Tips for a Less Stressful Move: Advice for the Whole Family

Children Helping Unload Boxes From Van On Family Moving In Day

It’s no secret that moving can be a hassle, especially if you’re divorced, have kids, or both. Did you know that more than 15.9 million Americans moved during the pandemic, according to USPS data? Since moving is one of the most stress-inducing milestones in life, it’s important to know how to make it a more enjoyable process.

Maybe you’re leaving a small apartment to finally have more space, or maybe you’re moving across the country to start a new life after divorce. Even if your children are looking forward to the move, they probably also feel unstable as they experience a ton of changes. When you’re divorced, there are even more considerations and logistics to keep in mind.

There are plenty of stress-free moving tips you can follow that make life easier, fortunately. Although one of the best solutions is to look into the cost of hiring a moving service, if that’s not possible, at least try to follow some of our hacks that are particularly helpful if you’re a divorcee.

• Keep a master binder for moving. Organize all documents: contracts, receipts, and other important records in one organized place.

• Schedule your move to happen mid-month or mid-week. There will be less traffic and the cost to move furniture might be lower during these times.

• Be careful about how you pack! Take care of wrapping fragile or tedious items first so you’re not rushing and leaving room for error (and damage.)

• Avoid leaks, lost items, or other mishaps by keeping expensive and valuable personal belongings close and remembering to pack items like cleaning solutions, paints, and sharp tools in clear plastic bins (rather than cardboard boxes.)

• Be sure to organize your boxes using color-coding. Consider giving every room a different color packing label. You can download our free packing labels to add to your boxes below!

• Make extra cash by selling unnecessary items on Facebook Marketplace, Craigslist or a yard sale.

• Schedule a pickup with WePickUp.org or a similar site if you have a lot of items you’d rather donate than sell. It’ll save you a trip to Good Will or Salvation Army!

• Paint the move in a positive light when talking to the kids. It’s easy to constantly talk about how stressed you are with the moving process. Remember, your kids are always listening and internalizing those sentiments — try to stay positive.

• Notify your home insurance agent to see if moving insurance is included in your policy. If not, you’ll want to look into moving insurance to protect your belongings.

• Be prepared for inclement weather. For example, bring old towels, extra cardboard and plastic wrap to protect items in transit when there’s rain or snow.

You can find more actionable tips here, and feel free to download the printable resources below to help with the moving process: an inventory cheat sheet, contact notification sheet, and moving labels.

Author of this article is Gabrielle Gardiner. She is a Content Marketing Specialist
http://siegemedia.com