Prepare your family for the jolt of moving
Morris Digital Works Wire Service
Moving day is a week away. The to-do list, now with lengthy appendixes,
is almost too scary to consult.
Still, as overwhelming as things get, you can handle the details,
the mechanics of moving. But experts say too many people fail to
prepare themselves for the emotional and psychological wallop of
moving.
Relocation is one of life's top stress makers. Leaving your town
involves several losses: of friends, identity, place, routine. With
some planning, though, the jolt of relocating can be softened, the
effort to get established in a new place made easier.
Melody McGarrahan moved to Kansas City from Virginia a year ago
with her husband, Roger, and two young boys. She missed everything
about the old place, including her trees and the neighbors' friendly
waves. She missed the small-town atmosphere of the old place in
ways she didn't realize until later.
McGarrahan's top piece of advice is to spend some time, several
weekends if possible, in the new city before moving.
Her other urgent tip: Besides getting children involved in activities,
pursue your own, which can help start new relationships with people
who share your interests. McGarrahan took some college classes and
took a part-time job as a preschool teacher. Her husband became
a soccer coach.
"It's important to find a niche," she said.
Plan ahead. With careful planning, the stress of your move, and
the possibility of encountering last-minute crises, can be greatly
reduced. Begin planning at least a month in advance. Confirm your
closing date with your real estate agent before setting your moving
date. Make a list of all records that must be transferred to the
new location, including school, financial and medical records.
Send change-of-address cards, available free at the post office,
to magazines and organizations. Provide change-of-address instructions
on credit card bills; leave forwarding information with the post
office.
Begin packing early. If you have hired a moving company, request
boxes and packing paper. If you're a self-mover, ask local grocery
or beverage stores the best time to get boxes from them. Label boxes
clearly, packing items for rooms together.
Make a list of things to be packed and kept separate, within easy
reach: maps, prescription medicines, toys for children, relevant
phone numbers. Keep items you will need to settle in (cleaning supplies,
light bulbs, and tools), during the first few days of arrival (food,
utensils, and appliances), and important papers (medical and insurance
records) together. Pack a suitcase that could could live out of
for several days if necessary.
Two weeks before moving, contact utility companies with service
disconnection dates. Arrange for utility service in your new home.
Plan for the transfer of bank accounts.
On moving day, make sure heavy boxes go on the bottom and are tightly
stacked. Make a final check of all rooms and closets, and lock all
doors and windows. Have an empty box handy for those items that
got left out of other boxes.
When you arrive at your new home, check the fuse box or circuit
breakers to make sure everything is turned on. If the house is not
in the condition you expected, address concerns immediately with
your real estate agent. Don't try to unpack everything at once.
Since you organized while packing, putting seldom used items together,
some boxes can wait until you have settled. Take your time unpacking,
doing it together as a family.
|
