What is The Fear of Moving Home and How To Overcome It

Is it normal to be scared of moving home?

Yes, it is perfectly normal, the fear of moving out is an understandable reaction to all the changes that are about to happen in your life.

People like routine, what is familiar and comforting, and moving house is about to remove all those safety blankets.

House moving is a life-changing decision and we are scared if moving home is the right thing to do for us or for our family.

We are scared of moving for a new job, scared if we will have bad new neighbours, scared of the unknown of a new city, scared that the kids will hate their new school, and we are even scared of a new home.

The problem is that if we let those feelings of fear take over our thought process then we would never do anything in our life.

Have you ever smelt the aroma of an absolutely delicious-looking meal but then been scared to try it because you are unsure that you will like the unfamiliar ingredients?

But the allure of the incredible aroma makes you take the first mouthful and you are immersed in a world of pleasure you never knew existed.

You just found your new favourite meal ever. 

Similarly, because of our moving fears we make up a million excuses in our head not to do it, the fear becomes our driving thought rather than the realisation that there are amazing opportunities and fantastic new experiences just waiting for us.

You may also like to read: The Bright Side of Moving Home. It is so easy to get bogged down by the negative aspects of moving home. In this guide, we highlight all the great reasons to move home and how to cultivate a positive state of mind when moving.

How do you Overcome the Fear of Moving Home?

The first thing to realise is that your fear is being fuelled by possibilities of the unknown.

You want everything to be normal, safe, and familiar, but you also want things to change.

You know that moving home is expensive and stressful, you know that moving to a new place is unsettling so it is easier to make excuses not to move, to stay in the status quo, for life to carry on as it is.

It is possible that you can’t settle in your new home, it is possible that the university course is not for you, and it is possible you can’t find your favorite brand of shampoo in the new city.

It is far more probable that you will continue to hate your present job, far more probable that you continue to hate that you have no garden, and far more probable that you will remain unhappy by doing nothing to change your life.

So if you remove the confusion about what direction you want your life to take, if you find ways to put your mind at rest about what is confusing you, then that will immediately diminish your fear.

Focus on your reason for wanting to move home, a great new career, a garden, a cheaper area, being nearer family, a new relationship, whatever the reason, that is your focus.

And give yourself time.

Time to adjust to the thought of moving home, then time to settle in, time to discover all the wonderful things about your new home, and time to discover the things that will make you love your new area.

You are unlikely to feel from day one that you made the right decision, but over time you will know for sure.

Let us look at each possible reason for your fear and how we can overcome the fear of change and moving away from all that you are familiar with.

You may like to read: Can Moving Home Make You Happier? In this guide, we find out whether moving home will be the catalyst to making you happy or whether you will just take your problems with you.

Overcoming The Fear of Moving Away From Family and Friends

Having friends and family around you is a safety net, they are the people you run to when life gets tough when you just need to see a warm smile or be in company that makes you happy, safe, and secure.

But these days no matter where we are, we are never truly alone.

We have telephones, video chat, and social media. Traveling is easy, no matter how far away somebody is, they are but a car journey, a train ride, or a flight away.

You are not going to a prison that you can never leave, you are merely putting a few miles between you and your friends and family.

Your friends will want to make sure you are OK, and that you know that they are still there for you, so they will make an extra effort to ensure your well-being.

And in all likelihood, you may even see your friends and family more once they realise what a fantastic place you have moved to.

So you may not see them as regularly as you do now, but the time that you will be spending together will be quality time when you have both had to make an effort to meet.

That will be far more special than a weekly meet down the pub because that is what you have done for the last 5 years every Friday night.

And of course, you will meet new and interesting people where you move to.

People who share the same interests as you, who appreciate the countryside, or who love a night out.

It is usual that people live in an area that gives them access to the things they like to do.

You are moving to an area that fulfills a need that you have, whether that is to be by the sea, in a village, or in the middle of a vibrant city. Likeminded people will be all around you.

It is likely therefore that you will meet people that will become friends that will enrich your social circle rather than the move taking your social circle away from you.

You may also like to read: How to Make Friends in Your New Neighbourhood. In this guide, we suggest various ways that you can expand your social circle after moving to an unfamiliar place.

Overcoming The Fear of Moving to a New City

Your fear of moving to a new city is based on the fact that you know very little about it.

You don’t know the areas to avoid, you don’t know where the best cafes or clubs are, and you don’t know how the little everyday things work in your new city.

But that is why you are moving, to experience new things, the excitement of discovering quaint tearooms, or the quadruple expresso that is only served in that one café, or to just be able to sit on your balcony overlooking the river, knowing that you made this happen.

You made the move happen and are now reaping the rewards.

Take the time to learn all you can about your new city by joining forums and social media groups.

Seek out the best local gym or bridge club if that is what floats your boat.

Volunteering is a great way to meet people and to get to know your new city, and just by walking around you will get to know the layout, the smells, and the vibe, it is all about becoming familiar with your new city.

Look at all the amazing opportunities that moving will give you, chances to do things that you never considered doing before, taking up hobbies that you have never had the opportunity to do.

Moving to a new city allows you to recreate your life, to become the person you dream of being.

If you can make the decision to move to a new city and actually make it happen you are capable of anything, after all, you have proved you are strong and capable.

You may also like to read: How to Make a New Place Feel Like Home. It is important to feel like you belong in a new area as quickly as you can, it can help stave off relocation depression. In this guide, we suggest ways that make bonding with your new area easier.

Overcoming The Fear of Moving to a New House

You know all the little quirks of your current home, the tap that has dripped constantly for the last 2 years, the stairs that creak if you don’t keep to the right, things that drive you mad but you never got around to fixing, things that are now familiar to you and give your home its own character.

Your new home will not have the familiar smells, creaks, or the feeling of inner warmth and peace that your current home gives you.

But isn’t that part of the joy of a new relationship with a new home?

Discovering their little quirks, finding endearing qualities that you just love, being able to enjoy a bit more space or more light in the rooms, or having a new favourite spot to sit and enjoy your morning coffee.

It takes little effort to make a new place feel like home, a few familiar pictures on the walls, soft furnishings placed here and there, or a lick of paint on the walls will soon make you feel as if you belong in the home, that you have finally discovered each other.

Of course, there are reasons why you would be scared about moving to a new home, but having considered the pros and cons you know that the benefits far outweigh the negatives.

It could be that you fear your new neighbours will not be as nice as your current ones. But equally, your new neighbours may be fearful of who is moving in next door to them.

Take the time to say hello to your new neighbours, to get to know them, and reassure them that you are not the neighbour from hell.

One of the best ways to allay your fears about moving to a new home is to plan how you envisage the home to look, and how you will make it your home.

How you will plant the garden, how you will decorate the rooms, how you will make the best use of the space, and where the best place is to hang your favourite pictures.

If you can envisage how your home will look, you will also envisage yourself living there, how you will embrace and enjoy all the changes you will make to the home, and ultimately, how moving will give you or your family a far better quality of life.

Yes, your new home will be different, but it will be different for the right reasons and once you have got over the upheaval and stress of the actual move you will soon settle into your new life.

Just give yourself time and everything will be fine.

You may like to read: What are the Health Benefits of Moving Home? There are many scientifically proven health benefits to moving home. It’s another great reason to get packing and move home. In this guide, we highlight some not-so-obvious health benefits of moving home.

Overcoming The Fear of Moving for a New Job

Are you scared of moving to a new job?

That too is normal. It continues the theme of this article, it is the unfamiliar, the unknown that we fear.

We may be leaving friends and colleagues, leaving a job that we know how to do inside out, we know the journey to work, we know how the politics work, who to avoid, and who we can trust.

Make a pros and cons list of why you should or should not move for a new job.

Research the new company thoroughly, research exactly what the job entails and what will be expected of you, read through the job descriptions again and again, and if the pros outweigh the cons, go for it.

Remember, if somebody at your new company liked what they heard and saw at the interview, they have confidence in you that you are the right person for the job and that you have what it takes to be successful.

You owe it to yourself and to the person that hired you to prove that they were right.

But even if it is not the job you thought, use the time there to gain experience and knowledge, often like for like businesses congregate in certain towns or cities, so there are likely to be many more opportunities for work in that area of the country.

Just give yourself time to adjust, to get to know what the job is really like, settling in will take time, and your new employer will be aware of that and will likely offer you lots of support.

Your new colleagues will be a great source of local information and will soon get you up to speed with how everything works.

This could be the best career move you ever made, but if you don’t try you will never know.

You may like to read: How to Decide Where to Relocate For a New Job. If you are thinking of moving home for a new job or change of career this guide has lots of tips and information that you may find useful.

How to Overcome The Fear of Moving Out of Parents’ House

At some stage in our lives, the majority of us will leave the family home.

We cannot wait in our teens to move away, to be independent, with no rules, and nobody telling us what we can and cannot do.

But when the time comes, the reality is that most people are scared to move out of their parents’ homes.

The realisation that you will have to be responsible for bills, cooking, and looking after yourself, that you have become an adult can be daunting.

But there is really nothing to fear about moving out of your parent’s house for the first time.

If you plan it well, not only will you move out successfully but your parents will be reassured that you have made a calculated decision rather than a whiplash decision after an argument for example.

Many people who are too scared to move away from the family home will make excuse after excuse to themselves, convincing themselves that it is just not possible.

But it is possible and will lead you onto a path that will open opportunities to you that you never even considered.

So if you are one of the many who are afraid to move away from family here are some great ideas to help you make the transition to your new life.

• Consider why you want to move out. Are you ready to move out of the family home, to be independent and responsible for a home? It is a big decision, so take your time to consider all your options and that it really is the right time for you to move out. Having decided that yes, it is the right thing to do then it is time to get planning.
• Create a moving-out plan. Soon you will have to tell your family you intend to move away. If you can demonstrate that you have thought this through and planned it, then they will be less worried for you.
• Create a moving-out budget. Find the area you would like to move to, and what the rent, utility, and living costs are so you can work out what your outgoings will be to ensure that you can actually afford to move out. Make sure you factor in a contingency fund, setting up a home is expensive, and remember that you may be stocking the fridge and food cupboards from empty so the first shop will be double what you budget for a normal weekly shop.
• Have a Plan B. It is worth planning for unexpected events. If you cannot afford the rent you may want to consider a house share or if the move does not work for you in some other way then have a Plan B. This will help ease your anxiety about moving away and is well worth thinking about.
• Communicate with your family. Pick a time when everyone is calm and relaxed, then broach the subject of your intention to move out. Make sure you give them plenty of notice, not the day before so that they have time to adjust to the idea and help you. You can never be sure how they will react, they may be happy, sad, or just concerned. But having planned your move and created a budget you will allay many of the fears they may have. Explain why now is an ideal time for you to make this move and what a great opportunity it is. Be sensitive to their feelings too, it will be a life-changing event not only for you but for them too.

Just the process of making a plan, and having a goal in sight, will help you relax and take some of the fear away.

And having now announced to your family that you are moving out, you will likely get support and help from them.

Good communication throughout the transition to your new life is vitally important.

Discuss how your plans are progressing and how your budget is looking.

Spend quality time with your family, take them to see the area you hope to move to, and involve them but ensure that it is you who controls the move.

This is your decision, the first step in your new life.

There is no shame in asking for help, indeed your family may willingly offer help, but it is important that you ‘own’ this plan, that you make it happen.

And remember that the door to the family home is likely to always be open so you have a Plan B if it really does not work out.

It is natural to be scared of moving out for the first time, but conquer that fear and embrace the start of your new life and all the wonderful experiences you are about to have.

There are many guides in our home moving library that you will find useful if you are moving home for the first time. Here are just 3 of our most popular articles for first-time home movers:

• Everything You Need to Know About Moving into a Shared House. In this guide, we tell you all you need to know about moving into a shared home.
• Everything you need to know about moving to College. Moving to college or university can be a life-changing event. In this guide, we share the pitfalls to avoid and how to make the transition to moving away easier.
• How to Move Out of Your Prents Home. In this guide, you will find lots of useful and practical tips to help you successfully move out of the family home.

Afraid of Moving Home? How to Conquer the Fear of Moving

There are so many aspects to moving home that the overwhelming amount of things to do can be scary.

So let’s look at the fear you have about actually moving home, the physical process of moving, and how you can allay those fears.

How to Overcome The Fear of Being Overwhelmed

Because there is so much to remember to do during a home move, the sheer amount of effort and time that it takes to physically move home can make us question whether it is really worth it.

It is easy to become overwhelmed with the sheer number of things that need doing, but being organised and planning your home move properly will make the things you need to get done far less daunting.

A few simple home moving tools will put your to-do list into a logical and manageable order.

Use a home-moving timeline and checklist to determine what you have to do and when.

Get a free home moving checklist.

A change of address checklist will ensure that you do not forget to notify those you need to know you have moved.

Get your free Change of Address Checklist

The more organised your home move is the simpler and less stressful it will be.

Take the fear out of knowing what to do and when, and your home move will be far less overwhelming.

You may also like to read: How to Cope With Emotional Overload When Moving Home. Moving home is a melting pot of emotions and it is easy to become overwhelmed with the whole situation. In this guide, we explain what emotional overload is and how to cope with it.

How to Overcome The Fear of Hiring a Bad Removal Company

The easiest and least stressful way of moving home is to hire a full-service removal company.

But there is always the fear that the removal firm you hire will damage your things or try to rip you off in some way.

Whilst it is rare that a removal company will try to rip you off, it does happen, so you need to be vigilant.

• Read as many reviews of any removal you are thinking of hiring as you can.
• Check that the reviews are recent
• Does the company respond to any negative reviews that are left?
• Are there just too many glowing reviews for them all to be true?
• Does the review site allow you to contact the people who left the review?
• What level of insurance does the removal company offer?
• Is the company legally registered?
• Do they have a physical address?
• Do they have a landline number and email address?

The fear of hiring a bad removal company can be very real, not knowing whether you can trust someone to handle all of your precious items can be a real concern.

But you can allay that fear by thoroughly researching any removal company you intend to hire by following the simple steps above.

Conversely, hiring a really good removal company will allay any fears you may have about your home move.

They will have the skills and experience to ensure that your items are safely packaged and transported to your new home.

A full-service removal company will come to your home, inventory all your items to be packed and moved, prepare a moving day plan for you, safely package your household items, transport them to your new home, and place the boxes and furniture exactly where you instruct them to.

Hiring a good removal company is the key to a stress-free, fearless home move.

You may also like to read: How to Pick a Good Removal Company – The Ultimate Step-by-Step Guide. Knowing how to choose the best removal company for your moving needs is so critical that we have produced this step-by-step guide on how to choose a good removal firm. It is essential reading.

As the saying goes ‘There is nothing to fear but fear itself’.

Do all you can to banish those moving fears and then embrace the wonderful new life you are about to create for yourself in your new home.

Give yourself time to adjust to the thought of moving, to settling into a new home and everything will be fine.

Good luck.