Making a Move Less Stressful
Many families move during the summer months and with moving comes stress. Having an organized move will make the experience a much less stressful event.
First, whether you are moving around the corner or across the country, moving costs money. You either pay for the hours and number of movers needed or for the amount on the truck and miles. You can reduce this cost by eliminating some of the items you are moving. Some families have months to plan their move, while others have only weeks. You can have an organized move in both instances. One will just require a little more work in a short period of time.
If you are in charge of arranging the movers, make sure you ask some neighbors, friends, or relatives for their recommendations. It can make a big difference going with a mover others have used versus going with the mover with the cheapest price.
If you are lucky enough to have time before your move, go through closets and boxes to make sure you want to pay to have those items moved. Are you willing to pay to have boxes of magazines, or stuffed animals moved? Make decisions on decorations around the house too. Maybe the style and colors of your new home will be different. If the items are small or replaceable, maybe you are better off leaving them behind.
If you have not opened a box or needed any items in that box for over a year, do not pay to move it. That box will just sit in the same spot in your new residence. Take into consideration the amount of space you will have for storage especially if you are moving into a smaller residence.
To make your move less stressful, make sure you have a checklist of events that must occur before your move. Once you have set up the movers, began the sorting in your home, start calling about stopping and starting utilities, change of address, and cleaning of the residence you are leaving.
The day before the move, call to check on the mover and the time of arrival. Pack clothes for the evening and the next day or two. If you are moving across the country, make sure you pack for the number of days needed.
The day of the move, make sure you have food available for your family and drinks for the movers. They appreciate if you think of them and they will handle your furniture and boxes more carefully. If you are not paying someone to unpack, start the unpacking as soon as they deliver them in the new residence. Try to get the kitchen and bathrooms done first so you can make small meals and get a shower and dress as soon as possible. Those 2 rooms in order immediately will make your move much less stressful.
If you have small children, have small projects for them to do out of the way or have a family member entertain them for the day. Moves can be hard on children so keeping them entertained will keep stress level down for everyone involved.
When the furniture is all in and the movers are gone, let them help in the arrangement of their room. Being a part of the move and their room will help them in the transition.
