In today’s world, a move to a new home may damage more than your personal belongings. A new national survey commissioned by Our Town America reveals moving also scars personal relationships as couples fight over why and where they moved while struggling with money problems and decreased intimacy. And talk about relationship revenge in a move! Nearly one in three survey respondents admitted to “accidentally losing” a significant other’s prized possession or purposefully tossing it in the Goodwill bag.
The survey was released for May’s National Moving Month, the start of the busiest moving time of the year. More than 40 million Americans are expected to relocate this year and most will make their move during summer months when the weather is favorable and kids are out of school.
The national survey of more than 300 men and women who have moved in the past five years reveals:
- Of those in a relationship, more than one third (35 percent) say moving has scarred their relationship due to increased fighting (51 percent), decreased intimacy (49 percent) and financial strain (49 percent) – the top three moving relationship stressors.
- Forty-six percent of respondents say they disagreed over where to move and 42 percent say they fought over the reason for the move – negative feelings that can linger long after they unpacked the china.
- Those with children say the stress hit the whole family with “choosing the right school” and “helping the kids find new friends” as the top two moving stressors related to their kids.
Dirty dumping
- Nearly one in three (30 percent) respondents admitted they had “accidentally” lost one of their partner’s prized possessions – by breaking it (43 percent) or dropping it off at Goodwill (34 percent).
- Topping the “I hate it” hit list of the five things people secretly toss are knick knacks, photo albums, books, decorative towels and old trophies.
Unfriendly neighbors add to moving stress
More than half (53 percent) of the respondents said that today’s neighbors are not as friendly as the neighbors they remember as a child because they “seem too busy.” This is unfortunate as nearly half of respondents (49 percent) also voted “meeting new neighbors” as a top three requirement to feeling comfortable and settled in a new home.
Housewarming gifts matter
More than half (54 percent) of survey respondents have moved six or more times and more than two in three (67 percent) have moved out of state or out of the country. Today’s movers need a helping hand to feel comfortable and learn more about their brand new surroundings.
- Eighty-eight percent of respondents said that receiving a housewarming gift would make them feel more comfortable in a new home/neighborhood, yet less than half (46 percent) have ever received a housewarming gift when new to a neighborhood.
- Eighty-one percent of respondents said they would have liked advice about their new community upon move in. Ninety-three percent say they would take advantage of an offer from a local business that took the time to welcome them to the community.
This online survey of 306 men and women was conducted by a third party and commissioned by Our Town America. Survey participants have no affiliation with Our Town America.