Moving long distances is a major task, so it’s advisable to start the process early. When moving from one home to another, everyone goes through a roller coaster of feelings. They might be excited to start life anew. At the same time, it’s a little heartbreaking to leave those familiar spots, especially if you’re relocating from a vibrant city like Fort Lauderdale. Fort Lauderdale, known for its pristine beaches, captivating arts and culture, and remarkable museums, is difficult to part with. But, nowadays, most individuals leave such cities due to high living costs, Fort Lauderdale’s being 22% higher than the national average.
If you’re in charge of the moving process, all those pending tasks are probably taking over any other feeling. A few of the main items to cross off your list may include obtaining packing boxes and other materials, packing up the boxes and labeling them properly, sorting through all your belongings, changing the name on your utilities, etc.
With a multitude of moving tasks to tackle, managing everything yourself becomes challenging. If you have family, delegate tasks and include everyone in the process. Below, we’ll share tips on how to do so:
1. Have Checklists for Everyone
You probably penned down a moving checklist to keep up with everything. So, why not ask the kids to follow suit? Encourage them to list everything they need to box up from their rooms. This way, you can ensure they stick to the moving schedule while imparting organization and time management skills.
But among all the checklists, yours needs to be exhaustive and should account for everything, especially contacting local movers. So, let’s say you’re moving from Fort Lauderdale to any other city or state. In that case, searching for professional movers is advised. If you’re looking for affordable movers, looking up cost effective long distance movers in Fort Lauderdale will help you find the best option.
2. Let Everyone Declutter
Trust each family member to declutter their stuff. You might want to micromanage such tasks, but that will take most of your time and energy.
Everyone knows best what they need to keep and what they can do without. If your kids are old enough–perhaps past the toddler stage–they can be surprisingly good at sorting out their belongings. Set up a donation box to teach them about sharing and helping others.
As for the general clutter around the house, you can get everyone involved by making two large piles. Each family member can put items in the ‘keep’ pile or ‘donate/give away’ pile. Later on, you can sort it out together or on your own.
If anyone gets stuck, share some tips for downsizing and decluttering with them. It will be easier to pack and move when you have less stuff to handle.
3. Make the Moving Boxes Fun
If you need to keep the little ones busy while everyone else is packing, get them interested in decorating moving boxes. Since the boxes will be a new addition to the home, children will be curious about them anyway. Pull out markers, stickers, decorative tape, and anything else you can think of. Older kids can make fancy labels for the boxes, while younger kids can scribble and paste to their heart’s content.
For other family members, try assigning different colors to their boxes. This way, there will be less confusion about whose items go where. It’ll also be easier to determine which boxes belong to which family members’ new rooms.
4. Make Cleaning a Group Project
Moving involves several smaller projects in addition to packing and unpacking. After everything is packed up, you need to clean your old home before driving off. It could be a long chore, so involve the family to make it more fun. Here are some ideas on how the whole family can work on cleaning the place for the new occupants:
- Children are capable of dusting and wiping surfaces, so assign them the task of wiping down lower baseboards and cabinets
- Hand a spray bottle and cleaning cloth to the slightly older kids
- If a child isn’t used to cleaning, demonstrate the work and keep an eye on them
- The taller family members can take on the task of cleaning the higher cabinets and any other place that’s hard to reach
- Make everyone responsible for cleaning their bedrooms
Even if some family members aren’t used to cleaning or tidying up, they should be a part of the moving process. If someone can’t pitch in due to allergies or some other issues, delegate some other task to them. For example, they can go to the store to buy snacks for the trip to their new home. There’s probably some paperwork to complete or phone calls to make, so there’s a task for everyone.
5. Hide Surprises for Unpacking Time
Unpacking is perhaps more important than the packing phase. It’s when you set up your new place, put your personal touch within those walls, and start making a home.
Everyone will probably be tired when they reach their destination, so it’s time to get creative. Encourage little kids to help with the unpacking tasks by hiding small gifts in each of their boxes. The delight of finding these little surprises will propel them to finish each task as soon as possible.
Other family members can also make a game out of unpacking boxes. They can have a timed race to see who gets their room in order first. There could be a prize for the winner or a special takeout dinner as a reward for everyone.
Conclusion
Just thinking about moving can stress anyone out. The tasks become more difficult if you have family and young kids to consider. Along with the physical work, there’s also the emotional burden of kids and teenagers who don’t feel comfortable with the change. Fortunately, there are several excellent ways to involve your family in the move. Who knows, you might even get your kids excited about moving. However, hire reliable movers in your city to ensure your belongings safely reach their new destination.