How to make your family’s move less stressful?
move
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Making a big move with your family is a complicated and stressful process, but you can make the situation easier by planning ahead. There are things you can do that may not seem like much, but these actions will have a significant impact on easing the burden of your move. Here are a few ideas that you can use to eliminate the frustration and confusion that a big move can cause.
Enlist the help of your kids
Everyone in the family should be involved in packing for the move since this will help avoid complications down the road. Older children and teens should be responsible for packing up their own belongings before helping with the rest of the family’s things. Young children should also be allowed to help pack things up as long as there’s an adult supervising them. This will ensure they won’t get underfoot. More importantly, letting your children help will ease their fear and apprehension. A long-distance move can be an emotional change for young children who are being asked to abandon everything they know. Letting them help will give them a feeling of control over the situation, which will help alleviate some of that fear.
Create an inventory system
A great cause of anxiety and stress during a move is packing things up and losing track of them later. You can avoid this situation by creating a detailed inventory system. Each box should receive a letter or number to identify it on the master inventory list you’ll create. On every box, list the items packed within it. Next, mark down the letter or number designation for that box on your inventory sheet and list the contents of that box under its designation. You can make this system more effective by using a different color marker for each room in the house. For example, all boxes labeled with red would go in the kitchen. This system will be especially helpful if you’re hiring movers to help you unpack.
Determine the best way to get home
You’ll also have to determine how you’ll transport your belongings to your new home. If you’re renting a truck that you’ll drive yourself, you may be able to fit a small family in the passenger compartment. However, if you have a larger family, or if you decide it’s more cost-effective to hire professional movers, you may have to figure out how to get your family to your new home. Depending on the distance involved in the move, it may be cheaper to fly across the country and ship car from state to state. In comparing costs, don’t forget to weigh the costs of meals, accommodations, and vehicle wear against the cost of shipping your car and flying to your destination city.
Pack your travel bags first
Before you start packing, everyone in your household should pack a travel bag that they will keep with them. Each bag should contain at least two changes of clothes, bedclothes, personal hygiene products, medications, and charging cords for their phones. The head of the household should obtain a durable folder or envelope for important papers. This should include birth certificates, lease agreements, pet vaccinations, and any other documents that you may need right away upon arriving at your new home. Keeping these items handy will help you avoid a frantic search before you get everything unpacked.
Eliminate moving day distractions
If you have pets, it’s a good idea to board them overnight on moving day to keep them out of the way of your movers. This will also keep them from running off when the doors to your home are being held open continuously. It’s also a wise move to find a babysitter or childcare service to look after younger children at this time. Ahead of moving day, be sure all of your final arrangements have been made including changing your address, scheduling the termination of utilities, and dealing with a real estate agent or landlord. The only thing you should have to do on moving day is to ensure that everything gets loaded into the truck.
Even if you’re only moving a short distance to a new neighborhood, you can still use some of these tips to help you move more efficiently. Additionally, look for any other ideas you can try to help you save time or money during your move. Making subtle changes can help you get to your new home safely while helping you to save on your overall moving expenses.