Moving is stressful for even Neurotypical folks, the chaos, the cleaning, strangers tromping through your space, having to be away from home when you actually have down time and suddenly need to fill it, the clutter unearthed from cabinets, closets, and the basement. These are all anxiety triggers and we didn't have the dogs at home at this point, so I couldn't just take Rue for a walk to avoid it and decompress. I know I forced an analytical shutdown for the duration of the transition. (Also known as I allowed my inner Vulcan to surface and steamrolled my emotions.) I was ruthless in getting things done and disposing of junk. The amount of stuff we donated what mind boggling and it got us into the habit of keeping an active donation basket going. As soon as it's full it's out the door for donation.
My need for control, order, and organization made me an excellent packer. Everything was hyperorganized and labelled when the old house sold and we moved to the new house. We were packed and ready to go nearly a week before moving day. I could not process the change otherwise. The new house is bigger, completely refinished basement, a third bedroom/office for my best friends hobbies/crafts/and computer. (This space was a total life saver when she was working from home during Covid. I don't know how we would have survived it in the finite space of the old house. Two weekends of showings before it sold was bad enough.) And I love my kitchen, especially the fact that I do not have a dishwasher. (Unloading the dishwasher is my most hated chore. I will hand wash, dry, and put away an entire weeks worth of dishes before I'll unload a dishwasher.) It is a sensory thing with me and makes kitchen chores managable.
And it was my kitchen that was the breaking point for my moving stress. I just wanted a bowl of cereal and all my actual dishes, (not Tupperware, gadgets, and food that were occupying my cabinets) were in their boxes in the garage. Trigger full blown meltdown over the absolute impossibility of a trivial task. I put REM's Great Beyond on repeat and blasted out my eardrums while I rage sorted and completely reorganized my kitchen. I was cognizant and appreciative of the help we received moving and unpacking, but it was unpacked incorrectly. (Cue guilt about feeling judgemental about item placement.) My best friend didn't poke at me about it. She just let me run my course and give her the tour when I was done. (I had gotten my room into apple pie order before I stopped the night before, which included my master bookcase and the whole of its content. It was almost 3 am before, I was satisfied with it.) Motivational anxiety had me up and moving before 7 am the following day.
With my kitchen redone in a logical and appealing manner, I moved onto my book cave and the laundry room downstairs. Two trips to Target and four new bookcases later, I had no more books in boxes, and all my cleaning supplies were sorted onto the shelving in the laundry room. (We moved the boys (Rue and Zwi) home and into the laundry room the next day). We have since added a TV, a couch, a big reading chair, two more bookcases, and a cat tree to the space. We've repainted painted every room and really worked to make the new house home. Sensorial speaking, it is a clean, bright, welcoming space.
While I hated the upheaval, anxiety, and the meltdowns I cannot regret the journey or where we're at today. I've learned that I can push through when I have to and that rage chores are a powerful tool when facing a huge task. We have less mess, less junk, less worry, and way more space.
What are your experiences with moving?
My need for control, order, and organization made me an excellent packer. Everything was hyperorganized and labelled when the old house sold and we moved to the new house. We were packed and ready to go nearly a week before moving day. I could not process the change otherwise. The new house is bigger, completely refinished basement, a third bedroom/office for my best friends hobbies/crafts/and computer. (This space was a total life saver when she was working from home during Covid. I don't know how we would have survived it in the finite space of the old house. Two weekends of showings before it sold was bad enough.) And I love my kitchen, especially the fact that I do not have a dishwasher. (Unloading the dishwasher is my most hated chore. I will hand wash, dry, and put away an entire weeks worth of dishes before I'll unload a dishwasher.) It is a sensory thing with me and makes kitchen chores managable.
And it was my kitchen that was the breaking point for my moving stress. I just wanted a bowl of cereal and all my actual dishes, (not Tupperware, gadgets, and food that were occupying my cabinets) were in their boxes in the garage. Trigger full blown meltdown over the absolute impossibility of a trivial task. I put REM's Great Beyond on repeat and blasted out my eardrums while I rage sorted and completely reorganized my kitchen. I was cognizant and appreciative of the help we received moving and unpacking, but it was unpacked incorrectly. (Cue guilt about feeling judgemental about item placement.) My best friend didn't poke at me about it. She just let me run my course and give her the tour when I was done. (I had gotten my room into apple pie order before I stopped the night before, which included my master bookcase and the whole of its content. It was almost 3 am before, I was satisfied with it.) Motivational anxiety had me up and moving before 7 am the following day.
With my kitchen redone in a logical and appealing manner, I moved onto my book cave and the laundry room downstairs. Two trips to Target and four new bookcases later, I had no more books in boxes, and all my cleaning supplies were sorted onto the shelving in the laundry room. (We moved the boys (Rue and Zwi) home and into the laundry room the next day). We have since added a TV, a couch, a big reading chair, two more bookcases, and a cat tree to the space. We've repainted painted every room and really worked to make the new house home. Sensorial speaking, it is a clean, bright, welcoming space.
While I hated the upheaval, anxiety, and the meltdowns I cannot regret the journey or where we're at today. I've learned that I can push through when I have to and that rage chores are a powerful tool when facing a huge task. We have less mess, less junk, less worry, and way more space.
What are your experiences with moving?
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