Suffering a house fire can be one of the most devastating things that happens to an individual or family.

A house fire can be particularly difficult if you have been in the home for a long time or have developed a particular attachment to the home. As a matter of fact, this type of attachment makes it more difficult to decide whether to restore your property or sell your fire-damaged house.

If you are the victim of a house fire, this article contains tips you can use to get over your feelings of loss and move on with your life.

1. Overcoming loss

If you’ve suffered a house fire, the first thing you are going to need to do is overcome the sense of loss that you may be feeling.

This feeling can range depending on how much damage was done in the house fire but the keys to overcoming your feelings and moving on with your life are the same.

First, you should take some time to remember and celebrate the good times you had in your home before the fire. Second, you need to acknowledge the feelings you are having in the wake of your house fire. After you do that, you can then move on to taking care of yourself.

This third step involves doing things that help you feel better. For example, making sure you get enough sleep each night. You may also want to work out or to spend more time with friends.

An important fourth step to getting over your loss and moving on is to eat healthy. Don’t fall for the temptation of reducing your grief through junk food and alcohol. These are temporary measures that don’t last and often leave you feeling worse than before.

The fifth step is to get moving! Don’t let your loss cause you to withdraw from life. Stay active, this will help you cope faster and move on.

2. Accept that change is inevitable

Many people don’t like change so when it is forced upon them through something unexpected like a house fire it can cause a lot of stress and uncomfortable feelings.

Don’t let yourself fall into this trap. Accept that everyone has to go through changes in their life at some point. Remind yourself that things could have been worse and that often change ends up being a good thing.

If your change following a house fire involves moving – here are some tips to make that often anxiety-filled process go much smoother.

3. Take the difficulty out of moving

Moving can be a very stressful occasion, particularly for house fire victims who may be leaving a long-time residence or who may have health issues that make moving even more difficult.

Here are some tips that you can use to ensure the whole experience goes smoothly and efficiently.

Moving Tip #1 – Analyze First

Be sure to study where you are moving to as well as where you are moving from. Consider your possessions and which furniture is going to fit at the new location. By doing this before the move, you could save yourself and others a lot of wasted time and effort moving items that can’t be kept at the new location. This step is particularly important if you are downsizing.

Moving Tip #2 – Plan Ahead

Once you’ve analyzed both locations, develop a plan. You might want to obtain a floor plan of the new place so that you can map out exactly where furniture will go. Developing a plan will also help you determine how many trips you’re going to have to make and how much help you need.

Moving Tip #3 – Recruit Plenty of Help

When it comes to moving nobody wants to feel like they have to do it all themselves – the whole moving experience can quickly become overwhelming when that’s the case. That’s why you should talk to as many friends and family members as possible – the more people you have helping the less work and stress for everyone involved. Get people to help with packing, with moving heavy items and much more.

Moving Tip #4 – Sort and Value Items

Many homeowners accumulate numerous possessions over their lives and they might not want to part with them when it comes time to move. To help the move go more smoothly sort items into essential and non-essential groups. Also be sure to identify valuable items as you’ll want to take particular care when moving these items so that they don’t get damaged. If downsizing, be sure to be kind, yet firm with other family members when suggesting that non-essential items can’t be taken to the new location.

Moving Tip #5 – Consider Hiring Help

One of the best ways to remove stress and ensure a move goes efficiently is to hire a personal management service company. These companies can perform a number of functions from making a current residence more attractive and easier to sell a fire-damaged house to overseeing and managing the move itself.

Among the moving services a company may provide are:

• Work with closing real estate broker, financial institution, closing attorney, accountant and all other entities involved with the sale of the home
• Prepare home for sale, including organizing and de-cluttering
• Select a reputable moving and storage company
• Manage packing and moving as well as arrival and set-up at the new location
• Make arrangements for appraisers to review items for sale
• Contact auction house for liquidation of personal property
• Identify community-based organizations for donation of unwanted items
• Dispose of unwanted items not eligible for donation
• Coordinate changes of address, mail forwarding and utility set-up

4. One More Thing for Reducing Stress Following a House Fire

After a house fire, another often big source of stress is repairing the damage. This can involve having to hire a contractor, having to pay for repairs that can quickly go over budget and if you are staying in your home – dealing with repairmen in your home making noise early in the morning or at other times of the day.

A way to avoid all of this drama is to sell your house to We Buy Fire Damaged Houses. We pay all cash so that you can get your money fast and move on with your life. We also buy your house as-is so no repairs are needed.

Fill out the form below to see if your fire damaged house qualifies for a free quote.