Saturday, March 20, 2010

moving Tips- March 2010

Tips to take you through the stages of moving.
From preparation to becoming part of your new community...
Following Susan Miller’s guest appearance on the FamilyLife radio broadcast in 2009 with hosts Dennis Rainey and Bob Lapine, the FamilyLife staff put together their own list of moving tips. We shared many of those tips with you last spring and are bringing you 30 more. Whether you’re preparing for a move or adjusting to a recent move, you’ll find something here to help.
Thanks FamilyLife! These are great tips!
Preparing for the Move
  • Relax and trust in God’s timing instead of being concerned about things you are not in control of.
  • When you are preparing to move, have a sense of adventure. Look for fun and excitement in starting life in a brand-new place! Your success in adjusting to your new home and town will depend largely on your attitude.
  • Allow yourself to grieve the friends and home you are leaving.
  • If you have children, make the move an adventure for them. Keep them involved with the planning, deciding what to throw away or give away, and let them help with the packing.
  • When getting rid of things, ask the children if they would like to donate some of their belongings to shelters, hospitals, your church’s clothes closet, Goodwill, etc. The possibilities are limitless. You’ll be surprised by how much the kids will give away/share with others if doing this is their idea.
  • If possible, familiarize yourself with the dimensions and floor plan of your new home so you can tell the movers where to put the furniture and boxes.
  • Clearly mark the outside of each box with the location for the items it contains.
  • Color-code the boxes according to room. Include the location of small items (Ex: second drawer in oak desk).
  • Label the boxes by the room they will go to and by the essentials you will need (such as kitchen—dishes, silverware; or bathroom—toilet tissue, towels). You may want to include identifying information about the contents. Ex: bathroom/lower left drawer of vanity; master bedroom/top dresser drawer; baby’s room/sleepers and undershirts.
  • Think in stages. Mark boxes not only for room location, but also 1-5 (based on how urgent/early you will need the contents). The boxes labeled 3-5 will not need to be unpacked the first few days. Consider putting them in a garage, or somewhere out of the way, where you can go through them as time permits. Doing this will make your living areas more livable much quicker, and not stress you to unpack everything so quickly.
  • Label each box carefully and tape a list of contents inside. Load the truck so that the beds and bedding are packed last. That way, when you unload, you can easily set the beds up first so that everyone has a place to crash when they are tired.
  • Know how many boxes you have and put a number on each (Ex. 1 of 25).
  • For each day of travel, pack one suitcase with a complete change of clothes for every member of the family. Also, pack one overnight bag with toiletries and medications. When you stop for the night, you will only need to bring one suitcase (with clothes) and one overnight bag (with toiletries/medications) in to the hotel.
Moving Day
  • When the movers disassemble beds, tables, bicycles, etc., ask them to give you the screws, bolts, etc. Put each set in a separate bag and label.
  • Remember that the movers will pack everything as is. One friend found a kitchen garbage can filled with garbage when she unpacked.
  • If you move a lot, it’s a good idea to retain the original boxes for crystal, stereo equipment, punch bowls, etc.
  • Insist on a separate box for each lampshade you value.
  • Ask the movers to put any loose cushions for your furniture into boxes so they won’t get lost or soiled.
  • If you set up the children’s rooms first with toys, the kids can begin to feel at home while you work on the rest of the house.
Becoming Part of Your New Community
  • This is a chance to draw closer to God … allow Him to be your best friend for a while—then you won’t miss your other friends so much.
  • Focus on what you can learn in your new culture. Cheer for the hometown football team, try a regional recipe, tour a local art museum, etc. You will miss the “old,” but you don’t have it anymore. Be content with today, and look for the gifts God has for you in your move.
  • Get involved with a small group (for exercise, to study the Bible, volunteer, etc.). Involvement in a new community is key to resettling.
  • Bloom wherever you are planted.
  • When you move, you are not ending friendships; you are expanding them.
  • Smile, because people will smile back and be more willing to converse with you.
  • Get involved.
  • Accept all invitations you possibly can. People will ask you to do things when you’re new—if you say “no” enough, they will quit asking.
  • Introduce yourself to your neighbors … even when you’re sweaty and carrying boxes. Ask for their names and phone numbers.
  • Invest time and energy into building new relationships and be willing to let go of some relationships you left behind. Some people spend all of their time talking to friends where they moved from and not trying to develop new relationships in their new hometown.
  • Don’t expect similarity, accept God’s amazing differences

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