Moving to another house can be a monumental task, especially when you are a big family.
That easily multiplies the stress and complexity of moving. You have to organize every single aspect of relocation while keeping everyone’s spirits up by involving them in the moving process.
That’s how you prevent the onset of relocation depression and help your family adjust to an unfamiliar environment after moving.
So, how do you turn relocation into an exciting and enjoyable experience for the whole family?
Since an average American moves 11.7 times in their lifetime, the following organization and decluttering tips can be helpful on multiple occasions.
Here’s how to transform moving into a well-coordinated adventure for your large household.
Useful Tricks and Tips for Moving Into a New Home
1. Pick a Date for Moving
Choosing the right time to move can be more stressful than picking your wedding date. Don’t forget that 60% of Americans move in the summer.
So, the start of the year is probably the best time to move. Make sure everyone knows when they’re about to move so they get ready for the “big day.”
It’s recommended you start planning for the move in advance.
Keep everybody in the loop; it’s even better to create a WhatsApp group to keep everyone informed of all moving-related news.
Discuss the move openly with your family and let them chime in when planning the relocation.
2. Take Good Care of Your Pets
Don’t forget those four-legged creatures when planning your out-of-state move.
Around 66% of U.S. households have a family pet, so it’s important to learn how to manage your pet’s well-being when switching homes.
Bear in mind that the moving blues can equally affect your pet.
Check out this online guide on moving with pets before the relocation date.
Learn how to take care of exotic pets and aquariums/terrariums. Making the moving process smooth for them is also really important as they are a part of your family.
3. Put Everything on A Calendar
While some families like to communicate digitally (via WhatsApp groups and Facebook Messenger), others (chiefly the ones with older family members) prefer to organize things the old-fashioned way.
So, you can try to put all moving-related chores up on a calendar in the family kitchen so everyone will know what has to be done.
It’s a great way to make your folks more involved in the process of relocation.
4. Get Rid of Excess Stuff
The larger your household, the more clutter you will find in your home.
So, use relocation as a pretty opportune excuse to declutter and get rid of all that excess stuff from your residence.
Surveys show that a quarter of Americans have a clutter problem, which means your family may have been hoarding a lot of useless stuff in the attic or the basement.
From broken lamps and dusty furniture to lean bookshelves and large family portraits – all of this needs to go.
However, instead of throwing it all away (cause there will be a lot of memorabilia), rent a storage unit and dump it all there.
That’s how you won’t have a family member complaining that you threw away their childhood toys or a precious family album.
5. Label Your Boxes Clearly
Label all the packing boxes on at least three sides so you’ll remember the content put into them.
For instance, if a box contains things from the kitchen, then write down “Kitchen” on it. Color-code it as well for better visibility. That’s how you can check what’s inside a box without having to open it.
It’s time to use the numbers to your advantage and ask some family members to start labeling all the boxes.
6. Involve All the Family Members
Moving means chaos for larger families as everyone wants to get in on it and remain involved in the whole process.
So, how do you keep the moving process well-organized?
Try to designate packing zones for your family. Assign certain areas for each willing family member to sort through and pack.
That’s how you can finish packing your belongings much faster, and everyone will have a chance to do their part.
7. Packing Tips and Tricks When Moving House
Learn a few packing tips to go through this tiresome process much more easily.
Packing can be very stress-inducing for larger families; you’ll have to choose which rooms to pack first carefully. So, here is what you should do:
- Pack the rarely-used stuff in the beginning
- Start by packing the least-used room in the house
- Pack lighter items on top of heavy items for extra safety
- Use the right size boxes and avoid leaving empty spaces
- Choose smaller boxes to pack heavier items very carefully
8. Protect Your Fragile Items
Carefully pack fragile items and anything that can break easily with minimal pressure.
Cushion all these fragile objects by using blankets, newspapers, or bubble wrap.
That’s how you can prevent your ceramics or glassware from breaking. Make sure everyone in the family knows this trick to securely place fragile items inside a box.
9. Change Your Address
This step is very important.
You have to notify all important parties of your address change, which means telling the post office, your banks, and other institutes that you’re switching homes.
Ask your kids to inform their close friends of the address change.
Give your friends and extended family members the new address as well.
10. Pack An Overnight Bag For Everyone
Here’s another tip many families forget when moving: ensure you’ve packed everyone’s essentials separately.
An average U.S. family barely has four members; however, bigger households need to be more concerned about packing an overnight bag for every single member of the house.
This bag will contain everything that family members need to stay comfortable during the journey to the new home and spend the first few nights there conveniently.
So, give everyone their toothbrushes, a pair of pajamas, and comfy beddings for the long-distance move. Include things like toilet paper, paper towels, hand soap, towels, sheets, and other essentials.
11. Keep Important Docs With You
Some families like to transport their belongings to the new place on their own; they will use their cars to move everything, even across state borders, turning moving into a road trip.
However, larger households don’t have this luxury. If you have a big family, then it’s better to hire a capable moving company to load your possessions and bring them to your new house.
Everything but your important documents.
Those you will have to carry on your person all the time.
12. Take Pictures Of All Your Stuff
Don’t forget to take pictures of all your stuff to make sure everything gets delivered to your new home without damage.
Movers, even the most reliable ones, can accidentally break your stuff or even lose something during transit.
That’s why you should get moving insurance and have someone take pictures of all the items (especially electronics) the movers will transport.
If anything breaks, the pictures will prove once and for all who is responsible for the damage.
13. Prepare The House For Your Folks
Are you sure that the previous owner or tenant of your new home had the place cleaned thoroughly before leaving?
You never know what kind of germs are lurking around this place.
So, have your new home deep-cleaned before moving in there with your big family.
Your family may have older, vulnerable adults, kids with different health issues, and toddlers who are sensitive to lots of different diseases due to their age.
Don’t risk their well-being, and inspect for mold, mildew, or asbestos.
14. Maintain Your Routine After Moving
Big families often struggle to deal with the stress of moving and adjusting to a new place.
However, there’s one thing you can do to make the new house feel more like home.
Keep up with your family routines and traditions. It’ll give your older and underage family members a sense of stability after moving.
So, wake up at the same time in the morning and follow similar bedtime routines.
15. Explore the Neighborhood
Congratulations!
You have finished the big family move.
And if the moving blues hamper your family’s ability to adjust to the new house, you should consider exploring the neighborhood with your family members and locate key areas of interest.
Find out where the nearby parks, schools, restaurants, and shopping malls are located.
And don’t forget to say hello to your neighbors, especially if they have kids the same age as your children.
Home organization and decluttering tips
- How to declutter your entire home
- Brilliant closet organization tips
- How to organize linens without a linen closet
- How to organize your whole house
- 100 easy things to declutter from your home right now
Tips for Moving Into a New Home Final Words
We’ve discussed some tips that aim to make your large family move a smoother and more memorable experience.
Plan your move at least a few weeks before the relocation date.
Involve your entire family in the moving preparations and enlist them to pack everything and get rid of the clutter.