Moving and saying goodbye to our home is always difficult and an emotional process. Leaving a place that has been our pride and parenting nest, our safe haven for privacy, peace and sweet memories, is not a simple undertaking.

Amazingly, regardless of how grand or humble the house, we all call it “home.” We say, “I am home” or “I am going home,” because it is not about the house, but our home, that place associated with so many of our memories and sentimental treasures.

Many of us move several times during a lifetime and for variety of reasons. In our younger years, we move because of our jobs, having children and a need for more space or better schools, or simply to invest and enjoy the best house we can afford financially.

Then the second stage of life comes, when our children are gone to college or having their own families, and we get called empty nesters.

This is the time when we start reconsidering whether we really need all that space and so many material objects, which leads us to consider not only a move but a transition to a simpler and more affordable lifestyle.

“…we must be observant and understanding of what is going on around them and in their lives during these difficult times.

However, thinking practically and planning for change is only half of the process. The other half is maneuvering around our emotional responses, trying to be reasonable without being heartbroken by leaving behind a lifestyle that meant so much to us.

Regardless of the reasons for a transition to a new lifestyle, moving is a cumbersome process both physically and emotionally.

As a professional helping our clients in their move or transition, we have to be mindful of their emotional move as well the actual physical move. Meaning we must be observant and understanding of what is going on around them and in their lives during these difficult times.

Why Moving Is Different from a Transition
As we said, people move all the time for different reasons from one location to another. But transitions and adapting to a new lifestyle are a different ball game altogether because of our precious memories. And this is exactly when emotions come into play, making the difference. Another words, when we move, we are basically moving our material belongings and our physical bodies, versus a transition, when we are also dealing with our inner self, trying to deal with our emotions and harnessing our unreasonable sentiments while moving forward with challenges ahead of us, and adapting to a whole new life and lifestyle. A seasoned professional could make an enormous difference, making sure that not only the move itself is smooth and seamless, but the client feels informed, supported and emotionally understood. Here are a few steps that might be helpful for such permanent transitions:

• Make a connection with your client. Listen to their needs and earn their trust.
• Be a good communicator. Ask questions and make sure you are making the process seamless by being attentive, interested and understanding.
• Plan the strategies accordingly based on information such as the size of project, timing and budget, as well as the emotional feedback from the client. For instance, they may be going through a hard time financially or emotionally, which might require you to expedite or slow down the process
• Know if the hiring client is the sole decision maker or if you have to deal with other members of the family. Are they living local? Or are they in another city or state?
• Establish effective communication with the person in charge to facilitate the process without wasting time.
• Be considerate if the move, estate sale or storing process is due to a loss of spouse or parents. Be empathetic, patient and helpful while they are handling their grief and especially if they’re overwhelmed by the whole process.
• Understand and be prepared for all the stages of planning, packing, outsourcing, storing, donating, trashing — and for the unexpected.
• Keep your cool and be professional.
• Be ready if your client asks you about other related services, such as finding a new home or assisted living, designing their new home and other related information. Be resourceful and
  knowledgeable.
• Being a move manager is time consuming and demanding. It requires a knowledge of good business practices, but it is also rewarding and fun helping people find happiness in their new home. You’ll help them feel good about their decision, giving them the opportunity to have more fun and worry less.