Whether you are anticipating a business promotion or it is already confirmed, you must be feeling elated about it. Congratulations! Will your promotion require you to relocate? You must be feeling excited and anxious at the same time. You are happy that you can provide your family with a better life but at the same time you are sad that you need to move to a new place and start afresh. Relocating your family will not be easy but with a guide to follow, you will find it much more manageable. Read on and find out all you need to know.
Before the Move
The first thing you need to do is gather the whole family and give them the good news. This can be done over a meal at home or while eating out. Either way, all family members should be present. Explain to everyone why this position is important and why the move is inevitable. Allow each family member to react to the news and air their opinions. Discuss and come to an amicable conclusion. Later, talk about where your new home is going to be. You may give the family a virtual or actual tour of the property. Since this is a new place, choose a home that suits the needs of your family. Find out where the nearest grocery store, schools, parks and other amenities are.
It is said that failing to plan is planning to fail and this is very true with regards to relocating your family. You need to think of everything early on and plan on what to do. For instance, will you sell your current house or rent it out? Which school will your children study at the new home? Which moving company will you work with? What is the car shipping cost? You may want to contact a professional company who will be able to help you with this task. Whatever you choose to do, create a meticulous plan and adhere to it.
The house needs to be clean and pest-free. Call on a cleaning company and pest control to handle this. It is also prudent to communicate with utility suppliers to ensure that the house is ready when the family gets there. Your HVAC company needs to ensure that the house is the right temperature while the water supplier needs to ensure all taps have running water and so on.
Packing and Moving
Putting your family’s belongings in boxes and other packaging material makes the items easy to carry and move. Pack similar items together and label boxes appropriately. To ease the packing process, get everyone in the family involved. Let kids pack their toys while mom and dad handle books, heavy and delicate items.
Your load needs to be as light as possible so as to ease your relocation. It is not only cheaper to move fewer items but it is also less stressful. The best way to decrease your load is to declutter before relocation. Organize the things you have into must-haves that will definitely be taken with you on the move and the things you can do without. You may donate the things you do not need or plan a garage sale.
Packing should start early. Do not aim at putting everything away on the night before the move. Start by packaging items that are not used on a daily basis. Holiday lights, sports gear and seasonal equipment like skiing gear are just a few examples. Start with things that you will not need to use before the move and finish with things used daily like toiletries.
On the day of the move, work with a reliable moving company that will ensure your items are delivered in one piece. Ensure that all family members travel comfortably to the destination.
Settling In
Adjusting to living in a new house is not easy and it is even worse when one moves from one city to another. Different family members will require different durations to adjust. Allow each family member to take their time. Do not pressurize everyone into loving the new place. Expect to face a few challenges. Your teen daughter may actually not talk to you for a few days. They are probably missing their old friends and wish to go back. Be there for the family and make everyone feel loved as they adjust. Unpacking boxes does not need to be done at once. Start with essential items first.
You will need to explore your new home. Walk around the house and neighborhood with relocating your family. This will make everyone feel familiar with the place. Later, explore the nearby areas including shopping malls, parks, community centers and so on. Try some new activities this place offers as well.
Adjusting to your new work area will not be easy. Anticipate challenges but do your best and everything will be okay. The kids will also struggle to fit in their new schools. Encourage your children to share with you what is happening and help them when they need it. If a child is facing serious issues, discuss it with a teacher or any other relevant authority.
Final Word
Relocating your family is not easy. Put the needs of your family first and involve them in the whole process. From planning to the actual move to settling in, the guide above will help you make the right decisions.