Overcoming Moving Procrastination: How to Get Started

You have officially reached the next chapter of your life, and there’s a new home waiting for you in the near future. The final paperwork for your new home could be complete and your move date might even be set in stone, but there’s one (significant) problem: You haven’t started a single thing you need to do for your move.

Procrastination is not a problem unique to moving, and if you’re one of the 20% of U.S. adults who chronically procrastinates then waiting until the last minute to prepare for your move might just be par for the course for you. Falling into procrastination now might just be the perpetuation of a bad habit, but moving is one of the things in life you want to get on top of right away. Procrastinating when moving could mean scrambling to get everything packed last-minute, overlooking important details, and failing to adequately prepare for tasks that are part of every standard move. 

Moving is stressful enough. Don’t cause yourself undue anxiety or get smacked with unexpected delays by putting off your moving checklist. Overcoming procrastination is simple if you practice these tips and strategies. 

Roll up your sleeves and get ready to launch into action, it’s time to move!

Procrastination isn’t just a matter of being lazy, it’s often a self-defense mechanism.

Moving is a significant life change and there could be deeply personal reasons for the transition that make getting started on your moving tasks difficult. Your move might be the result of a job loss, divorce, or becoming an empty nester. These big life changes are complicated to navigate by themselves but add moving to the picture and your mind might put off the whole process. You could be feeling stress or anxiety about the change or may dread having to downsize and let go of sentimental items. Even if the reasons for your move are good, like landing your dream job, expanding your space with the expansion of your family, or finally going to the city you’ve always dreamed of living in, you are still leaving behind a familiar space and memories that made you who you are. Closing the door on one chapter of your life and venturing into new and unknown territory might seem scary at first. All these moving emotions will make it difficult to act.

Moving is a very long process, and you could just be paralyzed in the face of the sheer overwhelming size of the task. There are also many decisions to be made about what to let go, who to hire as your movers, and how to organize your items. Being faced with hundreds of decisions can deplete your mental and emotional energy, which means that procrastination looks like the easier option. 

When you identify the root cause of your procrastination, it will begin to feel easier to address. If your moving emotions are keeping you from starting, give yourself permission to feel things. Tell yourself that it is okay to cry or feel disappointed as you pack up your belongings. Talk to a trusted family member, friend, or mental health professional if you need help working through those emotions. If the size of the task is the problem, break it into smaller pieces and set up a realistic timeline for making decisions so that you can avoid feeling overwhelmed.

During every baby step, treat yourself with compassion and be proud of the progress you’re making. Whatever the reasons for your move, you’re doing a very hard thing right now.

The way to accomplish any huge task is to break the task into smaller items and systematically tackle those smaller items. When we try to take on too much at once, we often shut down and procrastinate, but one small item at a time leads to progress and with progress the big task can be accomplished.

First, evaluate how much time you have before your move and create a moving checklist of everything that needs to be done. Depending on your move, your first task could be to downsize, declutter, or to create a moving inventory. Performing these tasks early will make the packing phase of your move much less overwhelming.

Second, set daily or weekly goals with clear deadlines to make sure you’re on track by the time move day comes. You can commit to packing one area of your place per day or spending a certain amount of time each morning doing your moving checklist. By breaking up the work into specific goals, the whole process starts to feel a lot less intimidating. 

Be sure to include structured breaks in your moving schedule to avoid burnout and reward yourself after completing tasks to give yourself a little dopamine boost.

A structured plan gives you direction while you are carrying out your move. Start your moving checklist by prioritizing your tasks. Create a moving timeline with all the important dates for your move and when certain tasks need to be completed by. The first things on your moving checklist should be things like booking your moving services, downsizing and decluttering, and packing your non-essentials.

At every step of your plan, prioritize your tasks. Things that can wait can go to the bottom of the checklist and things that must be completed sooner or before other tasks can be completed will need to rise to the top. For instance, when packing up your items you should always start with your non-essentials like décor, seasonal items, books, or media collections. The items that you use daily like clothes, toiletries, and kitchen utensils, should be some of the last items to pack and the first items to unpack. When you rank your responsibilities, you can keep focused on what matters while minimizing distractions. 

It's important not to get stuck in planning and prioritizing limbo. The idea behind planning is to make the process more manageable, but chronic procrastinators might linger on this step a bit too long. Make sure to devote time to taking action every day. For example, if you often get stuck organizing your moving inventory, tell yourself to tackle a tangible moving task like packing a box of non-essentials for the same length of time.

When you’re staring at the mountain of tasks in front of you, you might feel paralyzed. Moving is a big mountain to climb, but every climb starts with a first step. Tell yourself to take the first step and the next step might follow a little easier.

Sometimes all you need to get started is a little momentum. Set a timer for 10 minutes and tell yourself you’re going to work on your moving tasks for the entirety of that timer. Turn off or put away anything that causes significant distraction like your phone, computer, or television, and focus for the full ten minutes. Devote yourself to taking that first step.

Once the timer goes off, evaluate how you feel about your progress. You may feel able to keep going and that’s a great thing. If you found yourself distracted or did not make as much progress as you hoped, take a short break and then try the 10-minute timer again.

If the timer goes off and you are immersed in your moving tasks, congratulations! You are well on your way to beating procrastination. Shut the timer off and run with that momentum as long as it will carry you. 

Remember to take appropriate breaks along the way to avoid burning out and pat yourself on the back for any progress you make. One step at a time, you can conquer your move.

One way to keep yourself motivated during the process of moving is to reward yourself along the way for completing tasks. Called and scheduled your movers? Treat yourself to a nice dinner. Spent an hour packing your non-essentials? Put your feet up for a couple minutes and unwind.

When you have a designated reward to look forward to, you can feel better about getting started on the tasks at hand. Make your rewards proportionate to the size of the task that you complete and be careful to reward yourself with things that won’t sabotage your current progress. For example, if you just finished downsizing your closet don’t reward yourself with a full shopping spree for new clothes and if you managed to turn off your favorite show long enough to finish packing a box then don’t turn the show right back on again before you’ve finished the whole room. When there are still moving tasks to complete for the day, avoid rewards that distract or encourage you to procrastinate again. Once the checklist for your day is done, then try a reward that helps you feel good about moving into your new home like taking a trip to your new neighborhood to explore local parks and eateries or purchasing a new décor item that fits into the aesthetic of your next living room.

Choose rewards that you genuinely look forward to and that give you a great sense of accomplishment. Rewarding yourself along the way can make the entire moving process feel more positive.

Moving is a big task, and you will likely need help at every step of the process. Ask for help to overcome your procrastination too.

Beyond the obvious help that others can offer in packing, organizing, and heavy lifting, you can also enlist a friend or family member to act as your body double while you get started on your moving checklist. Body doubling, having another person present virtually or physically, is a strategy people with ADHD and problems with procrastination often use to get things accomplished. The supportive presence of another person can help with focus and allow you to get things checked off your to-do list. Having another person alongside you while you work can speed up the process and keep you motivated, even if they’re not actually lifting a finger.

If you have the budget for it, consider hiring professionals to complete certain tasks for you such as packing or cleaning. When you hire a professional packing service, you can take some of the pressure off your move and feel confident that your most fragile items are being handled with care. 

Even delegating smaller tasks like labeling boxes or making a donation run can take some of the weight off your shoulders. When you’re in your planning and prioritizing mode, mark the tasks you can ask for assistance in.

Procrastinating during a move might be your default, but with some simple and effective strategies for getting off the ground you can rocket through your moving checklist. It’s better to get to moving day prepared and all packed, so avoid the last-minute rush by breaking the process into smaller tasks, prioritizing your tasks, and asking for help when you need it. Jumpstart your moving checklist by giving yourself ten minutes to take the first step and reward yourself for every step you take.

Focus on one thing at a time, and you can get settled into your new home with ease. In the end, you’ll be so much happier you tackled the problem rather than waiting until the last minute, so avoid the stress of the scramble and get the ball rolling.

Now that you’re well on your way through your moving checklist, don’t forget one of the most important moving tasks you’ll perform: Booking your movers!

Consider contacting All My Sons Moving & Storage to help manage all your moving needs. We offer everything from professional packing to commercial moving services whether you’re going local or long distance. Get a free quote to start on your moving checklist.