Do you and your family hate to move but you have to do so now due to work? Are you anticipating better job prospects if you live in a different town instead of where you are now? Many families face similar situations. They like where they are now but there is some reason why they cannot stay. Perhaps the parents have gotten a better job offer, or perhaps there are better schools somewhere else. Whatever the case, it's almost inevitable that everyone will have to move several times over the course of their lifetime. But this need not be a stressful occasion. While it won't necessarily become one of your favorite activities, there are things you can do to help make the process easier on everyone especially when you have kids. Some things you can do include:
Age-appropriate help: Moving is especially scary for younger kids because they don't know what to expect. All they can tell is that mommy and/or daddy seems to be getting upset about something and they should probably get upset, too. Instead of sending them off to play while you do all of the packing, explain to them what's going on in a simple manner and let them "help" by picking out which stuffed toy will travel with them and which ones get to have an "adventure" in the moving truck.
Hire some help: Between sorting out a new place to live and needing to continue with your current daily routine, for now, you have enough to do. Hiring a residential moving company to take care of things is the best way to ensure that moving day will go smoothly. Without the help of a residential moving company, you'll have to try to recruit friends and family for assistance with at least the larger things but they may make excuses at the last minute and not show up to help. Hiring professionals is the best way to make sure that everything will get moved on time.
Get a babysitter: Unless your children are all in their teens, have a babysitter take them somewhere else while the residential moving company does their thing. Having a bunch of strangers in the house can be upsetting to younger kids and even older children can get bored without something to do or overstimulated by the excitement of the move and get in the way. It doesn't really matter whether the babysitter is a friend or even just your spouse, so long as they are not at home while the actual moving is going on.
Moving has always been a difficult process, especially since it can impact almost every aspect of your life. From finding new friends to getting used to a new commute, moving can be a lot to manage. However, if you plan efficiently and execute your plans properly, things will always come together. I wanted to start a little blog all about moving and making the most of your experience, so I started up this site. Check out these tips for identifying relocation concerns, reducing your stress load, and making things work out in the end. You won't regret doing what you can to make things easier.