Make moving easier for the entire family
Moving house has a few problematic areas and most of them actually appear once the relocation is complete. Getting used to the new home is always a huge problem, especially if you have not only moved house or flat, but moved to another city altogether. Adapting in a new city or town can be difficult, depending on how used you all were to your old one and how well you react to change. But there are so many ways to make the transition more seamless and you can even start the adaptation process before the relocation happens. All it takes is a bit of effort.
• Get introduced to the new city
Apart from the inspection you do on the new home, you can also spare a day while you are still making the moving checklist and take the family out on a tour of the new city. Introduce everybody to what they will expect. Go see your new workplace. Show the kids their new schools. And then present to them the neighbourhood and the future home. Surely, they might hate it at first, but don’t worry about that – it’s a process and it starts with introductions. Getting used to something takes time and familiarity helps quite a lot. The main point here is to make sure that they know where the moving company is taking everybody.
• Have everybody help with the move
If everybody is involved with the move, they will be invested in its success. This means them having more hope for a positive outcome after moving house. A very good way to have the kids more involved is to let them start the arrangements in the new home. Let them plan and organise their own rooms so that they make the space as comfortable for themselves as possible.
• Have nights out
After the relocation, you should have many outings with the family. Yes, you already got introduced to the town, but now the point is to get familiar with it. Find the ‘local spots’ like the bakery around the corner, the cosy bookstore, the little diner where everybody goes, and the rest of the amenities only locals make use of. All of these are the little things in a town; the special places the knowledge of which helps you accept the town as a home. The more such places you know the easier accepting it will be.
• Find ‘your spots’
Everybody has a favourite spot in a town. Your cosy place in the local park, the corner table at the friendly restaurant, the bar counter seat at the pub, the cafe next door, and so on. Everybody has one favourite place where they like spending their free time and the sooner you help the family find theirs, the easier the adaptation process will be. There is nothing like a place to call your own, even if you are in an unknown city which you feel hostile against.
• Find friends
And, of course, one of the best and easiest ways of getting used to a city or town is to find something that keeps you there. A good friend will go a long way in helping you adapt and find your own place in the new environment. Encourage the family to mingle with the locals, to make acquaintances, to build relationships and eventually the new setting will be the last thing on their mind.
Adapting to a new city may look daunting, but it is merely a simple process to go through after a relocation. All you have to do is find your own method and pace and pretty soon you will be calling it home. And don’t worry if somebody in the family is having trouble with it. It is always a matter of time.
