Moving can be a stressful process even with a small family, but having a large family can make the task of moving feel impossible. Even with the help of friends or professional movers, large families should follow these tips to make their move go as smoothly as possible.
Be Prepared for a Long Move
While it can be tempting to plan to move and settle into your new home in one day, this can be an unrealistic goal for most families. Plan to spend one or two days moving your items into your new home and another three or four days settling and unpacking after you’ve moved. Keep extra outfits, snacks, paper plates and utensils, and anything else you’ll need for a few days in an accessible suitcase or box.
Wait As Long As Possible to Pack
Avoid the hassle of digging through packed boxes by waiting until just before you move to pack boxes. In the weeks before your move, spend time sorting and organizing your family’s items, but wait until the days just before you move to pack everything. You can follow these tips to safely fill boxes and pack a moving truck safely.
As you take time to sort through your belongings, decide what you could sell, donate, or throw away. Anything that your family doesn’t need anymore will only take up more of your time and space while moving to your new home.
Encourage Your Children to Help Organize
While most children cannot help much during the moving process, they can do their part by keeping their rooms tidy before you start packing. Allow your children to sort through their belongings and find some items like old clothes or toys to donate. This gives you less items to move to the new house and promotes charity at the same time.
Keep Electronics Separate
Designate a suitcase or bag for the whole family’s phone chargers, laptops, and tablets so they all stay together during the move. This keeps them safe from being damaged or stolen and allows you to access them immediately once you move in. You may need to look up appliance information, weather forecasts, and even nearby take-out restaurants while you move, and having everything in one place saves you from spending hours looking for a laptop charger when you need it.
Find Childcare for Younger Children
While younger children will be excited about the move, they can also slow down the process. Recruit the help of grandparents or family friends to care for them during the day. This keeps them entertained and allows you and your older children to focus on the task at hand.
Designate a Staging Area
Decide upon a set area of your new home to keep everything you’ll need to access in the first few days of living there. This is where your family can keep those extra outfits, electronics, and food items throughout the unpacking process.
Unpack the Bathroom First
One of the first rooms you unpack should be at least one bathroom. Make sure you have a supply of toilet paper, soap, and towels unpacked as soon as you arrive so no one has to unpack those essentials in a hurry. Unpack the family’s shower products and leave a stack of towels so that everyone can take a shower after a long day of moving. You’ll thank yourself at the end of the day when you have a clean and accessible bathroom to use.
Moving with a large family can be stressful, but these tips will help your move happen seamlessly. Every move is different and presents new challenges, but with these tips and some thoughtful planning, your family can enjoy your new home with less stress.
