How to Prepare Your Family to Move

As you get ready to head to the next stage in your life in the Highlands area of Denver, the biggest job has only just begun. Preparation is key when moving with your family to a new home. By following a few important steps early-on, you can have a moving experience that — while not necessarily 100% stress-free — is as easy as it can be. Explore our top tips for being proactive about the moving process, from start to finish.

Start planning your move early and give family members the time they need as well. Children – especially younger ones – may not understand the urgency of the situation, so make sure you continually follow up with encouragement and assistance. Do not give in to the temptation of procrastinating (or letting family members procrastinate). The time spent on early preparations will pay off when you are not rushing later on.

If you are not sure where to start, begin with a list. Setting down on paper all the things you need to get done can not only help you organize, but also remove some of the stress. Left alone in your head, the process of moving can become even more daunting than it actually is. Once you have it set out in front of you, you can start checking things off one-by-one.

Having an organized list can also help your family to see what needs to be done and how things are progressing. Sharing your list with your family can give them a sense of context and make it easier for them to identify what they need to get done.

As you work through the process of packing up your home, prioritize those items that you can live without. Holiday decorations or rarely-used items will not be missed during the moving process, and decluttering will greatly simplify your life. The last thing you need is a stack of boxes you have to go around every time you enter a room.

Some home sellers even choose to rent a moving pod or storage locker to serve as a staging area for boxes, furniture, and other items that are ready to go. If you have space in your garage or basement, that can work just as well. The important aspect is being able to get things out of your way so that you can maintain focus without unnecessary distractions.

Of course, maintaining a positive attitude is easier said than done. Moving is stressful, and it is perfectly understandable that there are going to be times you do not want to put on a smile. However, you have to remember that your child looks to you for their cues. If you are able to treat moving like an exciting adventure, your family is more likely to take the same attitude.

Remember, children have a shorter frame of reference than adults. Four years is a quarter of everything that a 16 year old has experienced. For a six year old, it is essentially the only life they have known. If you have lived four years in a home with your family, that house will doubtless hold a lot of happy memories for you. Depending on their age, it might hold all of your child’s best memories. Be patient and try to help your child to approach the move with a constructive attitude by cultivating a constructive attitude of your own.

When you let someone have an active role in a significant change, it becomes something that they are doing rather than something that is happening to them. At times, it may seem a lot easier to just take care of a moving task yourself rather than assigning it to one of your children.

Depending on your child’s age, you may actually create more work for yourself by assigning a task to that child. In the long run, though, involving your children in the moving process will make your life easier because it will help them to adjust to the changes in their reality.

Of course, your child’s role does not necessarily have to be overly complex. Yes, it may be a good idea, and even a bit of a relief, to have your teenager start clearing out the attic. On the other hand, younger children can be encouraged with roles such as “navigator” or “researcher.” Ask them to find out everything they can about the new town or neighborhood. Give them books or set them loose on the internet, as appropriate.

Depending on how far your move is, taking the whole family to see their new home may be as simple as jumping in the car, or it may require planning an entire vacation. Regardless, a visit to your new home can help to create positive associations for your family that will make the move easier.

If a trip is out of the question, gather information about your new home and the area around it, and share it with the family. The internet makes it possible to explore from thousands of miles away, so take advantage of that. Give your family opportunities to be excited about all the aspects of the move, from how your child plans to decorate their room to outdoor areas they can explore. By giving your family a preview of the move, they will be able to approach the move with anticipation rather than uncertainty.

When looking at homes for sale in The Highlands, finding an experienced real estate agent is the most important thing you can do to prepare. An agent who knows the Highlands area of Denver, such as Jason Sirois, can help to ensure you start your move on the right foot with a home your whole family will love.