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You’re moving – the list of things you need to do seems endless. Your days are filled with setting up utilities, making travel plans, boxing things up, and more. No matter how many things you check off, more seem to be added. For many people, this can result in a high-stress level and a sense of being overwhelmed. 

It’s important to remember that you’re not the only one who is feeling this way. Your pets are getting ready for a huge adjustment too. They’re depending on you to get them through the moving process. 

While helping your pets adjust to a new home can be a challenge, it’s far from impossible. Here are some tips.

Provide Plenty of Snuggles

You love your pet – don’t forget to let them know it during your move. Take time out of your busy schedule to give your pet some extra playtime, exercise, and cuddles. Spending some time together will reassure your pet that not everything is changing. You’ll also benefit from taking some time to relax with your pet.

Keep the Routine

Your pet knows what to expect on a daily basis right now, and that’s all about to change. Keep a sense of consistency for your pets whenever you can. This can mean keeping them on their regular eating schedule. It can also mean taking them to a dog park they know and love, if possible. Providing their favorite treats can help too. Keep their bedtime and wake up time on a schedule, and make sure they get their regular exercise.

Expect An Adjustment Period

Just like the human members of your family, it will take your furry friends some time to settle in. It’s normal for unusual behaviors to arise as you move into your new home. Struggles with pets may include chewing, urinating in the house, becoming destructive, or showing anxious behavior. Try not to worry – these behaviors usually dissipate as your pet gets used to their new home.

Baby Steps When It’s Time To Explore

Your pet is curious, and you love to watch them explore. While it’s fun to watch your pet get used to their new home, take it slow. Limit your pet to one room at a time to start. Slowly expand the area they can explore. This will stop them from becoming overwhelmed and help them to feel safe.

Talk With The Vet

Your vet knows the nuances of your pet’s health and behavior. They’ll be able to give you unique tools and tricks to help your pet settle into your new home. 

Moving is never easy, but you and your pets will settle into your new home in good time. Take it slow, and if you have any questions, reach out to your vet.

Are you preparing for a residential move? You’re likely overwhelmed with all you have to do. Much of your time is spent trying to organize the endless sea of boxes littering your home, and the packing can feel all-consuming. 

Organizing your belongings is an essential part of the moving process. But, there are a few other areas to pay attention to before saying goodbye to your old home for good.

Check Cell Phone Service

If you’re relocating far from your current home, check the cell phone coverage map for your new area. You may find that you have spotty coverage in your new area. It might be time to switch cell phone providers before you leave home. There’s nothing worse than arriving at your new house and struggling to make phone calls. Be sure your service extends to your new home.

Notify Credit Card Companies

Give your credit and debit card companies a call. When you begin to make purchases on your way to your new home as you’re getting settled in your new area, your bank may flag your card for fraud, temporarily limiting your access to money. 

When you call your bank before you move, let them know your new address and the approximate dates that you’ll be traveling to your new home. This will allow your bank to lift any fraud alerts on your account during that time, allowing you to make purchases along the way without any hassle.

Learn About Your New Area

Become familiar with your new community before you arrive. There are many ways to get excited about where you’re headed. 

Join social media groups that let you get to know people in your new neighborhood. Scope out the local restaurant scene. Maybe even make a reservation for the first week that you’ll be in town. Keeping up with some of your old routines. Going to the gym, working out on local running trails, taking your kids to the library —  are great ways to keep your stress levels low as you adjust to your new environment.

Pack an Essentials Bag

You may feel like you never want to pack another bag in your life. But it’s key that you have a bag of essentials with you as you go through the moving process. No matter how organized your packing process is, the last thing you’ll want to do when you arrive in your new home is to have to sort through boxes trying to find your contact solution or a hairbrush. Having a vacation-type bag with you is a great way to keep the essentials nearby.

Moving Is Worth the Effort

If you’re in the midst of the moving process, you may be frustrated and swearing up and down that you’ll never move again. Moving is hard and stressful. But, it will be well worth it when you’re relaxing in the comfort of your new home.

If you feel overwhelmed, remember to take things one step at a time, crossing tasks off your list as you go. Before you know it, you’ll be kicking up your feet in your new living room.

When you’re moving internationally, one of the most comforting things you can have is the knowledge that you’re still able to get in contact with the people you love back home. One of the most common anxieties about moving abroad is how to handle cell phone service. With a little preparation, staying in contact with people back home doesn’t have to be difficult or complicated.

Let’s take a look at some of the best things you can do before and after your move to ensure that the lines of communication stay open between you and your loved ones.

Contact Current Provider

Before you leave the U.S., stop to see your current service provider, or give their customer service line a call. Explain that you’re moving abroad, and see if they offer cell phone service in your new home country. They may be able to set you up with a plan that makes sense for you in your new home.

If they don’t offer service in the area that you’re moving to, they’ll likely be able to provide you with recommendations on companies to consider. They can also set you up with a few weeks of bridge service. You’ll pay their international rates, but you’ll still be able to use your phone. This is a great way to stay in contact with loved ones while you’re still settling in your new home.

Try an Interim Solution

You’ll have some downtime between when you arrive in your new country and when you’re able to get to a cell phone company office to get your new phone set up and ready to go. 

While you’re waiting to make the trip to an office, try Google Voice. For $20 per month, messages and phone calls from your U.S. phone number can be rerouted to the device of your choosing. This makes it easy for you to stay in touch with friends and family back home, all without having to sign up for a new cell phone plan. 

Skype can also work well, as long as you have wireless service.

Provide a Message

Set up an outgoing voicemail message explaining your move. Give people an alternative way to contact you (such as through email or Facebook Messenger). While total cell downtime will likely be minimal, you’ll want people back home to know you’re not ignoring their calls.

Identify a New Provider

Once you’ve got some of your clothes unpacked and you’re ready to venture out and explore your new neighborhood, head to a cell phone provider. Asking new friends and co-workers about whether they like their current cell phone provider is a great way to get a list of offices you’d like to visit to learn more about getting signed up for a plan.

Settle In

Figuring out what to do with your cell phone plan can be a stressful part of moving. Does it have to be that way? Nope! A little planning on the front end before you get on the plane can help you know exactly what to do to stay in touch with the people you love while you get settled into your new home.

Moving is often the toughest for children.

If you are planning a household move, your kids might be sad and possibly act out in frustration. However, moving doesn’t have to be a drama-filled event that saddens your little ones to the point of tears. It’s possible to make moving fun for the entire family. Here’s how to do it.

Have a Moving Party

Your kids will view the move in a negative light unless you give them a reason to smile. After all, no child wants to leave everything he or she is familiar with to settle down in a new and strange space. However, if you turn the move into a party, your kids will have a ball while packing their possessions. Order some pizza and wings, put on some upbeat tunes, and packing up your belongings will not be nearly as upsetting for your kids.

Create a Memory Album

Creating a memory album will help your kids close the door on their old living space, ultimately facilitating the transition to their new home. 

Encourage everyone in the family to add one or several photos to the memory album. These photos should be of family, friends, the house, and other memories from your time at the home you’re leaving. The process of making the memory album will bring you and your children closer to one another during this changing time, making it easier to transition to your new home. 

Reinforce the fact that you will make new memories at your new home. Try to frame the move as an adventure with the potential for fun and new discoveries, and your kids just might look forward to the move. 

Get Familiar With Your New Community

Learn as much as possible about your new neighborhood with your kids. If it’s doable, drive or walk through your new neighborhood. Make a note of fun places like parks, community centers, libraries, and restaurants.

Research and identifying local clubs, sports teams, or park district programs ahead of time will help your little ones forge new bonds after making the move.

If you’re not nearby the new community to take a drive-through, try an internet search with your child to explore all the things your new town and community have to offer.

Give Children Some Control Over Packing

The packing process can be emotional for young kids who fear that their favorite toys won’t be there when the moving van arrives at your new home. Lessen that fear by allowing your children to pack some of their own things. Wait until you’re close to moving day to pack their most cherished toys and belongings. 

Giving your kids some control over moving gives them a sense of responsibility, shifting their focus away from negative feelings about the move onto helping with the moving process.

Help With Your Move

If you are planning a local move or a long-distance move, let Schroeder Moving Systems help. Allow our moving crew to handle the hard work and heavy lifting. This way, you can focus on organizing your things at your new home, helping your kids get situated, and enjoying your living space.

When it comes to moving, professional movers can handle just about anything. However, there are a few things the moving crew should not pack or move on your behalf. Make a mental note of the items listed below and exclude them from the items designated for the moving crew to load up and deliver to your new home. 

Perishable Items

Look through your freezer and refrigerator to determine if there are any perishable items. If you have any such sensitive items, don’t leave them for the movers to move to your new house. Either move these items on your own, eat them now, so they don’t spoil, or give them away. 

Items That Cannot Be Replaced

Sentimental items, family heirlooms, costly jewelry, coin collections, and additional valuables should not be moved by the moving crew. Whether the item in question is a valuable piece of art, a cherished family portrait or photograph, a lovely necklace, or another costly and sentimental item, you should plan to move these significant items carefully on your own. 

Greenery

The distance of your move will determine if your mover can handle your plants or not. Houseplants are “perishable” items and federal regulations prevent them from being moved on a regulated moving van going 150 miles or more. Also, houseplants can’t be packed on regulated moves that will take more than 24 hours to complete. 

If you own plants, check with your professional mover to make the necessary arrangements for your plants.

You might have to either move the plants on your own or leave them behind for the new homeowner.

Pets

Though it might be hard to believe, some people expect moving crews to transport their pets. Whether you own fish in an aquarium, a gerbil, dog, cat, or another pet, your furry friend should not be handled by the moving crew. After all, moving personnel are not trained to handle such animals. 

Move your pets to your new home with your own vehicle, ask a friend for assistance, or rent a vehicle that will accommodate your pet. This way, you can provide your pet with the necessary care from the moment you head out the door until the moment you step foot in your new home.

Hazardous or Dangerous Items

All hazardous, explosive, corrosive, or flammable items should be disposed of in the proper manner or moved in your own vehicle. These dangerous items do not belong in a moving truck of any sort. So don’t expect the moving crew to transport these hazardous items. If you don’t want the items in question, contact your local recycling service, fire station, or an environmental agency to find out the proper disposal method.

Schroeder Moving Systems is Here to Help

Are you planning a move? Whether you are planning a long-distance move or a move across town, we can help. Let our moving crew spearhead the move on your behalf, and you won’t have to worry about a thing. Give us a call to find out more about our moving service and schedule your move.