Month: March 2021

When you consider the many challenges you may face in life, moving can come up as one of the more stressful. Between sifting through belongings, weeding out what goes and stays, tying up loose ends, and preparing the new place, it is easy to get a bit frazzled. Include the fact that you have children to care for in the process, and the entire ordeal is overwhelming.

As your moving day looms shortly, taking some time to simply step back, breathe, and get prepared for the work ahead is essential. Take a look at a few useful tips to help you de-stress as a family before your big move.

1. Plan a family game night.

Board games don’t typically require anything other than the game to have fun. So, pulling out a board game to play in a house full of packed boxes and disarray is not challenging; somewhere amid the chaos of packing, planning, and preparing for your move, set aside one afternoon to just sit down as a family and play a few games. If you’ve already packed the board games, try some games like charades or eye spy that don’t require any specific board or pieces.

2. Create a memory box together to keep from your current home.

Leaving home can be emotionally challenging for every member of the family. If your children are especially struggling with the upcoming move, get everyone together to create a memory box. Memory boxes can be used for so many life situations, but they serve the same purpose: to create a safe place for a collection of memories or keepsakes.

Allow everyone to contribute to the memory box for the home you are leaving behind. A few good ideas of items to include:

• A handwritten note from each member of the family about a favorite memory
• Pictures of certain things about the house that everyone wants to remember (e.g., a photo of the backyard or a family gathering spot)
• Small physical souvenirs from the property (e.g., a stone from the driveway, a clipping of wallpaper, or a dried flower from the landscape)

3. Get away from the move for a day, or even a few hours.

Dealing with the stress of a move can be easier when you get the chance to step away from the process and physically immerse yourself in a different environment. Try to arrange for some family time out of the house. Go to the movies, have a picnic at the park, or go on a short road trip.

4. Pencil in quiet time daily.

Getting a few quiet moments as an adult with a lot of stress to contend with can help you stay calm. However, quiet time is just as good for children as it is for adults. Some professionals even claim that quiet time is valuable for kids because it helps them synthesize and process new information.

Every day leading up to the move, make sure the house gets a brief stretch of quiet time. Allow everyone their personal space and just spend a few minutes collecting their thoughts.

Destress Your Family Move with Professional Movers

Moving as a family may be a little rough, but a little help can make all the difference. Reach out to get a free moving quote for your big move, and we’ll make sure you have more free time to focus on your family.

Moving is stressful. Whether you’re moving across town or to another state, mistakes can happen, or you can inadvertently overlook details. Here are six common moving missteps to avoid.

1. Taking on More Than You Can Handle

It’s tempting to try to save money by taking the DIY moving route, but sometimes people take on more than they can handle. As a result, they end up physically hurting themselves, damaging their possessions, or end up paying more to move than they would have if they’d hired professionals. When planning a move, it’s essential to be realistic about what you can reasonably handle. For some DIY works, for others, it’s too big of a challenge.

2. Packing Carelessly or Rushed

Waiting until the last minute to pack usually results in not getting it done in time, possessions getting misplaced or broken, or merely adding unnecessary stress. If you’re not planning to hire professionals for this aspect of the move, start packing ASAP. Do it in stages to ensure the job is done right. This way, each box is filled correctly, taped, and labeled.

3. Forgetting to Pack an Essentials Kit

Forgetting must-have items needed for the first few nights in a new home can result in extra stress and inconvenient errands to the store to pick them up. Packing an essentials kit box can come in handy. This box, which can include toothbrushes, sheets, PJs, coffee, dog food, toilet paper, and any other essentials, makes the first night or two in a new home far more comfortable.

4. Moving Too Much ‘Stuff’

Often, people don’t realize they are packing – and paying to move – belongings they no longer use, need, or even want. They just pack everything in their home or apartment and bring it to put back in storage in their new place. By discarding, donating, giving away, or selling possessions not wanted or needed, you decrease expenses associated with the move and eliminates clutter in your new home.

5. Neglecting to Change Address

Neglecting to notify a change of address with banks, credit cards, doctors, employers, and other essential organizations can result in missed bills or someone else inadvertently getting ahold of sensitive mail, resulting in identity theft. Forgetting to change an address with gyms, magazine and newspaper subscriptions, and other services, you can get billed for services you didn’t use. Start this about four weeks before the move.

6. Not Researching Movers

Sometimes people who do hire movers fail to do their research and can lead to a challenging experience. Before hiring a mover, get a few estimates – a good rule of thumb is to get three. Ask lots of questions, check the Better Business Bureau, verify licenses, and read online reviews. Moving companies are happy to answer any concerns, share information, and offer helpful advice, so don’t be shy in raising questions when talking to them.

Make Your Move a Success

Organization and planning can eliminate – or at least – reduce problems cropping up. Avoiding these six mistakes can help your move be a smooth one. Need help with an upcoming move or just have questions about a future one? Contact us today to learn more about our various moving services.