Moving when you have ADHD can be more than just stressful—it can be downright overwhelming!
Before you start to panic about all there is to do, take a deep breath and know that many people with attention issues have moved successfully and you can too.
We’ve put together some tips to help anyone with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder move without getting too overwhelmed. Check it out!
Contact Professionals
Not knowing is half the problem when it comes to follow-through, and if you can put your move on the calendar with a reputable moving company like National Van Lines, it means you can cross off that giant to-do list item right away! Using professional movers means someone else will be handling the loading and unloading, as well as the timing of your move. Take some of the stress off your shoulders and let someone else handle tougher moving tasks!
Work Backwards
Once you know when your moving truck will arrive, pull out a calendar and circle that day. Now, work backwards to where you are now. Whether it’s months, weeks, or days, divide out an equal amount of time along the way to do moving-related tasks, and start right away. Nothing has to be perfect, but it does have to be done. For example, if you know you’re moving in 8 weeks, maybe you have a set time each of those weeks to do moving tasks. That first week, you can order moving boxes, tape and a marker, or gather boxes for free. The next week, maybe you use that time to contact your utilities providers and set turn-off dates or use the time to go through your clothes and take what you don’t need (or want!) to a donation facility. Use a moving list to help you figure out tasks that need to be done and divide them out.
Have an Accountability Partner
We all procrastinate, whether or not we have ADD or ADHD. Things seem to get done a lot easier when we have company. Ask a friend or relative if they would help you stay on task with your move. What that entails is up to the two of you. Perhaps you need someone to remind you what tasks you said you’d do this week, or maybe you just need to text a picture of what you’ve completed each time. Knowing there’s someone out there to be accountable to besides yourself can be a great motivator. Or maybe you just need some company while you pack. Have a friend over to chat with as you complete those tasks can make the time fly; you may even look forward to it knowing you get to hang out with that person! (Just be sure that person is going to help you be productive and not encourage you to procrastinate or otherwise be a distraction!)
Know About Your Move
You can’t know everything about everything, but having some information about where you’re going can certainly help you as you plan a move! Where are you moving to? Is the climate different? Are there stores nearby your new place, in case you need something right away when you get there? Can you see a floor plan of what your new place looks like? Most of these questions are only a Google search away, and can be super helpful to research before everything gets crazy. Also, a floor plan of where you will be moving to will help you figure out what you have space to keep and what you should let go of. Speaking of letting go…
Get Rid of What You’re not Moving
Don’t keep things just to keep them. This is your chance to simplify your life. If you have more dishes than you’ll ever need, this is your chance to pare your dinnerware down to the bare essentials. If you have a bag of mismatched socks, maybe throw them all away and start over with a few packs of the same style and color of socks so they all match no matter what! Consider what’s important to you and what is just junk. A good rule as you think about this: what is it you are most dreading to pack? Whatever your answer is, there’s probably a reason it came to mind. Figure out if it’s something you really need or need that much of, and make decisions from there. The less you have to move, the less you have to deal with on the other end.
Organizing pet supplies with ADHD
Leading up to a move, packing will probably take up most of your time, but it doesn’t need to be super regimented and organized. Put assembled boxes, tape and other packing supplies in every room. Having supplies in every room will cut down on a lot of “where did I put that marker” situations.
Pack in Phases
While you can put on a podcast and pack for long periods of time, if that doesn’t work for you, you are going to put packing off for as long as possible. Instead, consider packing in small doses, here and there. The moving police aren’t going to take you away if you pack each room in 10-minute increments. If you followed the tip above, consider putting a few things in a box every time you enter that room. When you’re ready to tape it up, take a picture of what’s in that box and label it. While you should have a detailed inventory of what’s in each box, if that’s what’s going to come between you and packing up, by all means a picture on your phone will suffice.
When you have ADD or ADHD and have to move, the tasks can seem like they are never-ending. This can really make you want to procrastinate with common moving to-do list items. Remember there’s no one right way to move; the list above can help you determine what will help you with your move. Don’t forget to call a reputable moving company like National Van Lines to take some of the moving responsibilities off your plate. We will answer any questions you have along the way, and help you have a successful move. Get a free moving quote today by filling out this online form!
