Moving homes can be extremely stressful, even if you’re just a single person moving your own belongings. But add into the equation a spouse and children along with all their stuff and you have a major headache in the making. Luckily, with the right planning and preparation, you can change your move from something you dread undertaking to something you feel empowered and ready to accomplish. To help you get into that mindset of the later, here are three ways you can limit the stress of moving homes when you have a family.
Get Organized
Before you start taking any steps toward moving, Javier Olivo, a contributor to Marriage.com, suggests that you get yourself and your family organized for the whole endeavor. This includes setting a date in which you’ll do the actual move, creating a list of everything you need to get done before you move can happen, securing your new home and selling your old one, and getting all your possessions packed. Once you’ve figured out everything that needs to take place, you can then assign certain tasks to members of your family for them to get done. This level of organization will help everyone in your family feel involved with the move as well as taking some of the pressure off of you.
Bring In Professionals
When it comes to the actual tasks of moving and packing, these can be the most stressful parts of moving with your family. Trying to get all this work done while keeping track of your kids and trying not to get too stressed can bring on a mountain of stress regardless of how you try to combat it. Knowing this, Carol Morgan, a contributor to the Huffington Post, suggests looking into professional movers. While this can be more expensive than just doing the work yourself, movers also come with all the equipment needed to get your possessions safely from one place to the next with minimal work done by you. So if you can afford it, this may be a great option for your family.
Make A Plan To Settle In
Once you’ve moved into your new house, it can be hard for your children to feel like this place is their actual home. To help with this, Caroline Schaefer, a contributor to Parents.com, suggests creating a plan for how you’ll settle in. This may include meeting your neighbors, signing your kids up for a community club or class, or simply visiting fun places in the new town or neighborhood you’re now residing in. All of these things can help your kids feel more comfortable with the move and find their place in this new environment, which will simultaneously make things easier for you as the parent.
If you have a family move coming up, consider using the tips mentioned above to help make this experience less stressful for everyone involved.