How a Change of Scenery May Help You to Cope with Grief After the Passing of a Loved One
When you’re suffering from the loss of a loved one, a fresh start in a new location can sometimes help you to process your emotions and heal from your grief—especially if you lived with your loved one and/or he or she passed away in your home. In some cases, the financial aspect of living there without your loved one may even encourage you to sell the home and move elsewhere.
While a change of scenery may be just the thing you need to cope with your grief, Verywell Mind recommends waiting at least six months before making any major decision after the loss of a loved one—including selling a home and/or moving into a new place. By waiting several months, you’ll give yourself plenty of time to process the idea of moving, get your home ready to sell, and sort through your loved one’s belongings.
To learn more about the benefits of moving into a new home after a loved one passes away—as well as the steps you must take to prepare yourself for the move—read on.
When a Change of Scenery Could Be a Good Idea
If living at home without your loved one becomes so painful that it substantially affects your quality of life, or you feel far too uncomfortable residing there without him or her, it may be time for a change of scenery. If you live in a large home, sometimes the thought of living there alone without anyone else to occupy the space can be too much to bear. The Bereaved website provides practical guidance if you find yourself wondering if you should make some changes.
If you believe you could benefit from a change of scenery, you may be able to stay with a trusted friend or relative as you grieve the loss of your loved one. As another option, you may choose to live in a hotel or apartment as you temporarily rent out your home. If possible, however, hold off on selling or moving out of your home until you’ve given yourself at least six months to grieve.
Sorting Through Your Loved One’s Belongings
Before moving on from your current home, you’ll need to give yourself plenty of time to sort through your loved one’s personal belongings. Sorting through a loved one’s belongings can be emotionally difficult and overwhelming, but there are several things you can do to take some of the pain out of this process. The Modern Loss website provides some valuable tips including:
● Bringing in trusted relatives, friends, or community members to assist you.
Purchasing storage bins, as these will allow you to hold certain items until you decide what to do with them.
● Bringing in trusted relatives, friends, or community members to assist you.
● Purchasing storage bins, as these will allow you to hold certain items until you decide what to do with them.
● Sorting items by category, such as clothing, books, or electronics.
● Working in blocks of no more than three to four hours at a time.
After sorting through these belongings, Dr. Joyce Hocker in Psychology Today recommends integrating these items into your daily life as a reminder of the things that were important to your dear one. If you do need to let go of an item, taking a picture of it will keep your loved one with you even when you can’t hold onto each belonging.
Getting Your Home Ready to Sell
Once you’ve made the difficult decision to move on from your current home, you’ll need to get your home ready to sell. Since buying and selling a home are both quite stressful, it’s important to ensure that you’re officially up for it as you cope with your grief. For instance, as detailed on Redfin’s website, several key steps to getting your home market-ready include:
Fixing issues such as broken pipes or windows.
Updating the exterior of the home, including the landscaping, mailbox, and front door.
Lisa Sachleben of Define Refined provides a good Deep cleaning checklist.
Getting a pre-approval letter, if you’re planning on buying your next home.
Bankrate has good suggestions on selecting a listing agent to sell a home.
Moving.com has tips on staging a home to make it more attractive to potential buyers.
Once your home is ready to sell, consider hiring movers to assist you on moving day.
Losing someone close to you is one of the hardest things you’ll ever face, so it’s important to do everything you can to eliminate as much stress as possible as you adjust to life without your loved one.