Moving your household to a new home can be exciting and filled with adventure, but it is also very stressful. There is a lot involved with moving, from the pre-planning and packing stage to children who might not yet be warmed up to the idea. Here are some tips that will help you relieve some of your moving stress.
Give Yourself Enough Time to Prepare
Unless the move is a last-minute decision, try to give yourself enough time for preparations. You should not wait until the weekend before you move to pack everything up. Start as early as possible, even if it seems premature. You can always pack up areas of your home that don't get much exposure, such as making sure everything in the attic and basement is packed up, and putting all your winter clothes in bags or boxes since you won't need them before the move. Pack and label boxes early, and start calling moving companies for quotes so you are fully prepared when the time comes.
Communicate With Your Kids
A big source of emotional stress during a move is when your kids aren't happy with the idea. While it will take some time for them to get used to moving away from their friends and neighborhood, it helps to get a jumpstart on communicating with them. Let them know as soon as you have made the decision to move, and be honest about the reasons why. Whether you found a nice job across town or need to move out-of-state to help your ailing mother, they should know the reasons why. It can help them deal with having to move, and you will be able to support each other.
Stop Doing Everything Yourself
It can be tempting to take charge and handle the majority of the move on your own, but it isn't necessary. This is just putting more burden on you, which will affect you later on when your stress levels spike. Don't be afraid to ask for help, whether you need your friends to come over and help pack up boxes, or you have your siblings bring their trucks to haul away trash and recyclable items. The more people you have onboard to help out, the less of the moving stress you will feel.
Say a Proper Goodbye
Perhaps your stress comes from the fact that you are moving far away and are not sure how to say goodbye. This can be a very difficult time, but avoiding it isn't going to help either. Make a proper goodbye to your home, your friends, and your family by throwing a party or inviting people to a nice dinner before you leave. This will help you relax and unwind while spending quality time with your loved ones, and allows you to share memories of your old home before it is time to leave.
Hire Full-Service Movers
If you are moving a 4-bedroom house, it is a lot to pack up and move on your own, even if you have friends with trucks that are helping out. Full-service movers will not only move all your boxes and furniture, but they can also help with packing up boxes and disassembling furniture. A lot of the laborious work will be done for you so you can concentrate on other aspects of the move.
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