Moving is a time of excitement, but it can also be a time of apprehension.
Deciding to move is difficult, but once you’ve decided, you will want to do everything possible to make the transition smooth.
There are a few ways you can make your family’s move seamless. Eliminate the stress with these tips so that you can focus on enjoying a positive new experience with your family.
1. Share the News Gently
It is essential to tell the family about the move as early on as possible so that they have time to adjust to the idea of moving.
Although this might be a hard discussion to have with kids of any age, putting it off will only make it more difficult.
Tell them in a comfortable home setting and not a public place. This will allow them to express their true feelings about the news.
2. Spark Excitement
Get the family excited about the move. Generating excitement is especially important if the kids did not take the news about moving well when you told them.
Share positive information about your new location, so that the family will start feeling excited about relocating.
Provide books, stories, or movies to your kids about moving. Children process their emotions better with a narrative that helps them understand and gives them something to relate to.
If possible, let them share in the house hunt. Visit your new home before the move, and acquaint your kids to the new neighborhood and their new school. Stop at local parks and let them get out and experience their new area.
3. Start Planning the New Home
Once you know where you will be living, let the kids plan out their new space.
They’ll feel excited and take ownership if they know what their room will look like and if they can start to imagine how they will set it up.
Discuss paint colors, decorations, new furniture, or other unique ways to personalize their new room. Your new house will feel like home for the whole family much faster.
4. Make Packing Fun
Get the children involved in the packing process, so they’ll feel included in the big family move and feel like they have a bit of control.
Turn the packing process into a creative activity instead of a chore, and it will be more fun for all. Let your kids decorate some of their moving boxes with stickers, markers, or crayons.
If you have young children, pack up their rooms as close to moving day as possible. Perhaps even provide a couple of boxes for them to just play with will help keep them entertained.
5. Dedicate a Box of Essentials for Everyone
Make sure to pack a small essentials box for each family member, so there is not a frantic search through boxes for important items upon arrival.
The essentials boxes contain the things each person needs for the trip and the first few days in the new home. Essential items include things like a change of clothes, medicines, toiletries, and chargers.
Boxes for young children might include toys, games, and books as well as comfort and entertainment items.
6. Maintain Routine
Moving creates disruptions in routines. Try to re-establish your family’s routine as soon as possible in the new home. The sooner you can resume your regular schedules, the better.
Resume your regular mealtimes, bedtimes, and activity times that the family had at your old home. Provide both necessary routines as well as fun ones. For instance, if your family had popcorn and movie night once a week, continue that tradition as soon as you are settled.
Getting back into the swing of the old routine will provide comfort and security for everyone.
Getting Settled With Less Stress
These steps will help make your family move less stressful. Try to make it a team effort and find ways to make it a fun process.
Make your move even easier – give us a call. Browning Moving & Storage can help you handle your move so you can focus on your family.