Did you know that the average American will move around 11 times during their entire lifetime? That’s a lot of moving, and so it’s likely that you have already moved at least once and possibly more in your life by the time you have a family. You’ll know how exciting it is to move, you’ll know how scary it is. You’ll know how much there is to get done. Yet somehow, despite knowing all of this, and despite the number of times people move in their lives, it often feels as though it’s the first time and any previous knowledge disappears. That’s because moving is stressful, no matter what the reason is for it. 

So when you’re moving house the next time, perhaps especially if you have a young family to take with you, there are some important things to bear in mind. This will make the move easier, less stressful, and you’ll feel so much more prepared. Read on to find out more.  

Make A Plan

Planning is an essential part of almost everything that happens in life; the better and more well-thought-out the plan is, the easier everything within the plan will be. Moving home is no different. The key to moving, however, is to start planning early. Very early. In fact, as soon as you decide that you want or need to move, you’ll need to start planning. Even if the move itself doesn’t take place for another year or even longer, if you have your plan ready it won’t matter – you’ll be prepared. 

Your plan will need to include everything that has to be done in the run-up to moving day itself, and it will need to include the move too. Plus you might also want to include what happens afterward so that you can ensure you have everything in place. From finding a new property to speaking to the utility companies, everything can be included in your plan. 

This is especially useful when you’re choosing a good mover to use. You’ll be able to research them in advance and ensure you have found one that is great value for money and that will do the best job for you.  

Make Friends 

Something that many people forget about when they are moving, assuming they are moving out of their current neighborhood, that is, is that they will not know anyone. They won’t have any friends in the area, they won’t know their neighbors, they won’t know what facilities and entertainment is available. 

It’s a good idea to change this before you move. Take the time to spend some time in your new place. Introduce yourself to the neighbors before you move so that they know who to expect; you might even find that they are willing to help you and give you all the information you need about the area you’re moving to. You can check out other places like the library, the gym, the bars and clubs, the stores, and the restaurants, and you can see what activities are available that you can join in with. The move will feel much less scary and much more exciting if you’re already a part of the community. 

This is perhaps even more important if you’re moving with children in tow, especially if this is the first time they have ever moved home. Showing them what they can do in their new place and giving them something to look forward to can help make the move a lot less concerning for them.