Writing The Art Of Happy Moving

How to Make Moving a Happier Experience – Yes, For Real

I never aspired to be a moving expert because, seriously, who would want to do that? Yet, my husband, Dan, and I moved ten times in eleven years. As much as I would like to pretend that we’re free spirits who go where the wind takes us, it’s not that romantic. We moved for grad school and for work, and then because it seemed like a good idea and then because we realized it wasn’t. Moving around to pursue your dreams is one thing, but why would anyone want to write about moving?

Loneliness as inspiration

Loneliness and the importance of human connection is the reason I wrote The Art of Happy Moving.  When we moved from Chicago, IL, to Knoxville, TN, with our three kids, I experienced a first. I couldn’t make a friend. This was the sixth state we’d moved to in nine years and this had never happened to me before. I couldn’t understand why it was so hard this time, and I wanted to know if other people experienced this same level of loneliness after a move. It turns out I wasn’t alone.

After six months of dreaming for that one good friend I could meet for coffee, I met Angela. We became fast friends, and the loneliness disappeared. Nevertheless, those six months changed me. I wanted to connect with others in similar situations, so they would know they weren’t alone. I started my blog, The Art of Happy Moving, to help people with the logistics of moving, but also to talk about how to build a community in a new place. I focused on reducing the stress of a move while also highlighting how our relationships impact our happiness.

But, what about the kids?

In addition to my loneliness, I faced another challenge when we moved from Chicago to Knoxville. Our move affected our entire family, and the kids missed their friends, too. Nighttime was the worst. My daughter would muffle her cries with her pillow, and I feared that we made a terrible mistake.

I wanted to lessen the pain by helping my kids make new friends. We did role play at home, and I gave them the tools to feel confident about entering different situations. Then, I sat back and watched as they approached kids at the playground or the neighborhood pool. I bit my lip, terrified. But, they did it. My kids would smile and I would breathe again.

Helping families through the transition

After a year and a half in Knoxville, TN, we moved back to the Chicago area, and I wanted to turn my challenges into a positive experience. I talked to parents about their upcoming moves, and they always wanted to know how their kids would cope with the transition. That’s why I started hosting family workshops to help kids adjust to a new school.

At the beginning of my family workshops, kids shuffle in with their eyes down and their shoulders slightly hunched. By the end and armed with small talk and body language tips, the kids smile, shoulders back, heads up, as they chat with the other kids who recently moved to the area. This is why I do what I do. Nothing is more rewarding than seeing friendships develop at my workshops.

Write the book you wish was written

Once I decided to put together the knowledge I’d gained from our many moves, I discovered something that shocked me. I walked into a Barnes & Noble and asked the customer service representative, “Can you please tell me where I can find a book about moving?” He tilted his head and looked at me, “Moving? Well, you can get a book about buying a house or decorating, but there aren’t any books about moving.”

He confirmed this fact with a search on his computer. I thanked him and walked away bewildered. Moving is one of life’s most stressful events. Yet, even though 35 million people move in the U.S. every year, you couldn’t buy a single book to make you smile, laugh, and guide you through the move. I knew what I had to do.

Since the average American moves 11.7 times in her lifetime, I’m guessing you’ve probably moved at some point in your life. You and I know there’s so much more to moving than packing a box or calling a moving company. Moving is an opportunity to declutter. It is the chance for a fresh start. Moving means saying good-bye to the life we leave behind and welcoming the new life that awaits us. In other words, it’s a really big deal.

A mini-guide to enjoying life

A reviewer stated that The Art of Happy Moving was a mini-guide to enjoying life, and this is what I dreamed my book would be. The book covers everything from decluttering to buying a house to creating a new community after a move. There are moving checklists and fun quizzes to help readers discover what’s important to them both in life and in a new city. However, I hope readers will take away what the happiness research shows us. To find happiness, we must focus on our relationships and practice gratitude for the blessings we have. The Art of Happy Moving ends with a Happily Ever After checklist to help us through life’s biggest transitions. There may be chocolate involved.

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THE ART OF HAPPY MOVING

A comprehensive, upbeat guide to help you survive the moving process from start to finish, filled with fresh strategies and checklists for timing and supplies, choosing which items to toss and which to keep, determining the best place to live, saying farewell and looking forward to hello.

Moving is a major life change—time consuming, expensive, often overwhelming, and sometimes scary. But it doesn’t have to be! Instead of looking at it as a burdensome chore, consider it a new adventure.

Ali Wenzke and her husband moved ten times in eleven years, living in seven states across the U.S. She created her popular blog, The Art of Happy Moving, to help others build a happier life before, during, and after a move. Infused with her infectious optimistic spirit, The Art of Happy Moving builds on her blog, offering step-by-step guidance, much-needed comfort, practical information, and welcome advice on every step of the process, including:

• How to stage your home for prospective buyers
• How to choose your next neighborhood
• How to discard your belongings and organize your packing
• How to say goodbye to your friends
• How to make the transition easier for your kids
• How to decorate your new home
• How to build a new community
• And so much more.

Ali shares invaluable personal anecdotes from her many moves, and packs each chapter with a wealth of information and ingenious tips (Did you know that if you have an extra-large welcome mat at the entrance of your home, it’s more likely to sell?). Ali also includes checklists for packing and staging, and agendas for the big moving day.

Whether you’re a relocating professional, newly married, a family with kids and pets, or a retiree looking to downsize, The Art of Happy Moving will help you discover ways to help make your transition an easier

Tags: featured, women writers

Category: Contemporary Women Writers, How To and Tips