Relocation Depression

Relocation depression manifests in different ways and could last even up to years after a move. Reading on in this article, you might discover why you are feeling so down after relocating, even though you were excited by the prospects of the new city and new experiences that come with it, and how to overcome relocation depression.

Just Relocated? A Look at This Type Of Depression

Relocation depression is just as the name suggests – feeling a sense of overwhelming and persistent sadness that can develop into depression that goes on for a length of time spanning months to years, due to moving, which can include moving locally or long distance as long as you are away from where you call home.

When you relocate, a chapter of your life is coming to a close, whether you’d like to admit it or not. Some may be excited to be moving – perhaps they are graduating from college or leaving their hometown for the first time. For others, leaving the home they love – or perhaps the only one they have ever known – can be depressing. Every relationship built, every landmark you have become attached to – they can all feel like they are becoming fast-fading memories in the wind. For most, painful goodbyes are an inescapable element of this life, and that could be a reason as to why relocating can cut so deeply.

Sometimes people ask the following questions about this topic:

Do people get depressed when they move?
How moving affects your mental health?
Is it normal to regret moving?
What is relocation anxiety?
How do I stop being sad about moving?
Should I move if I’m not happy?
Are moving states traumatic?
Why is moving so emotional?
How long does it take to settle after moving?

How To Combat Moving Depression

Thankfully, there are several things you can do to turn such a stress-inducing experience into a positive one. Whether you’re a student flying from the nest for the first time, a professional immersing yourself in a new career or locale, or part of a family going on their next big adventure together, read on to glean more insight as to why you may feel like your relocation is a cause for depression, and what you can do about it.

Understanding This Feeli

Relocation Depression

Relocation depression manifests in different ways and could last even up to years after a move. Reading on in this article, you might discover why you are feeling so down after relocating, even though you were excited by the prospects of the new city and new experiences that come with it, and how to overcome relocation depression.

Just Relocated? A Look at This Type Of Depression

Relocation depression is just as the name suggests – feeling a sense of overwhelming and persistent sadness that can develop into depression that goes on for a length of time spanning months to years, due to moving, which can include moving locally or long distance as long as you are away from where you call home.

When you relocate, a chapter of your life is coming to a close, whether you’d like to admit it or not. Some may be excited to be moving – perhaps they are graduating from college or leaving their hometown for the first time. For others, leaving the home they love – or perhaps the only one they have ever known – can be depressing. Every relationship built, every landmark you have become attached to – they can all feel like they are becoming fast-fading memories in the wind. For most, painful goodbyes are an inescapable element of this life, and that could be a reason as to why relocating can cut so deeply.

Sometimes people ask the following questions about this topic:

Do people get depressed when they move?
How moving affects your mental health?
Is it normal to regret moving?
What is relocation anxiety?
How do I stop being sad about moving?
Should I move if I’m not happy?
Are moving states traumatic?
Why is moving so emotional?
How long does it take to settle after moving?

How To Combat Moving Depression

Thankfully, there are several things you can do to turn such a stress-inducing experience into a positive one. Whether you’re a student flying from the nest for the first time, a professional immersing yourself in a new career or locale, or part of a family going on their next big adventure together, read on to glean more insight as to why you may feel like your relocation is a cause for depression, and what you can do about it.

Understanding This Feeling

Moving to a new place is not without stress, and coupled with missing loved ones, it can take a toll on your mental health. It could be hard to pinpoint the exact cause of this overwhelming sadness when you are away from home. However, the following factors can shed more light on the causes of relocation depression.

Fear Of The Unknown

A lot of relocation depression symptoms are caused by an underlying fear of the unknown and loss of the familiar. No matter where you call home, you have developed a familiarity with it that is unique to that place. You know how to get around, have mapped out your friends (and maybe also your “enemies”), have your favorite haunts, and have most likely found refuge places for when you are feeling down. When you leave this place for a new one, you may have to start all over from square one – and that can be absolutely terrifying and feel isolating.

We become so complacent in (and at times dependent on) our routines that anything that threatens to disrupt them arouses anxiety within us. Some of us are fortunate enough to have been born with an adventurous spirit that is conducive to adaptation, and that’s great! For those who are more tentative about moving, you may be feeling lost, confused, and uncertain of what lies ahead. Other symptoms of transitional trauma include:

• Hopelessness
• Isolation
• Fearfulness
• Forgetfulness
• Agitation
• Aggression
• Lack of interest in pleasurable activities
• Loss of interest in sex
• Finding it difficult to concentrate

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Moving to a new place is not without stress, and coupled with missing loved ones, it can take a toll on your mental health. It could be hard to pinpoint the exact cause of this overwhelming sadness when you are away from home. However, the following factors can shed more light on the causes of relocation depression.

Fear Of The Unknown

A lot of relocation depression symptoms are caused by an underlying fear of the unknown and loss of the familiar. No matter where you call home, you have developed a familiarity with it that is unique to that place. You know how to get around, have mapped out your friends (and maybe also your “enemies”), have your favorite haunts, and have most likely found refuge places for when you are feeling down. When you leave this place for a new one, you may have to start all over from square one – and that can be absolutely terrifying and feel isolating.

We become so complacent in (and at times dependent on) our routines that anything that threatens to disrupt them arouses anxiety within us. Some of us are fortunate enough to have been born with an adventurous spirit that is conducive to adaptation, and that’s great! For those who are more tentative about moving, you may be feeling lost, confused, and uncertain of what lies ahead. Other symptoms of transitional trauma include:

• Hopelessness
• Isolation
• Fearfulness
• Forgetfulness
• Agitation
• Aggression
• Lack of interest in pleasurable activities
• Loss of interest in sex
• Finding it difficult to concentrate

If you move, you may be able to deduct your moving expenses. You may qualify for the deduction if you work as an employee or are self-employed in the new location, regardless of whether you have the work lined up before you move.

Here are some tips for deducting moving expenses:

1. For a move to qualify, you must meet two tests: The distance and time tests.To meet the distance test, the distance from your old home to your new work place must be at least 50 miles further than the distance from your old home to your old work place.To meet the time test, you must work as a full–time employee in the new area for at least 39 weeks during the first 12 months after you arrive in the general area. The total weeks can be for more than one employer.If you are self-employed in the new area, in addition to working at least 39 weeks during the first 12 months, you must also work a total of at least 78 weeks during the first 24 months after arrival. The 78 weeks can be a combination of time worked as an employee and as a self-employed person.If you are married, only one of you needs to meet the distance and time tests.You may qualify for an exception to these rules if you lose your job, or in certain other situations. If you are in the Armed Forces, you do not have to meet these two tests if your move is for a permanent change in station, including a move within one year after you retire or leave active duty.
2. You can generally deduct your expenses of moving yourself, your family, and your belongings.This includes the cost of:
   • Professional moving company services
   • Do-it-yourself moving trucks or pods
   • Gas and oil or the standard moving mileage rate, if you travel by car
   • Packing supplies (blankets, tape, boxes)
   • Move insurance
   • Moving help, for example if you pay someone to help you load and unload the truck
   • Travel expenses (but not meals) for one trip each for you and members of your household
   • Storage for up to 30 days after goods are moved, before they are delivered to your new home
3. You cannot deduct the cost of meals during your move.Some other nondeductible expenses include any expenses of buying or renting your home at the new location, and any expenses of breaking your lease or selling your home at the old location.
4. You cannot deduct house-hunting costs if you travel to the new location before you actually move.You can only deduct the cost of one trip as a moving expense.
5. You can only deduct the cost of lodging at the old place for one day if you had to stay elsewhere because your furniture had been moved.
6. You don’t have to itemize your deductions to claim moving expenses.Moving expenses are an adjustment to income, not an itemized deduction.In addition, because they reduce your adjusted gross income, moving expenses may also help you qualify for other tax benefits that are limited at higher income levels.
7. You cannot deduct expenses for which your employer reimbursed you, unless your employer included those reimbursements in your income.Look on your Form W-2, box 12. If there is an amount with a code P, that amount is included in your taxable income. You should take a moving expense deduction to avoid paying tax on your reimbursements. You should also take a moving deduction if your employer included your reimbursement with wages in box 1 of Form W-2.If there is no code P amount in box 12, and your employer did not include the reimbursements with your wages in box 1, do not take a deduction for your reimbursed moving expenses.
8. Remember to update your address with the IRS, using Form 8822, Change of Address.This is especially important if you’re expecting a refund or correspondence from the IRS.

Moving the office is no small venture. To make sure that the right moving company is hired, it is important to ask prospect movers these questions:

1. Is your moving company licensed and insured?

Many companies are licensed and insured, but when dealing with computer systems and relocating expensive office equipment, it is always best to make sure.

2. Are all employees background checked?

Relocating stuff from point A to point B requires an employee that is alert and on the ball. If an employee has a criminal record or is less than adequate for the job, this can greatly affect the move.

3. Do you give firm moving quotes in writing?

It is almost never smart to get a blind quote over the phone. A reputable company will send a relocation specialist out and they will asses the move. They will give a firm price that will ensure that there will be no surprises when the big day arrives.

4. What are the payment terms?

Many companies will want some money up front to reserve equipment and such. A small deposit is acceptable, but it is not advisable to pay large amounts or the entire balance up front.

5. If items are broken, what is the replacement process?

The only thing worse than no insurance is a difficult procedure to replace broken items. Find out up front what the process is to have things replaced. Forget the company if they cannot tell you a definitive answer.

6. Is there a transfer involved?

If the move of the office is a long distance, companies often use transfers. For instance, if a office is being moved from Ohio to California, they might transfer the loads in Missouri, or the distance the company goes. It is important to have a company that travels across country for this type of move, or things could be broken.

7. Are you the mover or the broker?

There are a great deal of brokers who book moves for companies. It is always best to talk to a mover directly. Those who will be doing the transfer will know more than those who are just booking the move.

8. Are there extra charges?

The quote is a great place to start, but if there are large items like pianos or gigantic office pieces, will there be an extra charge?

9. How many movers will my move take?

Ask up front how many people the move will take. If they tell you over the phone it will take three and quote in writing four, call them on it. Fact-checking can save money.

10. Do you have references?

The biggest and most important questions to ask any company who will be handling the move is to make sure they have references. Because this is not a house move, making sure they are reputable is a plus.

There may be other important questions to ask depending on your business type. Feel free to share them with us! American Logistics will gladly provide you with answers.

After living in a place for a decent amount of time, it’s easy to overlook some of your belongings. You become so accustomed to seeing your floor lamp in a specific corner that it seemingly morphs into an extension of your home. Appliances, important items and things you decided to pack last are the things most commonly left behind in a household move.

Keep these items in mind when doing your final once-over:

• Coffee Maker
• Microwave
• Garden Hose
• Lawn Mower
• Toilet Plunger
• Tools
• Cleaning Supplies
• Medicine
• Private Records
• Safes

It’s also important to remember to leave certain things behind. If you have a spare key hidden somewhere, remove it. Also, take the garage door opener out of your car. If you are moving long distance, return all the items you borrowed from friends and family. Alternately, remember to get your belongings back. If you have pets, don’t forget to leave an open spot in your car. Vehicles fill up fast when moving.

If you have any suggestions on things that are easily forgotten during a move, leave us a comment!

When packing for a long distance or a local move, We often procrastinate the whole process, because We’re not exactly sure where to start or what We’re going to need right away. Of course, this just creates unnecessary stress, and more stress is basically the opposite of what is needed during a move. However, there are some simple things you can do to make packing and unpacking easier. Firstly, plan on creating an “open first” or “first night” box.

After a long day of moving, unpacking everything immediately is probably not going to be on your agenda. While this is fine and completely normal, there are obviously going to be things you need. If all of these helpful items are in one place, it will make things easier on you, while also curtailing messes. Essentially, pack like you’re staying a night or two at a hotel, and then, add some extra household items on top of that.

Some suggestions:

• Change of clothes
• Toiletries
• Medicine
• Towels
• Toilet paper
• Shower curtain
• Flash light/Light bulbs
• Paper towels
• Cleaning supplies
• Trash bags
• Basic tools
• Disposable plates, cups and silverware
• Chargers for your phone, computer, etc.
• Pen and paper
• Kids’ essentials (blankets, etc.)
• Pet food
• Coffee
• Snacks
• Bottle openers/Corkscrew
• Champagne (or sparkling cider)-You survived moving day!

Once your open-first box is ready to go, make sure it is clearly marked on the top and sides. You should either move the box on your own, or make sure that your movers are aware of its existence. If it is being transported by the movers, make sure it is packed last, so it will be the first off the truck.

If you have any other suggestions for a first-night box, tell us!