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Moving Is More Than a Change of Address
At the time of writing this, my home is slowly being overtaken by cardboard boxes.
There are piles marked "kitchen," furniture measurements scribbled on scraps of paper, and a running list of things that somehow keeps getting longer no matter how many items I cross off. Like many people preparing for a move, I've spent a lot of time thinking about logistics: booking movers, changing addresses, deciding what fits where.
What I wasn't quite prepared for was the emotional side of moving.
Don't get me wrong. I'm excited. This move represents things I've worked hard for and am genuinely looking forward to. But alongside that excitement has been a more subtle experience that I recognize well from my work as a grief therapist: the realization that every new beginning asks us to leave something behind.
We often associate grief with death, but grief shows up anytime something meaningful changes. A move can mean leaving behind family, routines, favourite places, neighbours, familiar streets, and a version of yourself that existed in a particular chapter of life. Even when the change is welcome, there can still be loss.
Over the past few months, I've found myself leaning on a few practical and emotional strategies that have made this transition feel a little more manageable.
Start Earlier Than You Think You Need To
I offer this advice partly because it's practical and partly because it's kind.
Moving always seems to take longer than anticipated. Starting early reduces some of the frantic energy that tends to build as moving day approaches, but it also creates space to make thoughtful decisions rather than rushed ones.
One thing I've appreciated about packing slowly is the opportunity to be intentional about what comes with me into this next chapter.
A move invites questions that don't arise very often in daily life. Do I still use this? Does this reflect who I am now? Am I keeping it because I love it or because I've simply had it for a long time?
There is something surprisingly satisfying about recognizing that an object served its purpose in one season of life and doesn't necessarily need to follow you into the next.
In many ways, moving asks us to practise one of grief's central tasks: deciding what we want to carry forward and what we're ready to release.
Let Your Move Reflect Your Values
As I've sorted through closets, shelves, and storage spaces, I've tried to think beyond simply getting rid of things.
Some items have been sold, helping offset moving expenses. Others have been donated because that felt more aligned with my values. Rather than viewing decluttering as a process of elimination, I've tried to think about where things might be useful next.
It's a small shift in perspective, but one that has made the process feel less wasteful and more meaningful.
Moving is, in many ways, an exercise in deciding what we want to carry forward. Sometimes that applies to our belongings, and sometimes it applies to our habits, priorities, and ways of spending our time.
Have Some Fun With It
I realize "have fun" might sound like questionable advice in the middle of a move, but hear me out.
One unexpected bright spot has been working through the contents of my fridge, freezer, and pantry. Rather than continuing to buy groceries as usual, I've been treating meal preparation like one of those cooking competitions where you're handed an ominous box of completely random ingredients and expected to create something edible.
My results have ranged from surprisingly delicious to genuinely unhinged.
There have been improvised pasta dishes with freezer chicken, elevated instant noodles, and combinations I would never intentionally recreate. Finding humour in the process has made a stressful season feel lighter. There's also something oddly satisfying about working your way through what you've accumulated before starting fresh somewhere new.
When we're navigating a major transition, it's easy to put joy on hold until everything settles down. In my experience, that's often when we need it most.
