Are you thinking about relocating after the death of a family Member?
Are you thinking about relocating after the death of a family member?
Moving homes may seem like a good way to move on from those feelings of loss and emptiness. Before you make such a major decision with your life, however, you need to recognize that moving can be stressful as well. To reduce that stress and heal through grief, keep these points in mind:
Reaching Out for Extra Help Can Provide Needed Relief
Before you plan on moving after the death of a close loved one, you should think about any extra steps you need to take care of yourself. For seniors who have recently been widowed, this may mean transitioning to independent living. As AARP explains, it’s a chance to live in a senior-friendly environment that doesn’t require you to deal with maintenance and upkeep, and you can connect with peers. You still enjoy privacy and independence as well, just like it sounds.
If you have weighed your options and think that moving into an independent living community is the right step for you during the time of grief, be sure to research local facilities and set up tours of your top choices. As you complete community tours, try to note what sort of amenities and features each community offers, as well as the cost that comes with those features.
Planning Out The Move Can Reduce Feelings of Anxiety
Thorough planning can also be a good way to ensure that a move does not generate undue stress. You can use a detailed moving checklist to make sure you don’t miss any important details, which can be particularly useful when your brain is already clouded with grief.
How you work through your moving checklist will depend on the nature of your move. For instance, if you currently own a larger home and need to downsize after your loss, you may need to begin by decluttering and sorting through personal possessions.
Homelight points out decluttering can also be a critical element in selling a home faster, but this can be especially tricky when some of those items belong to your late loved one. Consider asking a close friend to help you out. It can be very therapeutic to have someone there to share and sort feelings while sorting belongings.
Cut Stress, Don’t Add It
On top of reducing the pain of a home full of reminders, many people choose this time to transition to a smaller, more affordable home. Downsizing can alleviate financial stress, which is not uncommon and can compound your grief. Dave Ramsey explains many people save thousands through a single downsize, so it can be a smart way to ensure a more secure financial future.
Partnering with an experienced and compassionate listing agent is a must; you don’t want to feel pressured by a choice you’re making to alleviate stress. Find someone you feel you communicate with well and who doesn’t push you into things you’re not comfortable with, but instead provides sound guidance through your choices.
Don’t Do it Alone
Following a major loss, it’s not uncommon to experience feelings of anxiety, along with a full spectrum of other emotions that are directly tied to grief. Reaching out for support from a counselor can sometimes reduce those feelings and help you process emotions. For all other grieving family members, reaching out to grief support groups can be a good way to work through difficult emotions and pain.
Experiencing the death of someone you hold dear can be traumatic and stressful. Make sure that moving is the right option for you, before you add to those feelings of tension. If you do decide to transition into a new home, reach out for a little extra support from friends, family members, counselors, or even experienced real estate agents.
Lucille Rosetti
lucy@thebereaved.org │The Bereaved
Lucille Rosetti created TheBereaved.org as a means of sharing tools to help people through the grief process. Having lost some of the people closest to her, she understands what it’s like, and how it can be an emotional roller coaster that doesn’t always seem to make sense. She’s currently writing an eBook, Life After Death: A Wellness Guide for the Bereaved
