As many of you know our little family is about to make a huge move. Moving from Vermont to New Mexico. In three weeks. My knees are shaking, my hands are clamming, my heart is having strange palpitations. I am so nervous! I shouldn't be, I moved from New York to Alaska after all, but this is my first big move with kids.
Here's the deal: I need some ingenious moving tips. And this is where you come in. You ingenious people, you!
I am going to open up this contest from today through Tuesday, March 25th. Wednesday morning I will pick the winner.
You give me your best moving, traveling with children, or settling in tip.
And I give you this:
Here's the deal: I need some ingenious moving tips. And this is where you come in. You ingenious people, you!
I am going to open up this contest from today through Tuesday, March 25th. Wednesday morning I will pick the winner.
You give me your best moving, traveling with children, or settling in tip.
And I give you this:
A pound of locally roasted Vermont Maple Creme flavored Columbia coffee. You should smell this coffee.... absolute HEAVEN! It's ready and waiting to be mailed to the one whose tip I pick as the most ingenious. I will mail it to anywhere in the world.
Bring on those tips!
33 Comments:
Moving with kids? They pick up on your attitude, big time. If you are sad to go, or worried about the trip, or anxious about the new place, well, they will be, too. So, keep a good attitude, no matter what! It is, I think, the most important thing, and I've moved five times with kids. :-)
One other thing that I think is important is night lights. :-) In the new place, the windows and doors are in the "wrong" places, and when they wake at night, they are sometimes disoriented in the dark. I use nightlights for about a month, till everyone is comfortable in the new surroundings. I find there is less screaming in the middle of the night this way.
But, really, you'll be fine. :-)
We did a lot of moving when I was little. My mom always had one box that went in the truck last labeled "First Night". It would have toothbrushes and any essential bedtime snuggly things, sheets and pillows, something for a fun snack before bed, breakfast makings and toilet paper. That way, when we got to the new place, she just had to bring in that one box and we could do the first night. (many times things got delayed and we would get to the new place late at night - if it wasn't for that box, we would have had to get a hotel or dig through everything to find what we needed.)
I've traveled with kids across the world and across the country. One thing I did was get a backpack for each child and I filled it with little things to keep them occupied for the journey. New crayons, a new coloring book, a small book, a teeny puzzle, a small etch-a-sketch, etc. I never talk about the backpacks beforehand. They are kept a total secret until I detect the first signs of restlessness.
I also collect enough shoe box tops so each family member can have one. We use these as trays for eating snacks, putting together very tiny puzzles, etc., sort of like a little workspace.
I'm no expert on moving especially with kids. I moved everything alone while Matt was deployed but it was only next door. Sooo I have no advice in that area. But, I do with traveling. We travel alot in the summer & something my kids always love is taking pictures. I buy a few disposable cameras & let them snap away. I also love seeing what pictures they have taken later. On our 20 hr trip to Disney I would choose different themes to take pictures of like favorite colors or certain shapes. It really has helped us alot in traveling. Eve reminds me alot of Allison so I think she'd love it.
Well, I've never really moved any where far with kiddos, but maybe you could have them (well maybe not Eliza!) color a picture of the house that you live in now, and then on a seperate piece of paper, have them draw the picture of what they think their new house will look like. Also, I know that they love going to the library, so maybe what you could do is see if they have a webpage for the library where you're moving too & you can show them that. And I guess my final suggestion would be to take pictures of their favorite places, like the library, the park, church, etc. and make them a little picture book that they can hold on to. Make sure to leave a few pages empty, and tell them you're going to take pictures of their new favorite places when you get settled in.
Well...I am not a coffee drinker...LOL but I do have a couple tips. I have never moved with kids..we are in the house we hope to be in the rest of our lives...however..I am an organizer and a list maker. I think making a list of everything you need to do or pack will help you stay at ease. As well as labeling ALL boxes! Also...while packing...start purging. Throw away things you don't need or donate them...now is as good a time as any! :o)
Maybe letting the kids help you pack would be good for them...to keep them involved. (give them a box to fill with their toys etc) And try not to get stressed...or they will start freaking out and everyone will just have a miserable time!
OH...and my BIGGEST tip is before doing ANYTHING...pray. Pray over your children...over the boxes...over your vehicles. When you get to your new home...pray over it. God will never give you anything you can't handle!!! xoxo Best of luck to you Andrea! :o)
These are a few tips for the move.
1:give them each a disposable camera. it is so much fun to see all the things they take pictures of from the move.
2: either moving by plane or car I would have a small box or zip lock ready to give them on the day we headed out. I would put just little things that are new for them " got to love the dollor store". it would keep them busy.
2:at each stop they got to buy a post card and send it to who ever they wanted or keep to remember where they have been. even when we went by plane i made sure on the layovers they got one.
3:make sure you have little snacks and drinks.
4: have fun!!! moving is stress with or without kids. there is so much to do. But remember to let the kids help with some of the little things. that helps them to feel apart of it all. and when you get to where you are going. take a day to go out and see what is there. my kids always loved to go out and find the best park or best place or ice cream.
Well, we did make one big BIG move, but at least you're not limited by two suitcases each and having to worry about visas!
The only US-applicable advice I can think of is make time for each other after the move. When we moved to England, Michal was so obsessed with getting everything in the house perfect. It was his way of providing for us. But I also wanted some time just for the family as well. So yeah, it's important to get unpacked and get your furniture and everything, but your family time is also important.
Good luck! I'm sure with all the advice you'll get you'll have no trouble!
I was wondering when you were actually moving - how exciting, yet stressful, to know it's only 3 wks away! (Hey maybe you guys can join us in Roswell this Oct for the Buddy Walk!) :)
I don't drink coffee, so don't include me in the contest, but I'll still offer my advice for free LOL :)
Are you doing a DITY move? or Partial DITY? If you are having movers pack up some of the stuff, have Eve and Judah help with "sorting" - what stuff they want to take in the car and not have packed up..favorite blankets, toys, stuffed animals etc.
Get a map for Eve and outline the trip for her - show her the different states you'll be traveling through, have her mark them off as you go through them.
Another blogger I know made a move from CA to NM and asked for tips on traveling w/children. Here is the comment I left for her on things we did with Kayla for the road trip we took last summer:
Bubbles. And when you get tired of blowing them you can hold them up to the air vent and on turn on the fan to blow them in the back.
Magnets and a a cookie sheet, or we also have those travel magnet board thing…Kayla has a farm one. It folds out and can lay on her lap and she can play w/the magnets that way.
A little aqua doodle thing, I’m not sure if it’s actually called an aqua doodle (the one we have) but you fill the little pen thing w/water and when you “color” on the page the color shows up and then eventually dry and she can color again and again.
A viewmaster, Kayla hadn’t had one before and I kept it until the trip so it was new to her.
Binoculars…have her look for things out the windows.
books of course and coloring books
and if you want to get more ideas on traveling w/kids, here is that post so you can read what other bloggers suggested: http://soodz.com/blog/?p=1383
I'm sure I don't have to tell you all the military things about moving since you've done it before (ie take pics of everything, inventory, pack bedding in case you're in a house before your household goods arrive, etc).
Check out http://www.militaryonesource.com for a ton of information on moving - there is a "moving" link on the left side of the page. There are a lot of online tools from that link alone.
Good luck!
oh I also forgot - make sure you take frequent breaks for the kids to get out and stretch...and another idea is to buy some cheap toys and give them out to Eve and Judah periodically throughout the trip...so they are new toys for them, you might wrap them up as presents and give it to them each night.
Non-DITY move:
Go through your house and be sure everything in each room is seperated by room.
Get rid of everything that you can.
Put your decorations in one place. The reason for this is that you'll want to unpack the necessary stuff first. So, if you're trying to unpack your kitchen and the 'kitchen' box you're unpacking turns out to be full of decorative stuff, it will be irritating w/ 3 young children.
See if you can have the kids out of the house for the actual packing.
Explain to the packers that you do not want them to move from one room to another to "fill up" a box. Just fill it with paper. Otherwise, you'll look for your baseball glove in all the garage/sports boxes until you find it one day in the linens box.LOL
When you get there, forget the kitchen. Use paper plates, etc until you have the kids' rooms set up. Unpack all their beds/toys/clothes first. You should be able to do most of this in 1 or 2 days. This will help them settle in much quicker.
DITY move: I seriously doubt you're doing this, however, if you are:), keep a running list of every single thing that goes into each box. This will mean that you can just move from room to room filling up boxes. When you get there, if you need something, you can look at your list, see where it is and unpack that box. It saves time when unpacking. You're not unpacking 10 boxes just to find that one thing you need.
Have fun! Let the kids pack things like blankets, sheets, clothes, suitcases, toys, etc.
Let them "label" boxes. Give them their own marker to use on boxes.
First, Pack your bags carefully. I used to pack one week of clothing per person, and do laundry if I had too, its really hard to lug around a ton of suitcases. Always bring a blakie, a pillow, or comfort items.
My favorite trick is my "bag of tricks" I head to walmart or family dollar, dollar store, and figure out how many hours are in our trip. (Our longes was 28 hours). I then buy one thing (under a dollar) for each child (per hour! 12 hours::12 small things)
and put them all in a back pack. Crayons, rubber ducks, puzzles, little plastic action figures, whatever I can find that will keep them occupied. Then every hour I let them blindly pick out of the bag. It always keeps them busy hour to hour. They also have something to look forward too. I usually throw in a few extras too.
I also suggest taking a cooler of things your kids like. Its amazing how fast 7 11 and Mc D's gets old and you crave something like fresh fruit or trail mix. I had a large igloo blue cooler that as gross as it sounds, doubled as a changing table during stops. I would throw a towel over the top and lay the baby down on top.
I also suggest bringing an mp3 player with head phones, so that you dont have to tourture yourself listening to kid friendly music for hours on end.
Also bring, whipies, tylenol and meds, nail cippers, a flash light, thermometor, and anything extra you think you might need. Our last move we didnt get our stuff for 4 months and lived out of our suit cases. We made it though.
Good luck!!!
I stick with my comment yesterday about the very special boo hoo gift to myself, that i can pull out when the sad feelings of the unfamiliar creep in. however, because i'm sure that one doesn't count since it was yesterday and another post, i'll offer two more.
1. i promised the girls that as soon as we were all moved in (like, really moved in) we would have a party to celebrate our new house- they immediately think balloons and cake with a party, and asked for each, and i enthusiastically agreed. So, the girls have been talking for a month about the big party we'll have to "celebrate our new house!" as soon as we're officially moved in. it was something that means a lot to them (esp. balloons) so they really focused on that, and it's kept them forward-thinking as we packed up our old house.
2. as i was packing (and i'm sure you'll have movers- lucky you!) i added a few very fun little things as i packed. a couple of days before we packed, i went to target and got several small, but fun little "gifts" for the girls. then, as i was packing, i would pack little items in with the regular house stuff. (fun flower headbands in with the lamps, etc.) then, as i was busy unpacking and the kids were playing around me, all of the sudden, AH HA! a fun new special thing!!! this kept them occupied, happy, and feeling special.
i'd never moved with kids before either- the last time we moved grace was 2 and patie was 7 months- both too young to have too many emotional problems with the big change- so this time i tried to think a lot about preparing their little hearts for huge changes.
hope those ideas at least inspire you as you prepare for the big move!
Megan
please remember that i love coffee.
jk! :)
We moved from Ohio to WA state a few years ago traveling with a 7, 4 and 2 year old. My kids did really good thanks to a few things including:
Wet wipes. . . and plenty of them ( :
Sunglasses for the kids in the car (unless you have tinted windows). My kids extremely dislike the sun in their eyes!
Books and music on CD to listen to in the car. Instead of buying them, you can borrow them from the library and send them back to a friend to return them. Much cheaper than buying if you have a trusted friend to do it ( :
Gift bags or lunch boxes full of activities (same as what others mentioned- crayons. . . be careful of leaving them in the car in hot weather ( : plain notebooks, colored pencils, silly putty, stickers, books, etc)
A DVD player- I think this is a must have on a 3 day car trip like ours! We received one as a going away gift (we'd never had one before) but it was a GREAT diversion during grumpy times or right before naps.
Small pillows for the car to encourage those naps and,
Plenty of good snacks! Bring sippy cups to refill with water, too. Sugary drinks and long car trips don't mix!!!
Oh, and swimsuits are great if you'll be staying in hotels that have them.
Hope you have a safe trip!
Ok after many of these with my little one I have learned. Portable DVD player and fav movies, lots of snaks and drinks, but not just sugery ones some healthy ones. let them pick a few also. And enlist them NOW to help prepare their own boxes and bags for the trip. Also have them make a check list of things they "NEED" to help with so they feel important. You can even have them draw pictures of dishes and pots on the kitchen boxes, shampoo and the bathroom..etc. or use stickers before the movers take them all. Savanah loves that. Stock up on sugarless gum no matter how you travel, crayons coloring books favorite blankets, stuffed animals. Very comfy clothes and slip on shoes! Also keep a few washcloths on hand in 2 ziplocks so when you stop you can freshen up a bit. Also get them a map and laminate it and buy some grese pens and before you laminate it circle the place you will be going and they can check them off. Cheap disposable cameras are great for them to take pictures along the way so for the scrapbook they get to make after you settle in to the new home! Earmuffs for each child in case they are wanting to sleep and others dont! Most important you have to be very very excited and tell them how wonderful it will all be and build them up! Hope you have a safe trip!
For the kids, I always allow them to take their own little pillow that they've had since they were tiny. They also each get to pack a small bag of toys that are dear to them so that they have things that are familiar to them and it doubles as something to keep them occupied in an empty house/hotel while you are waiting for your household items. Also, books. And, crayons. And, books. Got that?
As far as our household stuff goes, we always do a partial DITY so that whatever we take (which ironically is a lot since having kids) we get paid for. Even if you don't think it's much, it adds up. I pre pack lots of healthy snacks in a cooler bag. Things that are not messy and easy to eat on the go. Grapes, carrot sticks, berries, string cheese, etc. That's all for the road trip portion. And, stop to let them out to run and have fun often.
For the house stuff...don't forget to keep with you an alarm, telephone, shower curtain and towels. These come in handy for us as we always arrive and find a house and then it takes days later for our stuff to get there. We save on hotel costs by staying in our new, empty house on air matresses. The kids think this is awesome because the house is one big, empty funland. And, you will have the essentials with you rather than packed and on their way to you. Also, for me, the coffee maker is one of those items that comes along :) I'm sure I'll think of more. We have moved to a new state every two years for the last eight. To a new house every year for the last eight. Sigh.
I just went back and read the other comments and the one about the books on tape and are a good idea! I wanted to add to that that Cracker Barrel restaurants have a rental system in place. You rent them out from one location and keep driving and listening. When you are done, stop at another Cracker Barrel and turn it in. Easy peasy since there are so many of those restaurants around the country!
Moving with kids?? Hmmm..
Benadryl?!?!
Just kidding...:) And I don't need the coffee either, I'll just get my buzz from good 'ol chocolate.
Blessings!
Okay, I didn't do this (moving with kids and a newborn) very well, but some tips-
a) pack by rooms and label boxes by rooms
b) unpack the kitchen first
c)buy lots of coloring books and stickers and bubble and popsicles (give them a bowl for drip or send them outside!) Walgreens/CVS has great cheap new toys- Pony Land, etc...
d) always buy more tape and more boxes than you think u need... Liquor stores are great for boxes.
e) do not stop and look at old pictures with nostalgia while you unpack- it is a WASTE of time- keep on task- I am very bad at this
f) do not be a perfectionist, you can organize later- just get unpacked before a whole year passes (another mistake I made)
e) PRAY
f) if none of the above is making things smooth, break out the Benadryl... take a few tsps yourself and have a nap to sleep away your cares....
Best of luck!
I moved alot as a child but, now we just travel quite a bit.
Some moving tips...
*LABEL Boxes by room.
*A cool idea is to maybe take a picture of the kids with their friends or in their "old" room and help them make a special frame to go around it so they can keep it in their new room and remember their friends and where they once lived.
*something that is great when we travel with the kids is a bag that they each get that has their own special things in it to keep them occupied. A portable DVD player is also great for the restless times.
*If we go on a long trip we usually leave in the middle of the night with jammies still on and the kids will fall back asleep and then around breakfast time, we stop and change and eat. It works out well and gives us a long stretch of quiet travel.
* Kid-friendly music
*Pray over your new house when you get there...that's an important one.
*We let K pick the "theme" (within reason) of his new room ahead of time so he had something to look forward to.
*We made sure when we moved that the babies crib was set up in the room of the new house the first night so that they would have their familiar bed. It wasn't too much trouble. We had no problems when we did that.
*Packing food saves time and money, but you would probably do that anyway.
-That's all I can think of for right now.
Oh, if you look on-line, I've always wanted to get one of those travel lap desks for the kids, they look great, they have cup holders and a place for coloring books and a flat surface to draw on. Eve might like something like that.
Making each moment of travel like an adventure will make everyone happy...even if it takes a little extra planning, it's worth it for your sanity and theirs.
-all the best to you as you prepare to embark on a new adventure!
I just wanted to say that my children have never fallen back to sleep in the car when we travel. We go on long car trips (10-20 hrs) a couple times a year. Since this is what my parents did, I thought it was a good idea. Unfortunately, MY kids are just too excited to fall back asleep. We've also tried leaving in the afternoon and traveling late at night. Another no go. They didn't go to sleep until we stopped for the night.
You do not know me I have been reading your blog for a few months. I have a few tips since I've moved way too many times in my life. I have always moved myself with lots of help from church people. I prefer moving myself so I can pack the way I want.
I haven't moved across country but still have some tips you may be able to use
If you are packing yourself:
* as you are packing boxes write on a piece of paper everything that is in that box and tape it to the outside of the box and where it goes. ie coffee maker read the labels find c.m and open that box also put things in that box that you would need for that object small package of coffee grinds, mugs,container of sugar. So your not opening 4 different boxes for 1thing. When your packing bowls pack some spoons & cereal in ziplock bags for the first morning.(milk well that is a different story lol)
* If you are going from 2 bathrooms to 2bthrms label your boxes bthrm 1 and bthrm 2 that way your not putting all bthrm boxes in 1 bthrm
* when you are packing the kitchen up don't use paper in between the plates use tea hand & bath towels & face cloths that way there isn't alot of garbage you have to thow out when you get there, and towels take up a lot of space in boxes, I have never had anything break!
When you get there first go through the house take paper, marker & tape with you, let the kids pick out their rooms (this gets them excited about the room they choose to sleep in)and label the doors to the kids rooms as to who's room and put the boxes in those designated rooms.
* Label everything words and/or pictures so hubby doesn't have to ask where it goes again. If you have light small stuff the kids can help take it into the house and the room (baby's room picture of baby) that way they are involved and put the camera somewhere you can grab it quick and know where it is when they are helping or doing something you wouldn't expect them to do and so that you have pictures of the big helpers for their scrapbooks.
* Try to put boxs in the closet that way you'll have lots of room to put up the beds and not tripping over boxes to do so.
* Choose corners of rooms and label where to put boxes to keep them out of the way put signs on the walls were you want the sofa, loveseat, entertainment center etc. on and so that your not having to move boxes right away to put the big stuff where you want it.
* Put the boxes in the tub, that way they are not in the way if you need to use the washroom.
* Remember that you may not get there in one day vehicles tend to breakdown when they shouldn't take the vehicle in to check everything before you go. That way your not having to trust a machanic you don't know if something does happen along the way. You might catch it before you leave.
* At each stop clean out the car of garbage. that way its a quick clean up when you get to the new house rather then putting off the huge mess.
* If you are traveling in seperate vehicles find a cheep set of walkie talkies so that mom and dad can still communicate with each other and the kids this is a hit! Play games like calling different animals out when you see farms. So cows are deer, horses are goats, and the kids can tell you what they are and what they say. Silly fun game that makes them think.
* If you know anybody on base or ask around to see if someone knows somebody on base call them ask if they would know of anyone who could help you with the unloading you might even be surprised who he brings along to help and things maybe in the house alot faster and they may even stay to help set up beds for the kids. That way you meet people on the first day.
Lastly make a plan of the things on this blog you choose to do. As your reading them. That way your not running to the computer trying to remember all of the great ideas that people have given you or forgeting them and remembering them later regreting you didn't do it. This should have been my first one so you could write them down. lol
Sorry so long, hopefully it helps, God bless you in your move and may He keep you safe in your travels!
So, I never did this, so my only contribution is this:
1. I will be praying over you like crazy
2. Remember God never gives us more than we can handle
3. You are easily one of the best moms I know and I really think you have nothing to worry about. Between you and Sgt Hub, it should be a breeze!!
We were stationed in NM at Cannon AFB...but that was 6 bases ago.
My tips would be to print out a road map of your trip and laminate it. When the kids ask where we are or how much longer you can hand them the map and they can see the route. It's a good idea to highlight your route and then give them stickers to put on the top at each stop or new state.
I also used to buy a bunch of little gifts, toys or treats and wrap them up in gift paper. When someone got bored or fussy I would toss back another surprise! They have fun opening them and then whatever is inside keeps them busy.
On our last move we drove from California to Florida. We had never taken a road trip of that magnitude before so each time we crossed the line into a new state we would pull off at the information center and they always have a "Welcome" sign. We took pics at each welcome sign. You know Welcome to Florida the Sunshine state sort of sign. It has made some great pages for scrapbooking!
Good luck. If you ever want to take a peek at one of my blogs here are the links.
Robin
Air Force Wife
http://journals.aol.com/robinngabster/TheYellowBrickRoad/
http://journals.aol.com/robinngabster/Talesofatrailerparkprincess/
We drove from San Diego to NY with 4.5 kids. My biggest advice would be to drive NO more than 12 hours a day, stop well before dark, find a hotel with a pool, and take the kids in. Other things: We always stop after every half a tank of gas(not hard with a van), and get out, walk around , go to the restroom. Audio books are good, as are small toys like beanie babies, etc.
Good luck with your move!
So...let's try this again...we have never made a long trip with Gabe, but I do have some great childhood memories! (Aren't mom's great?) My mom used to collect a pile of "gently used" ziploc bags and fill each one with a special treat and activity for each hour of the trip. She would buy little treats we normally did not get (juice boxes, etc) and add a little fun toy, too. We would get to pick a bag each hour and open our bag to find bubbles, a book, an activity book, a little doll, an etch-a-sketch, matchbox cars, a travel game....it was skads of fun!
Hi! I came across your blog while keeping up with Little Joshua. We have moved quite a few times as we are a military family too! The best thing I did when packing, actually pre-packing, before the movers came in: All the games and toys the kids had with little pieces were put in baggies. That way when I pulled out games, all the pieces were there. I also bagged larger items in the big bags that I wanted to keep together. I know its such a small thing, but it really helped me to find all that I needed!
Kierry
I have only moved far away with Madison and it was once. 650 miles away. Took 2 days...and she was only 6 months old. So my tip is....pray with Daniel before leaving that you both have patience. Because you will both be stressed and un easy. Nothing I mean Nothing about this will be easy nor great. Try to make landmarks fun for Judah and Eve....stop as much as you can...little legs need to stretch. Scott and I stopped alot. We knew Ky wasnt going anywhwere...and well we took our time. Andrea...you are sucha great mom. I really think you will be fine. Go to the travel channel web site and look for big spots to stop on your journey of your new chapter in your exciting new life. Good Luck gal. I'm praying for you all.
To get the kids psyched, show them pictures, educate them about their new home, fun things there are to do there.
You'll also need to pack last minute items (INCLUDING SNACKS) the day you leave and put it by the front door or in the car.
Don't forget the important stuff: binkies, stuffed friends, etc. (sorry, don't know how young your children are!). Make sure you have pillows for the car, too!
To keep it sane in the car, travel after 9 PM so the children SLEEP most of the way there! If you're flying, that alone is an adventure.
Here's my tip...
Give Eve & Judah a shoe box each - let them decorate it and then put in there things from your house & the neighborhood that they can "transplant" to their new house (i.e. don't let them be too big of items) - rocks from the garden, a leaf for the backyard, pictures of friends & places they like to visit, a rock from the playground etc. (you might have to help take an hour & take some pictures with them of their favorite places - or familiar places - grocery store etc.). Along the drive & once you get to your new house, have them do the same thing as they explore! Then, when you have gathered everything, get some construction paper & let them write a "book" of their journey. Glue the rocks & leaves/twigs on, paint around the pictures. Whenever they miss their old home, pull out their "books" and stroll down memory lane! I did this when I was 5 and collected buttons & pictures along the way. I still have the book today:) The shoe boxes can ride with them in the car, or be the last thing on the moving truck & the first thing off!
Hopefully everything will go smoothly for you!
~Anna
We moved across town a few years ago with my then-1 year old daughter. The big new house was confusing for her. I will never forget about three days after we moved I was unpacking her clothes, and she got SO excited when I pulled out some familiar outfits. She actually hugged and carried one outgit around the house for a while-- I think it just made her very happy to see something familiar.
So, my tip would be to get the kids' rooms settled first, and get their familiar items out ASAP to ease the transition.
Advice on moving with children. Well, seeing as I'm moving in the next week - and I moved a gadzillion times as a child - and I moved internationally with an 8 week old - I should have some advice. Do I though? Umm...
Label, label, label, label. Everything. By room, by content.
Purge. Do NOT take stuff that you don't need. Don't tell yourself, "Oh, I'll sort through that when I get there..." because you know you won't.
Live off of paper plates for the last week. And easy meals.
In terms of making life feel normal/transition...
Make it fun. Even if it means masking your own apprehension about the move. As a child it was hard to move if I knew my parents were dreading the move. It's fun to move if there's an excitement about it.
And if it means neglecting "unpacking" or "organizing" when you get there, take your kids fun places. Get involved in stuff quickly - library story time, etc. The sooner they can acclimate, the sooner you can. There's nothing more depressing than knowing your kids are miserable. You won't relax in your new environment if you think the kids are sad, lonely, bored, etc.
Good luck!
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