By Lucille Rosetti
Moving into a new home is often a time of joy and excitement, but when this move follows the loss of a loved one, it may instead be a time of anguish. While you should never feel forced to make any major life decisions during this time, if you do decide a move is the right decision, here are a few tips to help you manage the details while you’re still grieving.
Teraloom understands what you’re going through. To help, we’ve put together the following guide to make this time more manageable.
Move Forward from Grief It can be a painful and difficult emotional experience to leave the house you shared with your loved one. Give yourself permission to accept the reality of your loss and to experience the pain you feel. Hiding your deep grief not only hurts you mentally, but, according to Fatherly, it can also lead to physical pain and sickness. When you have begun to accept and experience your grief, you will be one step closer to being able to move forward in your life. At some point, you will be ready to move into a new home and make new memories. Just because you are leaving behind your old house does not mean that you are leaving behind your memories; you can treasure them always, no matter where you live. Selling Your Home Putting your home up for sale will be overwhelming, so pace yourself and find a seasoned real estate agent who understands your situation. To connect with a great agent, turn to Home Captain through PennyMac USA. These concierge agents are seasoned professionals who can assist you every step of the way. You’ll also have a dedicated team to ensure this is a smooth transition. Plus, your agent will be able to help you find a new home in tandem. It’s a lot to conquer, but with experts by your side, you can do this. Bear in mind that if you sell your home within two years of your spouse’s passing, you may be eligible for a tax break on the profit of the sale. The Washington Post discusses a provision in the IRS tax code that allows home sellers with profits on the sale of their primary residence up to $500,000 if they are married. “So if you purchased a home for $100,000 many years ago and now sell it for $600,000, the $500,000 in profit would not be taxed at all by the IRS if you are married.” Of course, as with much of the tax code, there’s the small print, so it’s a good idea to talk to an accountant to get more information.
Ask For (and Accept) Help
Moving is a lot of work, both to pack up your old home and organize your new one. This is a great opportunity to ask for help. Asking for a hand can be hard, especially if you feel that you are inconveniencing people. Your friends and family are likely more than willing to assist you in any way you need, but if you’re still hesitant, you can call in a few pros. Professional movers, for example, typically cost $40 per hour for each mover, and you’ll cut your to-do list down and not feel that you’re imposing on your loved ones.
Paring Down
While packing up your old home, you’ll need to de-clutter and go through your belongings, including those of your loved one. It can be difficult to let go of things, so be patient and give yourself time. You don’t just have to get rid of items -- you can give away special mementos to other family members, donate good-quality items to a meaningful charity, and even take photos of large items to preserve the memory without having to pack the actual item.
Important Details to Remember in a Move Aside from the basics of taking your belongings from one place to another, there are some other important details to remember when moving. First, you can’t forget to arrange a deep cleaning of your old house. It’s easiest to do once all your belongings have cleared out, and you can hire a professional company to come in and do it all for you. A cleaning service is not usually a costly expense. According to an Thumbtack, house cleaning prices are typically in the $150 to
$250 range for a 2,000-square-foot home. You also need to remember to switch over all your utilities ahead of time. Call your utility companies to have the services transferred to your new home on the date you move in to ensure you have cool air or heat, electricity and internet services when you get there.
Getting Settled in Your New Home Once you’ve moved into your new home, you can find the balance between exploring your own new style and bringing in comfort and familiarity from your old home. Try creating some favorite spaces that help you relax, like turning your bathroom into a peaceful spa retreat. If you are feeling lonely, you may want to consider getting a pet. According to Dr. Weil, pets are loving companions that can help you overcome feelings of loneliness and depression. Visit your local pet shelter to see if any of the animals waiting there may become your future companion. Moving into a new home can be difficult. However, over time, you will slowly begin to feel more at ease and comfortable in your new space.
About the Author:
Lucille Rosetti created TheBereaved.org as a means of sharing tools to help people through the grief process. Having lost some of the people closest to her, she understands what it’s like, and how it can be an emotional roller coaster that doesn’t always seem to make sense. She’s currently writing an ebook, Life After Death: A Wellness Guide for the Bereaved. Photo credit: Unsplash
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