It’s about that time of year again — when many people pack up all their belongings and move to new digs. Although moving holds the promise of high expectations, reality sets in pretty quickly once things get started. Here are the seven stages of moving grief:
1. Shock and denial
The truck is rented, and you’re ready to wake up early and get your move underway — except you haven’t packed a thing. Who needs boxes anyway? You can just turn your fitted sheet into a makeshift knapsack, right?
2. Anger
You’re wondering: How am I supposed to pack up and move all this junk? You have a split-second debate about throwing your box-spring out the window because it won’t fit in the elevator.
3. Bargaining
You take a hacksaw to the box-spring and decide to just buy a new one.
4. Depression
Sleeping with your mattress on the floor makes your new place seem cold, dark and desolate. Everything smells like stale pizza and beer because you don’t have a trash can yet.
5. The upward turn
You’ve been in your new place for three days, and this finally seems like the right time to unpack a box. If you’re feeling extra energetic, you might even do laundry.
6. Literal reconstruction
All of the furniture is in place and the boxes are empty. Clothes are organized in drawers, the fridge is full and you managed to hang a framed poster on the wall after punching only three nails into the drywall.
7. Acceptance
You’ll never need these boxes again, and they can all be recycled.
