5 Tips for Preparing to Move While Depressed

27 August 2015
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Many symptoms of depression, such as restlessness, difficulty concentrating, difficulty sleeping, and lethargy can make preparing for a large move difficult. Ideally, you will be able to treat your depression before moving, but if you have to move before your depression is under control, you should make sure to follow these tips for preparing for a move.

Get Started Early 

When you think about moving, you may imagine a few days of packing, loading a rented moving truck, and unpacking at your destination. However, it is a much longer process that should start at least a month before you intend to move. About four or six weeks before you move, you should get moving quotes from various companies, start building an inventory of your belongings, and notify your school or work and utility companies about your move. 

While everyone should start the moving process early, it is especially important if you suffer from depression. If you suffer from depression, there may be days when you feel like skipping important moving tasks. As opposed to forcing yourself to power through your moving checklist, it is important to plan extra time for each phase of moving from the beginning to avoid stress buildup. This will reduce your stress and help keep major symptoms of depression from flaring up during your move. 

Keep Lists of Everything 

When you begin to organize your move, you should purchase a basic binder to keep all of your moving information in. This should include a detailed checklist of various tasks, your moving quotes and the contact information for movers you have hired, contracts that you are closing or will need to open when you arrive, an inventory list, and any other paperwork that you accumulate while you are moving. 

This binder will help keep you organized as the information associated with your move builds. It can also help reduce stress by giving you small tasks to regularly accomplish. Finally, if your depression becomes more severe and you find yourself unable to cope with the task of moving, a detailed binder will let a friend or professional take over the process smoothly. 

Outsource as Much Labor as Possible 

Many people consider moving a DIY activity and you may be tempted to save money by doing as much of the move on your own as possible. However, you should keep in mind that there are many stressful tasks associated with moving, such as closing and opening utility accounts, that you will have to do on your own. Since stress can impact to manage your depression, you should limit the amount of stress you experience during the moving process. You may want to hire professional movers to pack your belongings and unpack them at your destination so you can concentrate on other tasks. 

Monitor Your Diet While You Prepare

If you suffer from chronic depression, then you are probably already aware of the way your diet affects your mood. If you are experiencing acute depression for the first time, you may not know which foods can help ease your symptoms and which will make them worse. No matter how much experience you have using diet to control and ease depression, it is important that you monitor what you eat while you are preparing for your move.  Opting for healthy foods such as fruit, unprocessed meat, and whole grains will help give you the energy you need to complete your tasks and keep your depression at bay. 

Get Plenty of Regular Exercise, Sleep, and Restful Activity Throughout the Process 

As moving day approaches, it can be tempting to dig into your task list. However, it is important to take breaks. You should schedule time to go for a walk or exercise outside in the sunshine each day. Also, schedule a restful activity such as reading or writing in a journal before you go to bed at night. Finally, keep a strict bedtime to make sure you are getting adequate rest. The extra rest and exercise can prevent the lethargy often associated with depression and will make it less likely for the stress of moving to make your depression symptoms worse.  

Out of state moving and depression can be a difficult combination. However, following these tips should make it more manageable.