Moving house is one of the major events you will experience in your life, and as such, the whole business of moving all of your earthly possessions from one home to another can be rather intimidating, overwhelming and even scary at times. Whether you’re moving out for the very first time or you’ve done it plenty of times before, the fear of moving out is a perfectly normal human reaction and it can be associated with a number of fear-inducing factors when moving house, collectively known as moving house fears.
Fears are bad for you regardless of their origin, so consider it a high priority for you to identify and address any possible signs of house moving fear. The number one thing to remember is that some people are more open to change than others, and if you happen to be experiencing fits of tropophobia (the fear of moving or of making changes), then it’s really important for your to confront your house moving fears and try to overcome them by proving to yourself how unfounded your fearful anxieties are.
Here are the top 7 fears when moving house and brief advice on how to combat those house moving fears one by one.
1. Fear of being overcharged or scammed, or both
Isn’t this the number reason to be genuinely scared to move out? It sure can be. Who hasn’t heard of horrifying relocation stories where dishonest (aka rogue) movers do as they please? Like jacking up the price after giving you a binding quote or loading your stuff into their suspicious vehicle, and the next time you hear from them, they’re holding your belongings hostage and they want ransom money to release them.
The fear of being scammed can really strike fear in your heart before you even start your preparations, but if you do your homework right, you should be able to stay on the safe side.
Learn more: How to avoid moving scams
2. Fear of having your possessions damaged
To find some of your prized possessions damaged, broken or ruined after the house move is another common house moving fear that may cause you to worry excessively. After all, what’s not scary about opening your delivered boxes and discovering a degree of ruin you did not think possible before?
If you own delicate items that also happen to be valuable, then you should definitely get familiar with the best ways to pack fragile items or learn what it takes to find and hire competent full-service movers. Purchasing the right type of moving insurance will also help you to be less scared for the well-being of your materials things.
Important info: Should I get moving insurance?
3. Fear of not having enough time
One of the most unsettling feelings when moving home is the fear that you’ve fallen behind schedule and that you won’t manage to complete all the tasks before Moving day starts banging frantically on your front door. Have you really lost too much time in ineffective preparations? And if you have, will you be able to compensate that loss of time with minor adjustments?
The only way to gauge for sure your pre-move progress is to create a detailed moving and packing calendar in the very beginning and stick to it as if your life depended on it. Luckily, most house moving fears turn out be nothing but lost alarms, so you’re probably doing fine time-wise anyway.
Worth reading: How to make a moving timeline checklist
4. Fear of the unknown
It’s very human to be afraid of the things that are largely unfamiliar and strange. For better or worse, a house move is the perfect example of taking a big step out of your comfort zone. Your current surroundings are what you know well and where you feel the most comfortable, so it should be a big surprise that you will feel anxious and uncertain about moving out of your home.
The thought of making radical changes in your life and leaving the environment where you feel most like yourself can be truly horrifying to your sense of self-awareness and your adaptive skills in general.
The solution? Be brave enough to leave you comfort zone and see what your new life has in store for you. You might be surprised by what you find.
See also: How to deal with moving house emotions
5. Fear of moving away from family and friends
If there’s one thing that is capable of changing your mind about moving house, even if you know deep inside that moving the right thing to do, is the fact that you’ll get away from family and friends. And that alone could turn out to be devastating for you in the long run. Few things are better than having your family members nearby for support and encouragement, and of course – your good friends to turn ordinary days into unforgettable moments of fun, joy and laughter.
The fear of moving out of parents’ house and the terror of losing touch with your pals are enough to make you re-assess your decision to move home but, ultimately, you should follow the path that Fate has laid out in front of you. Hopefully, you’ll have chosen a memorable way to say goodbye to your friends and part with your old home without any hard feelings well before your move-out date.
Don’t forget: How to keep in touch with friends after moving
6. Fear of moving to a new house
By now you must know your home like the palm of your hand – you know its characteristic smell, you identify each and every little sound it makes, and you feel safe and protected inside it. This has been your fortress but now you’re about to move into a new home that will feel distant, and alien, and strange. Are you finding yourself extremely nervous about moving into a new house? Of course you are.
As mentioned above, it’s natural that unfamiliar things make people scared but the good news is that, in the majority of cases, it takes nothing but time to get rid of that disturbing sense of unfamiliar strangeness. Give yourself enough time to adjust to your new home and the chances are that you will come to like it in the end.
Must-read: How to make my new place feel like home?
7. Fear of moving to a new city
Ideally, you will be afraid of absolutely nothing when it’s time for you to move to another home. The trait of being fearless is something you can definitely use to your advantage during a house move, especially when your final destination is a new city in a new state – the very relocation scenario that’s always riddled with questions marks.
To be afraid to move to a new house is utterly understandable, but to be afraid to move to a new city is even more so. Fearful of meeting new people and establishing new relationships? You can be sure you’re not the only one.
They say that every new beginning is tough, and they are right. To overcome the fear of new beginnings must be your secret mission when entering a foreign territory that could also prove to be relatively hostile for you during the initial adaptation period.
And how do you bring that mission to a successful end? The answer’s very simple: Fight any signs of relocation depression by making friends in the new city.
Bonus read: What are the best things about moving house?
In a few years I will be moving back home after a 30 years living in another state. I am scared shitless. I have no parents, or no home. Have very few friends. Well only one friend and do have a brother and grandchildren waiting. At the same time I am scared of uprooting and going back home. Sure wish there was an easy answer. As I know nothing in life is easy.
Being scared (of the unknown) is normal. You won’t be alone…you do have a friend and a brother and grandkids. That’s a GOOD start.
Try joining some groups beforehand (meetup on the internet) so you will have an opportunity to meet and greet before the actual move.
I need assistance with starting to look and the hassle of selling my house and finding something new in the interim.
I am only going to be moving at least a 20 minute drive a way from where I now live. I have already backed out once then regretted it. I could of kicked my ass for backing out. Now I have 2nd chance. So all the fears have come back again. I have never felt like this before maybe it’s because I am older this time ‘dunno’? It’s like butterflies in my tummy all the time. Wish I never felt like this.