Moving can be daunting no matter how many times you do it. You and your family need to physically, mentally, and emotionally prepare for the upcoming move. Accomplishing this feat might be challenging, but always keep in mind that it’s not impossible. So, here are six essential tips to help prepare your family for the big move.  

Call Professional Movers

If you want to take most of the heavy lifting off of moving (no pun intended), consider hiring professional movers from the start. Note that a successful move can take one person several days or weeks to accomplish. Preparing for the relocation can still take a long time with the help of other family members. 

Cut the time and effort needed to plan, pack, and move with the help of a reliable moving company. As a bonus, you won’t have to pull the extra muscle lifting heavy furniture into a moving vehicle. Many movers are physically fit, and these experts know how to handle different objects accordingly. Thus, you can have peace of mind, knowing that your items will arrive at your new home safe and sound. 

Check the following link for more information about hiring professional movers: https://www.thebigboymovers.com/locations/utah/.

Understand Different Stress Levels

It’s safe to say that all relocating practices will have different stress-inducing scenarios. These events can deliver unwanted pressure to both physical and psychological elements to various household members.

For example, your teens might find it saddening to leave their friends behind. Consequently, it’s going to be tough missing your favorite local restaurant when you move to another state. 

Perhaps, the first step to correctly deal with the pressures of relocating is to know the things that can bring stress. These elements include:

• Changes – Every move will carry changes, both big and small. The family will have a new home, neighborhood, and even friends and jobs. Note that these alterations are unavoidable, but accepting them can work wonders for the mind and spirit for the long-term. 
• Money – Moving will always cost money regardless if you’re going to hire professional movers or not. Planning for a big move means accounting every possible expenditure, including food and packing materials. Your family can still move on a budget, but some sacrifices may need to happen to make this particular operation a success.
• Time – Planning and preparing for a big move requires an immense amount of time. Some families need months of preparation to ensure nothing goes wrong during moving day. Each household member needs to know that they might have to sacrifice some luxuries to help the family prepare for the relocation.  

Dealing with the emotional and psychological stress of moving requires proper communication. Talk with your partner, children, and other household members and know how they feel about the move. Never disregard the feelings of other household members even if it seems like you're already carrying the weight of the world on your shoulders. 

Let other family members know that you’ll always be there for them in times of need. Also, try to maintain a positive attitude as moving day draws near. 

Remember, feelings can be contagious—negativity can spread like wildfire across the household if you harbor negative thoughts, like anger and sadness. But, the same notion might be correct when you exude positivity. So, focus on the positives and hold a smile when you're with other household members. Your positivity may rub off on others, allowing them to feel a sense of relief while thinking about the upcoming move. 

Get The Family Involved

A pair of hands can make a move successful, albeit it's going to take a significant amount of time and effort. But, four pairs of hands are always going to be better than two. 

In other words, keep the family involved in the different steps of relocation. Let your children, specifically the adults, young adults, and teens, help you carry the furniture to the moving truck. Ask your partner to help you pack fragile items. Request for the assistance of other household members to contact utility companies about the move. 

Reducing the effort involved in moving may require the help of all family members. Also, keeping yourselves busy may help reduce the thoughts of leaving the current neighborhood.

Teach Proper Organization

Packing can be one of the most tedious aspects of moving, especially if you’re going to bring a lot of items to the new home. Some family members might not know how to pack correctly. In turn, their boxes and containers may look like a complete mess, and the objects inside will be prone to damages and breaks. 

Before you start putting things in containers, tell each household member about the correct ways to pack. Consider the following tips as you educate your family about proper packing:

• Separate The Clutter

You don’t have to get rid of everything to lighten the load for the move. Instead, tell family members to sort their clutter into two separate piles: one to keep and the other to throw away or sell. Doing a massive purge at the beginning of the relocation can deliver a significant impact on the overall efficiency of ease for the packing process. 

• Donate

Do you want to leave a positive note in your neighborhood when your family moves to another city or town?  Let your family donate the things you no longer need to a charitable organization. Remember, one person’s trash might be another individual’s treasure. 

• Find Free Boxes

Moving boxes might look inexpensive, but the family will need more than a few containers to house all the items for the move. Hence, the costs of buying moving boxes may skyrocket before you know it.  

But, why pay for boxes when you can get them for free?  It might be tough to search for free containers if you don’t know where to look. So, consider asking your local liquor store for cartons and cases. 

If you’re friends (or family) with the liquor store owner, perhaps you can get these containers without paying a cent. Otherwise, you can purchase the cartons for a relatively cheap price. 

• Use The Original Boxes For Electronics

There’s a chance that some household members will still have the original boxes for their used electronics lying somewhere around the house. Tell family members to use these containers for those gadgets and appliances to avoid unnecessary expenditures to buy new boxes. 

Bonus tip: you can also tell your family to use clothing, blankets, and upholsteries to cover and secure fragile items in boxes. Use these alternate and eco-friendly options to reduce the use of bubble wraps and packing paper.

Prepare All Necessary Documents

A part of a successful and smooth move is to prepare all the necessary documents before moving day. The importance of possessing all documents for relocating strengthens if the family relocates out of the country. 

Going to different organizations to secure the appropriate papers can be taxing. Thus, consider asking the help of other family members to help you in this regard. 

Some documents you may need to acquire are:

• Birth certificates
• Passports
• Marriage certificate
• Divorce papers
• Driver’s licenses
• Social Security cards
• School records
• Financial records

Don’t Forget The Pet

Many households consider their pets as parts of the family. Therefore, don’t leave ‘Fido’ behind if you’re going to relocate. 

But, it can be more challenging to control your pet as you prepare for the big move as compared to dealing with human family members. Your cat might scratch and leave holes in boxes. Consequently, your dog might mark their territory by peeing on containers. 

Despite these challenges, it’s possible to keep your animal family member under control as you prepare for moving day. Here are some quick tips to help prepare your pet for relocation:

• Leave Your Pet In A Quiet Spot

Like humans, pets can also feel stress. The sight of people moving around the house while carrying heavy boxes may cause the animal’s mind to think that something bad is going to happen. 

Avoid or reduce pet stress by keeping them in an isolated location, away from the people helping you pack and move. This area could be an empty bedroom or your backyard. Still, ensure to check up on your animal companions regularly.

• Have A Joyride

Bring your pet with you as you travel around town, preparing for the move. The animal should feel at ease, knowing that you're still going to be with them throughout the ordeal.

• Visit The New House

If possible, visit the new house with your pet in tow. Let the animal explore the new abode so they don’t feel too surprised and stressed once you move into the new place. 

• Secure The Documents

Pets may also need papers for traveling. Hence, it's best to secure all the necessary documents, like immunization records and health certificates, for a smooth move.

Final Words

A big move with the family can be challenging, regardless of how many times the family has relocated. Nonetheless, always remember that the stress brought by relocating will seem insignificant as long as you have the family with you.