If you find yourself moving in the near future here are a few tips (this list will be added to as time goes on) that will help you to make your transition as smooth and stress-free as possible.
I’ve moved about every 1 1/2 - 3 years of my life because my father was in the Army and my husband’s job has required us to move a few times. I’ve moved only twice with children but I’ve learned a f ew lessons along the way!
- When mailing boxes to your new destination, be sure to tape the bottom of the box extra good. Chances are the box has been used before and the tape may need to be reinforced if your box is heavy. I recommend using Scotch Super Strength Packaging Tape ( $4.49 at CVS).
- Keep lists of everything you put in the box you’re mailing and get insurance protection. If a box arrives empty, or not at all, you won’t want to have to try to remember every little thing you put in there! Trust me!
- Get a reputable moving company. Check the Better Business Bureau and any other kind of background check you can find on them.
- Get the extra insurance even if you’re moving across town. We moved across town 3 years ago and had the fabric torn on our couch and scratches on the entertainment center just to mention a couple of things. It took us OVER A YEAR to get them to reimburse us for the expenses. If we’d purchased the $250 insurance “policy” we would not have had such a hassle.
- Make a list of everything that gets damaged in the move and it’s value. It will help in the end when you need it for insurance purposes.
- If your child is very young, give him/her a handful of washable markers and a big box to color on. If you have any of those huge wardrobe boxes, turn one upside down, cut a door and windows in it and tell them to decorate their new house. :) Remember to tell them they can have the markers as long as they ONLY mark on the box!
- Pack valuable jewelry, paperwork, etc. in your suitcase and take it with you. Such things as these that are irreplaceable (or difficult to replace) shouldn’t be trusted to the movers.
- Find boxes for your kids to unpack in an effort to keep them busy.
- DO NOT leave unpacked toy boxes in sight where they can see them or else they will unpack them (scatter is a better word!) with no particular organization! We made this mistake and boy did we pay for it!
- Watch the packers pack your items so that you can make sure and instruct them to ensure that, for instance, everything that was in your linen closet is labeled “linen closet” on the box. If you don’t you’ll wind up with your linen closet items in 5 different boxes unrelated to what they’ve printed on the outside! It can be a very frustrating process when you’re trying to look for something in particular (like sheets or towels) and you can’t find them for two weeks until you open the box labeled “storage room”!
- Vow to open every box. How long have you had some of those boxes unopened??? Remember those boxes from college? Baby clothes that are 5 years old??? Hmmmm???! Use this as an opportunity to purge and find items for a garage sale! Tell your kids that they can keep the money they make from their old toys
- See the Fun Things to Do section for a complete list of things that might help you keep your kids busy while you unpack.
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