One Stop Moving Boxes

While moving is an exhausting time for adults, it can be an even harder time for young children. For many children under the age of 10, moving can be an exciting time, but it can also become an event that leaves them feeling uncertain, neglected, and afraid. Here are some helpful tips for people with children who are planning a move.

Make a decision to include children in a few discussions regarding an upcoming move. Their age will obviously help to dictate exactly how many discussions they should be a part of, and to what depth as well. Preschoolers can grasp less than elementary-aged kids. These youngsters should be included by simply informing them of the move, and allowing for excitement to be instilled. Addressing fears for the little tykes will be a bit simpler than for the older crowd. Knowing that all of their toys and possessions will be making the trip is usually what they need to know to feel safe enough to look forward to the move with eagerness.

Elementary-aged children will have other concerns. If moving into a new school district, or even farther, they will need to understand that while they are leaving their friends behind, they do not have to stop being friends. They also will need to hear that they will have the opportunity to make new friends in their new location.

Once all your moving supplies are packed into boxes and on their way, you need consider the ride from here to there. When time is of the essence and there really is no way to stop and see the sights, make sure to pack a travel bag–especially when children are involved. Include many different activities, as attention spans seem to run even shorter than normal on a road trip. There are great things to find at dollar stores, such as “fun pads” that have coloring pages, dot-to-dots, crosswords, and more, or kids’ and grown-ups’ books that won’t break the bank at only a buck each. There are magnetic travel games available as well: travel Bingo, Scrabble, Chess and Checkers are just a few examples. These make it easy, because the little pieces are less-likely to be lost as dad careens around a sharp curve.

Portable DVD players can be life savers for parents. Just be sure to pack a good variety of movies, so that the kids don’t get bored with the same genre over and over. Remember to pack headphones if possible, so that Mom and Dad don’t get the “Mashed Potato” song stuck in their heads for hours.

Another useful way to utilize time on the road, if there are kids and they are old enough, is to learn about the place everyone will soon call home. Try quizzing each other on things like what the state capital is, and how many people live within the city limits. Learn what kinds of events are held yearly, etc.

As long as there are things to do, even a lengthy cross-country move can be exciting. Just think, all your moving boxes will be waiting for you!

Of all the things people dislike, moving has got to be in the top ten; especially when it’s long distance. After everything has been packed and loaded, why not let the real adventure begin? Why not use the time on the road to have a little fun? There are many ideas and entertaining ways to turn a simple move into an exhilarating adventure.

When an entire family’s belongings is tagging along for the ride, extending travel time isn’t always the best option. But working a few pit stops into the trip that offer a bit of distraction, if only for the 10-15 minutes generally allotted for potty breaks, isn’t such a bad idea.

If time allows before packing your moving boxes, go online to find interesting sights along the way. Map out these attractions as places to stop and stretch legs or eat a snack or meal. Who wouldn’t love to eat lunch next to the world’s largest ball of twine, or stretch their legs while walking around Car Henge? These are ways to add excitement to the trip without spending extra cash or extending the length of time on the road. If the trip is looming and the computer has already been packed, stop at a rest area or oasis to pick out some brochures. Ask attendants along the way for interesting sights to see. There is always a way to find out where the beloved “pink elephant” is in every community.

Remember to label moving boxes with contents, or at least with a room designation. This also goes when items are wrapped in moving supplies such as bubble wrap, it may be hard to see what wrapped item is, so label it on the outside. If utilizing used boxes for moving that are just too busy with scribbles, UPC codes and old addresses, don’t despair. Use a sheet of paper to record contents or preferred room, and tape to the box. Make sure to tape all edges down, though, as papers tend to get torn when moving boxes are being shifted and stacked into vehicles.

While these are a few ways to improvise when the proverbial well runs dry, just remember to keep a working list of items that need to be replenished when the stores open the next day. Moving is an expensive and time-consuming task, but it doesn’t have to be so extreme. Careful planning will always allow for better results, and when even the most cautiously planned time comes up short, a little ingenuity goes a long way.

Many people have learned the hard way that when packing, moving supplies run out well before the job of packing does. Packing supplies are probably one of the most underestimated areas of moving. And while it may not be the most expensive, it can certainly be the most troublesome. Imagine getting down to the last box of plates and having no paper to wrap them in!

Most people who do not hire a professional moving company usually end up boxing their belongings well into the night, when most stores are closed. So what to do when the packaging tape is empty, or worse, paper to wrap the breakables runs out? Moving boxes can at least be packed and placed in a holding area to be taped up, but fragile items must wait for their protective wrappings before going into the box.

Here are a few solutions to this time-consuming problem when supply quantities have been underestimated.

1. For fragile items, wrap in clothing–just make sure that unmentionables aren’t utilized in the process in case someone less intimate with said garments unpacks that box! Another idea is to wrap breakables with paper towel. The key here is to make sure to re-use those paper towels after unpacking (when applicable): it saves packaging expenses while committing to recycle!
2. Haven’t thought about what to do with odd nuts, bolts, or screws once the bed frames have been taken apart? Use a zip-top bag to seal all hardware, then tape securely to the frame. If the tape supply is running low, make sure to label each bag so that the parts are not misappropriated during setup at the new locale.
3. Run out of moving boxes and still have some things to pack? Try using luggage or empty drawers. When using drawers, though, make sure to take them out of the dresser before moving–it will save back injuries and hernias! Laundry hampers and baskets are also useful toting devices. Since most of them are made of plastic, they are extremely durable as well. And if all else fails, a trash bag is always a versatile carrying compartment.

Just about the time when everyone in the house stops asking where such-and-such is, the head chef of the family will probably rearrange things. This isn’t a set back.  It just takes a while to figure out where things should go in a new kitchen.  Once it is all set in place finding things should be simple and easy.

Figuring out the garage is another thing that takes some time.  Many people will throw all the miscellaneous boxes into the garage.  Don’t just shove random moving boxes into the rafters though.  Set the timeline of about a month, and try to sort and distribute all miscellaneous moving boxes by the end of that period. Conquer one or two boxes a day or do a few stacks of moving boxes over each weekend. When unloading these boxes it might be a good idea to start a garage sale corner.  Make sure to mark any garage stuff though, so that it doesn’t just end up being a pile of random junk.

Most parts of the house take time to start feeling like home again.  Don’t be afraid of emptying out the moving boxes before you know exactly where things are going to be permanently.  Eventually things will be in place and it will begin to feel like home.

Packing moving boxes, cleaning, then comes the time of taking everything to the new place. After a month or so of hard work, being in the new house feels like it should be a time to relax.  But relaxing and enjoying the new place can be difficult with the larger than life task of unpacking boxes, decorating the house, and fixing the many things that need attention.  Unlike moving though, once you have gotten all of your stuff transferred to the new place, you are no longer held to a deadline.

While it would be painful to drag the process out too long, it is also necessary to be realistic about how much can be done.  This is a good time to set a grace period for unpacking.  This is a time in which you plan to get things accomplished, without being impatient with about specifics.

The kitchen is possibly the most important area to have a grace period for.  When moving in, unpacking all the moving boxes that are full of flat wear, dishes, and basic pots and pans is first priority.  Pantry foods can be unpacked through out the first week, on an as needed basis.  China and true silver wear can be put away as soon as you move in, or whenever you get a chance. The difficulty with the kitchen, is figuring out exactly where everything should go. After the moving supplies and boxes are all put away, there is still settling in to be done.  It will take everyone in the house a while to get used to where things are.  It will also take about the same amount of time to figure out where things are actually going to go.

Toddlers and preschoolers can be much more trouble than they are help.  However, when you are packing up their room, they may help their parents by working together to put blankets or stuffed animals into moving boxes.  Preschoolers may also be able to pack toys such as blocks.  They may pretend to help with small things such as dusting or scrubbing floors.  Although these so-called cleaning tasks won’t get the house clean, it may help occupy them while mom and dad do the actual cleaning.

Grade school kids can help with simple tasks, such as boxing their assorted toys and using moving supplies with adult supervision.  Taking books off a bookshelf and boxing them up is another great task they can complete.  Go over your labeling system with the child a few times, and check to make sure they know what they are doing before letting them do it without your direct involvement.  Because kids this age are constantly in a stage of trying to be bigger, stronger and older, any job that seems grown up or important will probably be appealing to them.  With non-fragile items, this age group will probably be your biggest helpers.  Provide age appropriate incentive, if wanted.  However, do let them simply enjoy the thrill of doing grown up stuff. When it becomes tiresome, encourage them to take a break.  Moving can be a fun process, especially at that age, but it can also be a long process.  Finally, let the whole family know that you will be going out for ice cream, or something similar, to celebrate once the chaos has ended.  It’s a good light at the end of the tunnel for everyone to look forward to when moving.

When a family is moving, there is a lot of stuff that needs to be boxed up.  The task can be overwhelming if mom and dad are doing everything on their own.  But by enlisting the help of the family things may more a bit quicker.

If there are teenagers, the first job on their list should be packing boxes up with their own belongings.  This is also a great time to encourage them to get rid of the clutter that so easily dominates the teenage room.  Set a realistic goal for them to donate or trash a certain amount of their things, for instance one moving box full of stuff to goodwill and two grocery bags full of clutter to be thrown away.  With the goal that is set for them, it’s also good to set up an incentive, such as a new lamp, or a new bedspread if they achieve the goal.  If the reward is something they were needing for the new house anyways, then it won’t really be any extra money spent. Teenagers who will be driving in the near future, or are driving already, would benefit from helping to pack up the garage. Most teenagers are unaware of what things are needed to keep a car running, and this can be the first step towards familiarity with these things.

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Having a receipt stating that the place was cleaned by professional cleaners can save the backlash of the landlord trying to come back to you later with complaints that are unrealistic.  The next renter may have complaints about things that aren’t your responsibility, but if you had professional cleaners, the landlord should be reasonable after moving.

People with a house that is still on the market also might want to consider hiring professional cleaners.  A clean house is much more appealing to potential buyers.  A dirty house appears to have a lower market value.  It also looks more like a “fixer up” when a house is left dirty.  If the house is still being shown, make sure to have it well cleaned before moving.  Leave a few lightly scented plug-ins there, so that the house doesn’t end up smelling stale.  Another thing to consider is slightly staging the house.  Put a few tasteful accents in major rooms, such as a nice candle in the bathroom.  By putting a few nice accessories in the house, it helps people be able to envision what it would be like to live there.  If you have a realtor that is fairly progressive, they may include this service as part of the contract.  If you have to do it yourself, it would probably be beneficial to have a friend with an eye for decor help you.  A poorly done staging job is worse than a completely empty house.  So if you are going to do it, make sure to do it well.

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