Moving: Exhausting, Exhilarating, and Different This Time.
Embracing the challenge of a move transformed a stressful task into a different experience.
Moving and Stress: A Different Experience
Moving is ranked among life's most stressful events—right up there with divorce, job loss, and the death of a loved one. This time, though, it felt different. Not stress-free, but not overwhelming either.
We've moved several times in the past 15 years. Leaving Chicago for Kansas City was a deliberate step toward family, space, and a less hectic life. We lucked out—selling high before the 2008 housing crash and landing a spacious five-bedroom home. But as the kids moved out, the house became more work than it was worth. Downsizing was the obvious choice, though not an easy one.
Our plan was always to move into a two-bedroom, first-floor unit in our current complex. Demand was high, though, and the waitlist stretched for years. We settled into a three-bedroom, second-floor unit, hoping for our chance. That chance finally came in November—we’d be moving in January. No hesitation. We'd been preparing for this.
The Rules of Engagement
Moving is stressful, but we approached it differently this time. Instead of diving in headfirst and burning out, we set clear rules:
Pace ourselves. Pack no more than three boxes a day.
Start early. The sooner we started, the smoother it would go.
Divide and conquer. Donna handled general packing and organization; I took charge of my office, garage, and tools.
Stay a team. Support each other, expect disruptions, and roll with the chaos.
Anticipate the mess. Routines would be upended—best to accept it upfront.
Expect breakage. Something always goes wrong. Acknowledge it in advance to minimize frustration.
Prioritize essentials. The first night’s necessities included:
Bed and bedding
Toiletries
Basic tools and cleaning supplies
Coffee (non-negotiable)
A plan for dining out until we settled in
Most importantly, we reminded ourselves: there was no rush to unpack. Moving day was the deadline, but everything after that? We’d take our time.
Moving Day
Deep exhaustion.
Mental fog.
Decision fatigue.
Eat, shower, sleep.
Day 2
Morning reality check: Everything hurts. Back, legs, hands—nothing was spared.
First steps: Coffee, Tylenol, and forward motion.
More exhaustion, more fog.
Nap.
Small wins: A clear path through the garage.
Eat, shower, sleep.
Day 3
More of the same.
But... progress.
This wasn’t just a move. It was a challenge—one we tackled differently than before. And that made all the difference.
Days 4 through 19
Small wins, every day. Finish a drawer, finish a cabinet—no rushing.
Steady progress. Unpacking in phases, finding a rhythm.
Mental adjustments. Accepting change, adapting to new routines.
The occasional frustration. Some lost items, and some minor setbacks, but overall, forward motion.
“Change is hard at first, messy in the middle, and gorgeous at the end.”
— Robin Sharma
Day 20
The boxes are mostly gone. The last few linger, waiting for their final homes.
Donation run. Clearing out what doesn’t belong.
New habits are forming. Adjusting to the layout, finding where things naturally belong.
The unexpected joys. A quieter first floor. No stairs. More sunlight than expected. Solving the puzzle of the new space felt like a heavy, three-dimensional jigsaw puzzle—and it’s just as satisfying.
Reframing the move as a challenge shifted our perspective.
Focusing on one box at a time, one item at a time turned the worst of the ordeal into something manageable.
Still adapting. Some items still feel out of place. Some routines need tweaking. And that’s okay.
We made it. The stress faded, the exhaustion passed, and what’s left is a space that feels like home. (Also, you’ll notice from the before and after pictures, both of us had our hair regrow with no gray…)
The next time you face a huge ordeal, try leaning in on it. Make it into a challenge and a game.
That’s My Perspective