Category: Moving

Managing stress in today’s hectic world

Spending time in nature can do wonders. Sabal Palm Sanctuary. Photo: Sandra Cruz

May is Mental Health Awareness Month and its purpose is to raise awareness and educate the public about mental illnesses including anxiety, depression, schizophrenia, and bipolar disorder, the realities of living with these conditions, and strategies for attaining mental health and wellness. With that in mind, I would like to share simple ways to adapt a healthy lifestyle which can lead to less worry, stress, and anxiety. As someone living with anxiety and panic attacks, I can attest that most, if not all of them, can help.

Exercise regularly. This does not mean training for a marathon, but the simple act of going for a walk can do wonders, especially going on a nature walk. Not only is it a distraction, but exercising regularly lowers stress hormones and releases endorphins, leading to what is called “runner’s high.” In the long run, it improves the quality of your sleep, which helps your overall mental state. To help you stick to a routine, chose an activity you enjoy, such as walking, dancing, roller skating, biking, or yoga. This way, it does not feel like a chore.

Journaling. I am not giving out homework here, but one way to deal with stress is by writing things down. It can be as simple as making a to-do list before bed to help you sleep better, or as detailed as keeping a gratitude journal to help relieve stress and anxiety by focusing your thoughts on the positive aspects of your life. If you are feeling overwhelmed with negative thoughts or emotions, write them down on paper and then tear it up or burn it. Writing down your problems can give you a different perspective and may help sort them out.

Take time out to laugh. I have seen this for myself so I know personally that laughter really is the best medicine. Like exercise, it releases the body’s feel-good hormones that relieve stress and improve mood. Humor also helps to keep a positive outlook which can create resilience. When life throws me a curve ball, I yell out “Plot twist!” and move on. I like to watch reruns of my favorite comedies because they make me laugh and the their predictability has been known to lessen stress levels.

Go ahead and pet the dog/cat. As someone who has an animal companion, I can assure you that petting your dog or cat helps to relieve stress by, you guessed it, releasing those feel good hormones. Not only that, but they help you feel needed, especially dogs because they thrive on routines and are an excellent way to get you out the door to take them on daily walks. Not to worry, they will remind you when it is feeding or snack time.

Mindfulness. Not into meditating? Try mindfulness. This is defined as a type of meditation in which you focus on being intensely aware of what you are sensing and feeling in the moment without interpretation or judgment. Basically, it just means slowing down and living in the present. When you are sitting outside, listen to the sounds that surround you, feel the sun on your skin, or how the bench or swing feels on your body. It does not have to mean anything, just take the time to enjoy the five senses: vision, hearing, smell, taste, touch regardless of what you are presently doing.

Stay connected. John Donne, the British poet, said it best when he wrote “no man is an island, entire of itself.” Even if you are an introvert, humans are not meant to be isolated from friends and family. I know it has been a difficult year because of the COVID-mandated quarantine, but socialization is slowly coming back. Living in a digital world, it can be tempting to just send texts and social media messages, but nothing can replace making real contact with others.  Always remember that people cannot read your mind. If you need help, you need to ask. Anyone who genuinely cares will appreciate you being honest.

The right tool for the right job. If there is something I learned from previous moves, it is easier and less stressful when you hire professionals. The experience can be daunting, especially with big families. In such a case, consider Texans Movers to handle your next move.  From the packing to the heavy lifting, moving is a big project that is tough to handle on your own. When you need to enlist the help of local movers, headquartered in Houston, TX, The Woodlands – Sugar Land, and surrounding areas, you want to find an experienced and well-equipped company to handle your move. Residential moving is one of the many services they offer. These residential movers in Texas provide boxes, pads, and other packing materials, wrap special items to ensure they are secure, pack the entire household, deliver it, and unpack it, give you organizing tips, checklists, and perform a final sweep for forgotten items. They load and unload according to your specifications and provide secure, climate controlled storage for items you no longer need.

Texans Movers are here to make your next move easier. Photo: Texans Movers, used with permission.

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Decluttering your home with minimalism

Minimalism does not mean getting rid of everything, it merely helps make room for what brings you joy. Photo: Sandra Cruz

Minimalism is a way of living that has become popular in recent months and for good reason.  Our living spaces can get packed with unnecessary clutter and minimalism is the concept of living with less. This does not mean getting rid of everything, but rather, keeping what is important to create a more meaningful and less stressful life. Minimalism is unique to everyone because we all have different definitions of what constitutes an “important” item. There are no set of rules and it is not about depriving yourself; it is simply choosing to live with less to make room for what counts. If minimalism is a lifestyle that interests you, I would like to share some ideas that have worked for me.

Get rid of anything that is broken or no longer works. If it is torn, stained, or defective, it is time throw it out. I do not like giving up on anything, so sometimes a fresh coat of paint can save an old table.

Purge your closet. Begin with anything you have not worn in a year. Some of us have been working from home, so this is not so clear cut. Simply put, if you do not like how you look in it, or it no longer fits, just get rid of it. If clothing is gently used, you can donate it to someone who might need it. This applies to shoes too. Hello ladies! Yes, I am also guilty of having way too many shoes. Keep only the essentials.

Pet supplies.  This includes everything from snacks, food, leashes, towels, and clothing. If your animal companion ended up not liking something or you have too many, pass it on to a family member or friend whose companion might benefit from it. As a last resort, check with your local animal shelter or rescue group to see if they take donations.

Expired food. It is easy to forget canned goods in the back of the pantry, so if you come across any that are expired, just throw it out. Donate anything that is still good but you know your family will never eat.

Kitchen appliances. If you bought a fancy gadget and used it only once and you probably forgot about it, it is time to pass it on. I once gave my sister our quesadilla maker because we rarely used it and I know she loves to make quesadillas on a regular basis. It was just taking up space in the garage and someone else got a nice use out of it.

Toiletries. Donate any extras you have. We used to travel frequently so we amassed trial size bottles of everything; so one time when we had guests over, we put together a nice welcome basket for them. Same goes for hair dryers, curling irons, and the like. I bought a straightening iron and only used it once, so I gave it to my niece who forgot hers while on a trip. Expired medications should be disposed of properly by taking advantage of a local medicine disposal program. We tend to forget that make-up has a shelf life too. Replace or throw out anything that is more than a few months old.

Knick knacks and other decorations. Keep only what you love and cannot part with. Otherwise, it will just be collecting dust and in the end, there will be less to dust.

If your “must keep” items are too many and are still cluttering your home, consider getting a storage unit. If you live in the Lewisville, Tx, Dallas-Forth Worth metropolitan area and surrounding areas, consider Yes! Moving & Storage. They are a moving company and also have climate controlled storage for items you cannot store at home.

With years of experience in residential and commercial moving, planning, packing, and moving, Yes! Moving & Storage goes the distance. They treat your home and possessions with care and respect. When moving your belongings, they strive to be on time, efficient, quiet, and professional and as a guest in your home, they promise to treat it like their own. Their other services include residential moving, commercial moving, apartment moving, long distance moving, labor only, delivery services, senior moving, and piano moving.

When a senior family member needs to downsize from a big house to a smaller home, apartment, or specialized care facility, Yes! Moving & Storage can help. Their company has pride in being the best choice for senior relocation. With utmost care, they pack, unpack, and organize the move so that the relocation is safe, easy, and stress free. Not only do they load and unload belongings, but they also assist with packing, decluttering, and storage.

Helping seniors downsize and move is just one service Yes! Moving & Storage offers. Photo: Yes! Moving & Storage, used with permission.

Moving pianos can be a challenge because they are heavy and bulky. Piano Movers Dallas understands that pianos are not only expensive and delicate, but they can often have sentimental memories attached to them. Because of this, their priority is to keep them protected throughout the move. From spinets, uprights, and grand uprights, to baby grands, concert grands, and all types of organs or pianos, Piano Movers Dallas moves them all.

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Make your next move go as smoothly as possible

Whether moving across town, another city, even another state, moving is never easy. Over the years, my husband and I have moved several times, the most recent being last July from San Antonio to Los Fresnos, and with each move, I learn a new trick that makes the next one easier. Planning and organizing goes a long way, but always make contingency plans because if anything can go wrong, it will go wrong. Allow me to pass along some of these ideas to make your next move go smoother.

Create a checklist. Even before you pack your first box, make a checklist of everything you need, from packing materials to boxes. Once you know what you need, make an inventory list of what you have so when you go shopping for these materials, you do not buy duplicates or buy unnecessary items, therefore saving you time and money. Decide on a plan of action for each room and the equipment you will need, for example, how many dollies, if you need a moving van, how big, etc. Writing everything down will not only organize your thoughts but will bring you peace of mind.

Begin packing as soon as possible. This one may be a no-brainer but countless times I kept telling myself that I had plenty of time only to be rushing at the last minute. Packing up your belongings takes time so start off with off season clothing, seldom used appliances, and rooms that are not used daily. Procrastination is your biggest enemy and will only result in hastily packed boxes which will lead to confusion once you get to your destination.

Photograph room setup and computer/electronic setups. Now that we are finally organizing each room in our new home, it occurred to me that I do not remember exactly how the living room was set up. If you are like me and prefer to have everything the same, take a picture of each room so that you will have a visual to work with. Another tip I picked up when moving my computer equipment from the office to our home office when transitioning to remote working due to COVID – take a picture of the back of your computer so you will know how all the cables should be connected.

Do not take clutter with you. Very often you hear about this tip when spring cleaning or decluttering your home but it also works when preparing to move. Start off by labeling boxes or bags as keep/throw/donate and filling them accordingly. It is easy to just throw everything in boxes and wait to tackle the clutter later, but this will save you time in the long run as well as money when you realize you do not need as many boxes or a bigger moving van.

Moving boxes. It is important to have different sizes of boxes because they each serve a purpose. Use the small boxes for heavy items such as books and big boxes for lighter items like bedding, towels, and pillows. Remember not to over pack them; instead, put lighter items between heavier items to make sure they do not rattle around and possibly break. Most of all, always label boxes according to room, this will make it easier to unload, especially if others will be helping.

Keep important items handy. Once you are on the move, store important items such as moving documents, keys, receipts, phone chargers, and snacks together in one box or bag. Keep that box/bag with you so they will be handy when you need them.

If you decide that doing the move on your own is too much, consider hiring movers. One moving company to consider is Our Truck Moving. In business since 2015, Our Truck Moving provides top-notch apartment and home moving in the Dallas/Ft Worth metroplex and surrounding areas. A family owned and operated business, they guarantee fair prices, superior quality, and exceptional customer service. As a full-service moving company, they are professional, timely, and always make sure you are satisfied with their services, which include local and long distance moving, full service (labor and delivery), labor only, delivery only, and packing.

They are Labor movers Garland TX & Dallas/Fort Worth metroplex and surrounding area, and they will take extreme caution when handling your belongings. While other companies just do the heavy lifting, their movers are available to help with any packing and unpacking during your move. They also provide a truck, boxes, and tape if needed, and will label and organize boxes and deliver items safely to your new location.

Without a doubt, moving is never easy and can be stressful, time consuming and overwhelming. These tips worked for me and made my last move easier and despite some setbacks, it went smoothly. Not all of them will work for you and like everything else, it is a matter of trial and error and finding out what works. Whether you decide to do it yourself or hire movers, it is all worth it in the end.

Photo: Our Truck Moving, used with permission.

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