As a moving and self storage site, we spend a lot of time discussing the ins and outs of moving. As part of the industry we’ve worked with many people who end up regretting a move, sometimes even moving back close to their original locations. Moving is a really tough process, that is why we can offer so much advice on the topic! So before you move, really carefully consider if your motives are really worthy of putting in all time, money, tears and sweat. Here are 5 reasons that are not good reasons to move.
1. The Grass is Always Greener
Have you always dreamed of living in a certain location? Do you want a new start? Many people daydream about starting their lives all over again in a brand new place. As they say, the grass is always greener on the other side. Often we idealize places we haven’t moved to, because we haven’t fully experienced what it is like to live there. Every area has its unique problems, so there is no perfect place to live. If you really want to move to a more ideal place- consider what is REALLY drawing you to the new area. Sometimes making small changes to your own routine at home make it so relocating is not really a necessity.
An major reason I’ve seen over the years is people who want to move somewhere else to discover a new, better side of themselves. When we move we don’t become magically different people. Assess how you can make your current location more like what you idealize in a faraway town or city by changing your personal habits. For example, if you live in a small town and you want to move a city for more social opportunity, considering becoming active in creating social opportunities where you live right now.
2. We Need More Space
Somehow the huge space we could barely imagine filling when we moved in to a home seems to shrink over the years. We find ourselves fantasizing about an extra bathroom, bedroom, basement or whatever else. Before you go hunting for a bigger home, consider how you can make more space in the home you already have.
To free up some space in your home first try to consider getting rid of things that you don’t really need. Donate, sell or toss items that really no longer serve you, especially if they are taking up valuable space. You may be surprised how much stuff you have accumulated over the years without even noticing. As a bonus, if you do decide to move, all the stuff you get rid of are less items you’ll need to move to a new home.
Another option to consider to make more room in your current home is to store stuff in self storage. Sometimes there may be stuff that we aren’t ready to let go of, or perhaps we may need it seasonally- either way, self storage allows you to get these items out of your living space. There are plenty of self storage options easy to explore on our website FYI.
The last option, if the most challenging one, is considering reorganizing or remodeling your home in some way. If you already a home that you love, you have a great template to work off of. Consider if it’d be worth the cost and/or effort to change your home, so that it offers enough space to meet your needs.
3. Lower Cost of Living
Many people can’t wait to move out of an area due to high cost of living in the area they currently live in. This is a great idea, but often it is difficult to get out of the high cost of living cycle. You may move to an area with lower cost of living, but it this may mean getting a lower paying job or dealing with a longer commute. Not to mention other extra costs, taxes and other incidental expenses that will pop up along the way.
If you are moving to ultimately try to save money, make sure they you try to calculate every variable. Cost of living calculators can help you lay a foundation for your understanding of the cost of living in an area, but deep research needs to be put into the area to make sure you don’t end up with same problems you did before a huge move.
Instead of moving, I highly recommend considering your current budget carefully instead. Are there any luxury items that you don’t need? Are you spending more on groceries than you need to? Do you clip coupons? Sometimes we don’t need to move to fix our cost of living problem, but we just need to cut back a little bit on the things we spend money on.
4. No Real Reason
Some people just get the urge to move anywhere for no real reason. Perhaps they are getting in touch with their nomadic roots. Maybe they are running away from a problem. Who knows? Sometimes when you even ask the person who desires to move so badly, they won’t even have an answer for you.
I try to remind anyone who comes to me with an urge to move that moving is not only a lot of work, but it also can be really expensive. Even taking advantage of bargains, like the ones that can be found on this site for example, moving is not an inexpensive task for most adults. If you have absolute no reason to move then DON’T! Go camping, travel or something else to fill that need to relocate.
5. To Rent
The trials and tribulations of being a homeowners are extremely daunting. That house you save so hard for can all of a sudden become a huge pain in the butt between maintenance, taxes, crappy neighbors, pests, the lawn and the whole homeowner dream! Many homeowners sometimes fantasize about going back to the simple days of just renting an apartment or townhouse.
I emphatically am asking you not to switch back to being a renter with very careful consideration! Yes, a lot of things about being a homeowner suck, but renting is filled with its own set of uniquely devastating problems. Ultimately, even with a crappy housing market, a home is a long-term investment at least. With renting you are basically throwing your money in a pile to burn.