4 Ways to Manage Grief and a Move After Loss
August 12, 2019
Author: Lucille Rosetti | info@thebereaved.org │The Bereaved
Photo Credit: Unsplash
Losing a loved one is never easy, but sometimes a change of scenery can make grief less difficult to bear. That’s why so many people choose to move to a new home after the death of a spouse or other close family member. If you’re thinking of making this choice for yourself, it’s important to keep the following things in mind in order to manage your grief alongside such a major life change.
Practice Self-Care to Find Peace
Before you start planning for your move, you need to be sure you’re taking care of yourself. Grief tends to throw self-care routines off, which is completely normal, but if you feel like you’re struggling to get through each day, an online grief program may help. Also know that while this program runs over the course of 12 weeks, there’s no set timeline for grief. The bereavement period looks and feels different for everyone, so rather than focusing on time, try to put more of your efforts into a self-care routine that will help you heal. Again, this can look different for each person, so your self-care may involve exercise, writing in a journal, or any other activity that allows you to feel like yourself again. As this happens, you can think about making major decisions, like whether to move and how to navigate that process.
Plan for a Sound Financial Future
Losing someone close to you, like a spouse, can be an eye-opening experience. Not only are you overcome by a mix of emotions, but you’re also faced with financial and other decisions involved in planning a funeral. While navigating funeral costs can be difficult, you can use it as an opportunity to make your own financial plans, such as purchasing additional life or burial insurance. After you’ve settled all funeral and final expenses for your loved one, you can also take stock of various expenses, such as medical bills—which will also help you budget for your move. For instance, you may find that renting instead of buying is a better choice, especially if you don’t want to deal with additional maintenance costs.
Get Help Finding The Right New Home
With your emotions and finances in check, you can decide if moving is the right choice for you. If it is, you’ll want to enlist a realtor to help you find your new home. Even if you’re renting your next home, working with a realtor will take a lot of stress out of your home search. That’s because local real estate professionals will have access to home and apartment listings that may not be readily available online. So be sure to reach out to a realtor as soon as you start looking for that perfect new home. You should also work with your realtor to come up with a list of home features that are important to you, such as smart upgrades for aging in place. Little touches of comfort can help with aging as well as the grieving process.
Ask Friends and Family Members to Help Out
Moving after a loss can be a daunting process, so don’t feel awkward about reaching out to loved ones for help. Having a few extra hands, or at least a friend to lean on, can be especially helpful when you need to declutter and downsize after a loved one has passed away. It can also help to keep your moving deadline in mind to motivate your downsizing efforts. Try to be as decisive as you can to avoid having to bring any additional clutter into your new home. Aside from helping you with decluttering, packing, and moving your belongings, friends can also be a vital source of emotional support when you are dealing with grief, which is important when you are dealing with the added stress of a move.
The death of a loved one can leave a hole in your life. While moving won’t fill that hole, the change of scenery can make moving on with your life easier. Just be sure to take your time when making such a big decision, and stay patient through the grief process.
~ Lucille Rosetti | info@thebereaved.org │The Bereaved