Major anxiety over work in house

[ILoveCake12]

I suffer from anxiety and am really struggling with the work we are getting done in the house just now. The guys are coming in to fit a new boiler on Tuesday and have to take up the carpet in the living room to change the pipes apparently. This means moving everything including the piano and the house is once again going to look like a bomb has hit it. I know I should put my big girl pants on and get on with it but I feel so anxious and am having trouble sleeping and functioning. This comes after only last week, a new kitchen being put in and having boxes and bags everywhere in the house. I just want order and everything to be back to normal. Has anyone got any tips on how to cope with this or have felt the same?

What is it specifically that’s worrying you about moving the things?

Can you think of it as a good reason to have big clean before Christmas? Or maybe give the room a rearrange so it feels fresh? If you want to feel a level of control, perhaps take photographs of the room as it is now, or draw a floor plan, so you can recreate order once they’re done? Maybe visualise the new, shiny and safe pipe work that is being installed in your home, soon to be all sealed up again and try to take comfort from that?

@Jibberjabberhutt

What is it specifically that’s worrying you about moving the things?

Can you think of it as a good reason to have big clean before Christmas? Or maybe give the room a rearrange so it feels fresh? If you want to feel a level of control, perhaps take photographs of the room as it is now, or draw a floor plan, so you can recreate order once they’re done? Maybe visualise the new, shiny and safe pipe work that is being installed in your home, soon to be all sealed up again and try to take comfort from that?

Thank you for your suggestions and for being kind. I was expecting some backlash.

I hope you don’t get any. Ridiculing someone for having a MH condition would be appalling.

Anyway, I have health anxiety and visualising is really useful for me and low effort, which is appealing. I hope you find a way to cope and feel better. It’s a perfect time of year to have a shiny new boiler, too. Maybe visualise warm, clean and safe rooms for your family.

Or, on a more practical level, get a band of friends/family together to help you get things straight again after.

I would write a list of the things which are going to happen, breaking them into very small chunks. Eg - workmen will arrive. - lift the piano to the other side of the room. - carpet will be rolled back. - boxes will be left in a pile overnight etc etc

Then, look at each of the things and reassure yourself that the things will happen one at a time, you know what will happen and none of it is anything that you can’t cope with. If any stages particularly worry you - eg moving the piano - you could talk to someone eg your partner about what the worry is. For example, do you worry about damage? Or not being able to walk round it? Is it just the untidiness?

You might find that identifying specific worries and writing then down makes it less of a flurry of anxiety because then you can look at them and anticipate the things happening and how you’ll manage them.

I know this is easier said than don’t but try to remind yourself this is only a temporary situation, once the work is done you won’t need to think about it and can put everything back where it belongs. It will go back to normal.

*done

I totally sympathise, I don’t like having strangers in my house, and the thought of moving furniture is overwhelming - e.g. bookcases need emptying, the books (and other random crap I’ve piled in there) have to go somewhere, then moving the actual furniture is so heavy and almost physically beyond me. It all takes ages and is so disruptive. Hate it. It’s probably the reason we haven’t redecorated in 12 years.. we’re investigating alternative hearing systems and just the thought of having underfloor heating installed fills me with dread for what it entails. It really doesn’t help that our house it a bit of a mess - these things are probably easier if you live in a minimalist kind of way. You’re definitely not alone.

I sympathise. I have had work done, with more this next week and for a couple of days the house is going to look a right shiptip.

However I focus on the fact it’s only for xx days and that by this time next week everything is back to normal

I am not thinking about the work that needs doing next year yet

I can relate. I’m having the bathroom done. It’s taken longer than expected and i’m getting so antsy about the upheaval to routine/bags in my room/having to go to a relatives to wash properly etc

I don’t have anxiety but I can imagine it makes it so much harder.
Ask for a clear timeline so you know what to expect.