Have you lost a loved one, and in the whirlwind of it all, thought, “Now what?”
Starting over and moving forward is a big deal, especially when that means physically starting over.
Here are some tips for you to consider when you’ve reached the decision to move out.
Preparing Yourself Mentally and Physically for the Move
After losing a loved one, moving out can come with many different emotions, most often guilt.
It can sometimes feel wrong to “move on” after the death of someone you care about, but for most people, it’s an essential part of healing.
Keep in mind that moving forward doesn’t have to mean pushing away your loved one’s memory, though. In fact, this can actually help you to keep their memory close, but only if you take care of yourself during the process and do it right.
This means thinking hard about what you want in your new home, preparing well for the task(s) at hand, and looking for support from your friends and family.
A few examples of this might include what to do with your loved one’s belongings and the best way to go through them, finding help from professional services that’ll assist you in everything from cleaning your current home to staging it, or hiring a real estate agent. These professionals all understand market conditions, such as negotiating a sale or guiding you on pricing your home (or you can try this online tool), so it’d be in your best interest to seek out their help.
If nothing else, at least to lighten your already immensely heavy load.
Because the bottom line is, once a person who has dealt with grief makes the decision to move out, it’s best to get the ball rolling, as having a home sit untouched on the market can result in even more added stress and anxiety.
But First, Take Care of Your Current Situation
When you’re planning a move, it’s tempting to get it done quickly.
There’s excitement about the new house and/or city, and when you’ve been through such a devastating time, it can be a relief to have something big to focus on.
But it’s crucial to take care of your current home by getting it cleaned up and ready to pass on to the next owners.
So, whether you rent or own, remember that taking the time to ensure everything is in great shape is incredibly important in the long run.
Or, in order to save time, you could even consider hiring a professional cleaning service that can come in and whip your place into shape. Just keep in mind that the average cost nationally to hire a maid service is $25-$50 an hour per cleaner!
Keep That Support System Around You
This may be an obvious one, but keeping a support system around you during what can be a very draining time will help you to get through it much more easily.
Because even though you may be excited about moving, making such a big change in your life can have long-lasting effects, so it’s still important to have people around you who will be there to help out and give you emotional support when you need it the most.
Be Ready to Make Some Difficult Decisions
Making difficult decisions when you’ve already been through such a hard time can be a daunting task.
However, preparing beforehand for some of those difficult decisions should help you to get through them much more easily. So remember to take the time to think about and process your choices carefully.
This is most especially true when asking a friend or family member to help you go through belongings and sentimental items in order to decide what you want to bring to the new house.
In some cases, you might want to hand things down to someone else. But if an item doesn’t have an emotional attachment, you can donate or sell it. Or, you can even condense some items down to create something new, such as turning several pieces of clothing into a remembrance quilt.
Whatever your decisions may be, make sure that they’re what’s best for you.
Keep Your Finances in Shape
I know. Just after losing a loved one, the last thing you want to think about is your .
But it’s a good idea to stay on top of them.
Funeral costs—which can easily spiral to around $6,000 and upward, depending on the services you select—can be overwhelming for some people (even with insurance), and the cost of a move can be substantial as well.
Therefore, make sure that you keep track of your spending and stick to a budget to avoid any nasty surprises down the road.
Starting over with a move to a new home comes with many considerations, and it’s a process that can be very difficult without a lot of careful thought.
So, ask for help when you need it and create a plan that ultimately works for you so that you can move forward with peace of mind.
Have you ever moved out after the loss of a loved one? Share your experience or some of your own tips in the comments below!
A special thanks to Sara Bailey of .
Resources
Avallone, Mark. “8 Financial Tips To Help Manage The Death Of A Loved One.” Forbes, Forbes Magazine, 1 Apr. 2017, https://www.forbes.com/sites/markavallone/2017/04/01/8-financial-tips-to-help-manage-the-death-of-a-loved-one.
“Clean House Tips for Home Sellers.” The American Cleaning Institute (ACI), https://www.cleaninginstitute.org/cleaning-tips/everyone/clean-house-tips-home-sellers.
“Dealing with Stuff (Literally): Sorting through a Loved Ones Belongings.” What’s Your Grief?, 27 Aug. 2018, https://whatsyourgrief.com/sorting-through-belongings/.
Funk, Andrea. “How to Sort Out a Deceased Loved One’s Clothing for a Quilt.” Too Cool T-Shirt Quilts, 23 June 2014, https://www.toocooltshirtquilts.com/blog/how-to-sort-out-a-deceased-loved-ones-clothing-for-a-quilt.
“How Much Does the Average Funeral Cost?: Parting.” Parting Blog, 23 Jan. 2019, https://www.parting.com/blog/how-much-does-the-average-funeral-cost/
Kaplan, Robbie Miller. “Eight Surprising Things You May Feel After a Loved One’s Death.” Legacy.com, 26 Aug. 2019, http://www.legacy.com/news/advice-and-support/article/eight-surprising-things-you-may-feel-after-a-loved-ones-death.
“Renewing Your Life After a Loved One’s Death.” Keen, 18 July 2014, https://www.keen.com/articles/spiritual/renewing-your-life-after-a-loved-ones-death.
Thorsby, Devon. “How to Stage Your Home to Sell.” U.S. News & World Report, U.S. News & World Report, 25 July 2018, https://realestate.usnews.com/real-estate/articles/how-to-stage-your-home-to-sell