression. It is always better to move quickly and with help than to spend hours planning your move and dwelling on the logistics. While your possessions may weigh you down in transit, as soon as you are in your new space, they, like you, will find a home. At the same time, if you are downsizing, do not be afraid to purge. Objects with sentimental associations can be a comfortable weight in a time of upheaval but they are a weight nonetheless and the reality is that most of what we own has no meaning other than usefulness. Therefore, if an object is no longer useful, it is unnecessary and all useful items can be replaced. Cherished heirlooms, beloved works of art, etcetera, fall under a different category and their intactness is of extreme value. Always carefully consider the transport of such items and perhaps consider hiring movers to transport your more precious items if not everything you plan to move.

Reference: Auto Transport > Moving > The Stress of Moving