Things To Think About Before A Move

Let’s be honest ...moving is just awful no matter who you are, where you are moving, or how many times you have moved. But living with a chronic illness adds a whole other set of issues that have to be dealt with. Thinking back I have moved 3 times since I was diagnosed with lupus in 2012. The last being in 2016 when I had to throw in the towel.

My lupus story

I quit my job as a Registered Nurse at the hospital I had been at for over 10 years. Not working meant no income. So I moved back home. The thought was that This would be a short-term thing. While I took time to focus on my health and get back on my feet. Fast forward 4.5 years and I am still in my childhood bedroom.

Soon that will not be the case. I am FINALLY in a place with my health and financially where I am able to get back out on my own. But that doesn’t come without its issues. When I moved home I had been hospitalized for five days the week I moved. I was released on a Wednesday and moved on Saturday. This is important to note because the packing didn’t get done. So my family came and helped and we just basically threw things into boxes and moved. I didn’t get to take the time to go through and purge like I had planned on.

So now as I prepare for this move I need to go spend a LOT of time out in my storage unit. Going through all the boxes and pitching or donating the things I no longer want. Because I do NOT want to move a bunch of stuff I don’t need, I mean clearly, the things in that unit are not that important since I have not needed them in the last few years. Except for my kitchen stuff and washer and dryer.

I have come across some situations and things that I think would be helpful for others like me. Those who are preparing for a move while living with chronic illnesses and pain.

Tips for preparing for a move with lupus

• Make a list– As you are preparing to move take some time to sit down and think of all the things you may need to move. As well as all the tasks you want to get done. I keep a running list of tasks on my phone. As I complete them I check them off the list. This helps me to see what I still have to do.
• Give yourself some grace– As we all know we never know what tomorrow may bring. So do what you can each day. It isn’t the end of the world if you don’t get everything done right away.
• Build in times of rest– It is important as you are packing and moving that you build in times of rest. It may be annoying at the time but you and your body will thank you later. Try to do at least one task every day- Sadly we all are very aware of the fact that we don’t know what tomorrow may bring. So do your best to do at least one thing on your list every day, This will help at the end so you don’t have to scramble to get things done.
• Label, label, label– As you are packing try and color code, or label each box so when you move you know where it needs to go. You can even go one step further and write the big things that are in each box. It’s better to take the time at the start to label than spend all the time rummaging through a ton of boxes looking for one item you need.
• Ask for help when you need it– I am the queen of trying to do everything on my own. Moving is so hard and labor-intensive that it just isn’t wise to try and do all the things on your own. So when you need help, ASK! It is better to ask for help than to try and do it all and end up in a flare on moving day.

If any of you are in the process of moving I hope these tips help. I know many of them are pretty basic. But they are things that I have found helpful.