Can Moving Home Make You Happier?

Stress. Anxiety. Depression. Unhappiness.

Words that we hear and unfortunately many people experience, every day.

For many people, they think that their city, area, or home, is the reason why they are depressed, unhappy, or constantly stressed and that somehow moving home will resolve their problems and make them happier.

But aren’t stress and anxiety synonymous with moving home? So how can moving home be a solution to your problems, isn’t that just going to add to your stress levels?

Maybe not, and in many cases moving home may well offer the solution to your problems.

Can Where you Live Make you Depressed?

Almost certainly. Our homes and environment are not only physical things but are a collection of sensory stimulants, which can be a source of constant reminders of times good and bad.

A park bench could reignite a happy memory of the first embrace with a loved one or could be the place where you and your ex broke up.

The home you decorated together could rekindle memories of happy times or be the scene where you had your final tiff.

If you live in a rented property and are unable to put your personal stamp on it, this could be why you never feel it is really your home, almost like you don’t belong there.

Equally being in an apartment block you may never have any interaction with your neighbors, or on the other hand, maybe too much, and you crave some privacy.

So almost certainly the place where you live could trigger depression, stress, or anxiety.

So, will I be happier if I move home?

If you have sat and thought it through, and it is clearly your home or town that is making you depressed, then yes, you probably will be happier.

Maybe you need to move home to find a community with the same values and interests that you have to stave off depression or find happiness.

Often, like-minded people are drawn to the same areas, for the café culture, for the outdoor activities, or the peace and quiet for example.

Being in a community where you share interests or appreciate the landscape around you, could be the stimulus you need to ward off any location depression.

You may also like to read: Intentional Community Living. In this guide, we look at life in an intentional community. An intentional community is a group of like-minded individuals who share a common goal in life, as well as maybe living space or gardens.

Am I Depressed About Where I Live or How I Live?

Are your problems not anything to do with where you live, but how you live?

Why not take time to evaluate the reasons why you are feeling as you do?

It would be a good idea to list all the reasons you think are making you want to move home, then list what you could do to resolve those issues, both if you did, and did not, move.

By the end of the process, you will hopefully have identified the cause of your feelings and importantly, what you can do to make yourself happier.

Often our home or town has too many bad memories, and the best solution really can be to move far away and restart your life.

Moving home gives you that chance, where nobody will know you, where the past can be left where it is, and where a fresh start can offer you a new life, the opportunity to even reinvent yourself, and to start again.

You may also like to read: Moving Home After a Life-Changing Event. Whether considering moving home after the break-up of a relationship, a bereavement, or any other life-changing event, in this guide you will find lots of practical advice on deciding whether to move home or not.

Will Moving to a Bigger House Make Me Happier?

People often think the size, or type of home they live in contributes or detracts from their happiness. Often people ask, will a bigger house make me happier?

Ask yourself if the added costs and the constant cleaning, associated with running a larger home would cause you even more worries.

Think about what are your reasons for wanting, rather than needing, a bigger house.

Will you have to move to another town to be able to afford a bigger home, and therefore have to move away from your support network of friends and family?

Will having to ‘keep up with the Jones’ be a further cause of financial stress and worry?

Would decluttering and reorganizing your current home give you the space that you want?

Often we have enough space in our homes but we fill it with unnecessary things or don’t make the best use of the space available to us.

Try to look at your home with a fresh set of eyes, perhaps with a friend or two, and see ways that you could make the space better fit your lifestyle and needs.

You may also like to read: The Pros and Cons of Moving to a Bigger Home. In this guide, we look at the pros and cons of moving to a larger home and whether it makes sense in your particular circumstances.

Does Moving Away Help With Your Problems?

In many cases, yes, moving away can offer you solutions, or at least a new perspective, for dealing with your problems, but it does depend upon what your problems are.

A new town or city may offer improved work opportunities or may have a lower cost of living, so if your problems are financial, then yes, it may help.

If loneliness is a trigger for your depression or unhappiness then a smaller community, with a number of clubs or societies, may offer you a better social life.

Perhaps moving from a house to an apartment block will offer you the opportunity to live the type of life you want.

Or maybe being constantly surrounded by noise and hustle and bustle in the city causes you anxiety, so a new home in the country may offer you the peace and relaxed lifestyle you seek.

For all the reasons you think it is a good idea to move home, be sure to counter those views with reasons not to move. Small-town depression is just as much a problem as being in a city that causes you to be depressed.

Location-based depression can be very real, and only a home move will help.

So, will moving home solve my problems?

Having taken the time to identify exactly what the problems are, and if a home move will provide a solution to your problems, then yes.

You may also like to read: Is Life Better in the Countryside, City, or Suburbs? In this guide, we look at the pros and cons of living in the city, the suburbs, or in the countryside which may help you decide where is best for you to move to.

Will Moving Make Me Happier?

If you want to move all the time, perhaps it is not the location of your home that is the issue, but your expectations of how a home should make you feel.

Is where you live affecting your mood or are you projecting your mood on your surroundings?

A happy life is not always equated with living in a rose-covered cottage, no matter where you live, there are always positives, and sometimes we just have to look a little harder to see them.

Take the time to sit and think about exactly what it is that you are seeking, what would make your ideal new home, and what it is that drives you to keep wanting to move home.

If you can identify why you have the urge to keep moving and have identified what it is you are looking for, then maybe it will help you identify an area, type of home, or even which country would best suit your aspirations.

Or perhaps you will realise that you don’t need to move but to adapt your home to your lifestyle, or re-evaluate what you expect from your home.

Perhaps thinking about what you really want will make you realise you already have it, but don’t take the time to appreciate it.

And maybe that is what you are missing, taking time to appreciate the local architecture or the abundance of things to do, or maybe you are also to blame for not taking the time to make friends or interact with your neighbours.

But the key is to always be realistic.

Many of us think we would love to live in solitude on our own island, surrounded by palm trees, sand, and sea.

But I am sure the reality would not live up to our expectations, and we would soon be craving some social interaction or even a few rainy days.

And even if it did fulfill every one of our wishes, the chances are most of us could never afford that dream anyway.

We have to be realistic in that we need to work to earn money, maybe we need nearby schools for the kids because we don’t drive, elderly relatives may rely on us for support, or we just cannot afford to move.

Does moving make you happy?

Moving home in itself may not make you happier, there will still be the same daily struggles and things that have to be done.

That said, a home can be a sanctuary from all the stress of everyday life, but remember that it is you who makes a house a home.

Having a big house, or living in a desirable postcode will not necessarily make you happy, if you can be happy and content within yourself, you can make a happy home living in a tent.

You may also like to read: How to Make a Home More Relaxing. In this guide, we look at various ways to make your home more cosy and relaxing, it could be just what you are looking for.

My Partner Wants to Move Home, but I don’t, now What?

So far we have concentrated on the idea that it is you who wants to move home for a happier life. But what if you are perfectly happy, but your partner is the one who wants to move home or has to relocate because of work?

This is a common occurrence and not such an easy situation to resolve. Often a compromise will be the only way to keep all parties happy.

You may like to read: My Partner Wants to Move, I don’t, now what? In this guide, we look in far more depth at this complicated subject and offer some practical tips to help find a solution.

How Can I Have a Stress-Free Home Move?

If having done all your soul searching, you are convinced that a home move is the right thing to do, that it will bring you the happiness you seek, then you will no doubt want a stress-free home move.

Without a doubt, the easiest way to move home is to leave it all to a reputable removal company. They will provide a professional packing service and will ensure all your goods arrive safely at your new home.

Of course, you will still need to be organised and there are a few tasks, such as changing address, which you will need to do.

But if you are already stressed or anxious, then taking on the monumental task of packing and moving home yourself will certainly only add to your stress levels.

To start your stress-free relocation off, you should request a quote for your home move online.

It only takes a few minutes to fill out the form and saves you the hassle of having to ring around numerous removal firms trying to find one that can move you on the date you want and go to the destination you want.

At your leisure, you can then research the reviews of the removal firms that have given you a home removal quote before deciding on which removal company to hire.

Thorough research of the removal firm you intend to hire will certainly prevent any unnecessary stress on moving day.

You may also like to read: How to cope with the stress of Moving Home. In this guide, we look at practical ways to cope with the stress of moving home.

Encouraging you to have a home moving plan in place is something that we constantly urge home movers to do, it ensures you do not overlook anything important.

And moving home due to unhappiness, location depression, or anxiety requires equally in-depth research and planning.

By that I mean that you must discover what you want from the home move, if the move will fulfill that need, or if there is another need inside of you that is the issue, rather than your home, or the location of your home, being the issue.

Once you know what the problem is, the solution will be easier to find.

Stay realistic, be focused on what you need to do and how you will achieve that goal.

Have a plan B for if your home move does not work out, and ensure that you keep a support network of friends and family, especially if moving to a new city or area.

We hope you find the answers you seek, either in your new home or within yourself.