Relocation has its psychological affects

Moving to a new home is a time of change, one that can bring on an onset of emotions similar to those of losing a close friend.

That's because many people closely tie their homes with the memories that they've made within them, reported the Miami Herald. That kind of close attachment can make it difficult to transition to their new home, experts told the paper, because some people are so busy grieving the loss of their old home that they don't get excited for the new one.

"We get a certain comfort level, and we get attached to the feelings the space evokes in us," mental health counselor Ruth Geller told the paper. "We're attached to the feelings. And if you're moving to a new house, it's new and there isn't a comfort level there, you have to work into it, you have to wait for the comfort to come."

Geller advised that when moving, families should acknowledge their attachment to their old home and not shy away from it. Bringing pictures of their old home along for the move can help them keep those memories alive, she said.

Families should also take special care when moving with children, advised Boston-based Humboldt Moving and Storage. Moving can negatively affect young children if parents don't take steps to keep them comfortable and well-informed before the relocation.


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