MOVING GUIDES & TIPS, PACKING GUIDES & TIPS.
Nothing brings a family together like a fresh start in a new location. Together you adapt to your new surroundings, reinvent your routines and make new connections. You just have to get through that dreaded moving day. Before your family feuds, our survey says: moving a large family can be fun!
Foresight, planning, organization and accommodation are your friends when moving with a big family. And remember, above all, you’re in this together. Here are our best moving tips to keep it feeling that way.
How to Make Moving Fun When You Have a Big Family
DO THE EMOTIONAL WORK AHEAD OF TIME
Moving is a big change. Depending how far away your new home is, it may mean new schools, new friends and even a new language. Give every family member space to work on their feelings around the move ahead of time so they don’t all erupt on moving day.
You may see kids acting out or acting differently as they accept their new reality. Help your kids express their emotions. Moving may be hard for them, but a little empathy will help the transition go a lot better.
NOURISH EVERYONE
Just as your family members need emotional nourishment, they also need physical sustenance. You already know feeding a lot of mouths is a big job. Simplify the process during moving time to reduce the stress of getting everything done. Get takeout, order pizza and cook easy one-pot meals to give yourself less time in the kitchen and more time packing up the house.
Low blood sugar makes for cranky and uncooperative helpers! Keep plenty of healthy snacks stocked to keep your crew powered up all day long.
MAKE IT A TEAM EFFORT
A large family is its own labor force. Even kids can be occupied with tasks that move things forward.
Let everyone pack their own rooms. This is the perfect time to clean things out and get rid of old toys, clothes that no longer fit and things you don’t need. Come up with a color code or other system to mark everyone’s boxes for easy organization at your new home.
Keep a list of jobs posted so that when you hear the dreaded “I’m bored,” you can point to plenty of ways your kids can contribute.
Most of all, make moving fun by investing everyone in the process. From picking out the new home to boxing up belongings and choosing room colors, kids do better when they feel a part of the team and the process.
BE REALISTIC
As a parent, you know your limitations, so plan accordingly. Moving with kids isn’t easy. If you know your kids will be in the way on moving day, plan for them to be somewhere else. A weekend with grandpa and grandma or at their friend’s house is a win/win for everyone.
Don’t push yourself or anyone else too hard in the weeks leading up to your move. Keeping routines can help the transition feel easier. Kids should be able to see friends, play sports and do all the things that fill their needs.
There’s a lot to do, but divide your time so you take care of yourself, too. As leader of the family, you have an example to set.
HIRE AWAY THE STRESS
There’s no reason you should take on everything yourself.
A good moving company can help pick up the slack. We’ve got all the boxes and supplies you’ll need, ready to go. If you need to put things in storage while you stage your house, we can help with that. We’ll even pack your house for you including specialty items like pianos or your wine collection.
Let Wheaton take the stress of logistics and the sweat of moving off your hands and give you more time with your family.
CELEBRATE YOUR SUCCESS!
Moving with family into a new home is a big accomplishment, especially when you have a bigger clan. Make sure you celebrate your achievement in a way that includes everyone:
- Treat yourselves to dinner at everyone’s favorite restaurant.
- Have a big campout on the living room floor in your new home (forts optional).
- Bike through your new neighborhood together.
- Have a dance party before the furniture is arranged.
- Reward your team with gifts for their new rooms.
WE’RE A BIG COMPANY THAT WORKS FOR BIG FAMILIES
We love to see families come together during their move. It should be a fun time and not a stressful one. Give us a call at 866-454-1931 today and see why we move families in more ways than one.