If you’re trying to move as a family, it’s definitely not going to be as easy as in the movies. It’s also impossible to move by yourself, and unless your kids are teenagers, you might have to ask for help from friends and family to deal with carrying all of those boxes. Another solution that might work for you would be to call on the services of a moving company, which will not only carry the boxes for you, but also deal with the moving process from top to bottom. Whatever your choice is, here are a few tips for dealing with moving issues as a family, from certified NYC movers.
Give Your Kids Something to Do
No matter what age your kids are, assuming that they’re not babies of course, you should probably give them something to do. It’s also a good way of dealing with all of that pent-up energy kids often have. Let them help you with packing, or let them carry the boxes to the moving truck if they’re old enough. Now, of course, this doesn’t mean you should let them carry the heaviest boxes. They’re little, after all, and you don’t want an accident happening.
Kids always crave things to do, and helping with moving is the perfect opportunity to let them handle some real responsibility. This will not only make them feel useful, but it will also instill a sense of adultness in them. If they’re old enough, you can even go a step further and let them help with budgeting. Obviously, they’ll need proper supervision, and you should double-check whatever they come up with.
Hire Movers
If you’ve got a large family, you probably also have a lot of things to move. If you want to avoid packing and moving everything by yourself, you should probably hire movers. A moving company will not only help you with packing, but they’ll also supply their own moving truck and deal with unexpected issues, such as finding the best route to your new home or handling large objects with care. Movers are the perfect solution for when you feel overwhelmed.
Even though, at first, it might seem more expensive to hire movers, they can be much cheaper than packing and moving by yourself. By moving alone, you’d have to deal with fragile objects by yourself, and you’re also not accounting for whatever damage might happen to your items. Remember, you’re not a professional, and accidents do happen from time to time. With movers, not only will your items be insured, but they’ll also be handled with the care they need.
Take Care of Your Budgeting Needs
No matter if you choose a moving company or do everything by yourself, moving can get pretty expensive. As such, it’s best to start planning a budget at least a few months in advance of moving day. If you don’t, you might end up spending much more than you can afford. If you’re moving by yourself, always account for the expense of renting a moving truck and gas. Those will probably be the most expensive things on your budget.
Then, don’t forget about packing materials, as those are absolutely necessary when moving. They might not be as expensive as gas or a rental truck, but they will still be pretty pricey. Our advice would be to buy plastic packing boxes instead of using cardboard ones, as they’re not only more reliable but are also much better for the environment. Keep in mind, you’ll also need to leave some money for unexpected expenses, such as parking tickets for example.
Deal with Packing
Packing isn’t as easy as you might think it is, especially if you’ve got a lot of stuff. You’ll be better off if you make a checklist of all of the items you need to move, and you should probably have a packing plan ready and dusted at least a month before moving day is upon you. If you’ve decided to hire a moving company, then know that a lot of those companies also offer packing services, which might be a huge load off your mind.
As mentioned before, packing using cardboard boxes might not be the best idea. Nowadays, plastic boxes are the way to go, especially since you can use them again and again without them breaking. In regards to packing advice, you should do your best to label all of your boxes with what items are inside or what room they belong to, and you can also go a step further and color code those boxes. This will definitely make unpacking much easier.
Maintain a Positive Attitude
Anybody who has moved before can tell you how stressful moving can get. From packing to transporting your stuff to your new home, moving is no joke. As such, it’s important to maintain a calm and collected attitude throughout the whole process. This is especially true if you’ve got children, as they tend to mimic their parents’ emotions and attitude. If you find yourself getting angry or stressed out, try to take a break.
Know that stress gets to even the best of us, so don’t beat yourself up for not being able to keep yourself calm throughout the entire process. Things you can do to avoid stress include taking a walk, eating something, or maybe even playing with your children for a bit. Anything you can to do to take the edge off you should do.
