While some excitement can be expected during a move, the process can also invoke feelings of inconvenience for everyone in the family. In fact, stress during a move isn't uncommon for adults and kids alike. Learning about Seattle and the surrounding suburban cities is an excellent way to maintain a positive outlook on the move, even when things aren't going exactly the way you planned. Following are a few other things you can do to effectively decrease stress levels and increase convenience for the whole family.
Create a Countdown Calendar
To ensure that everyone stays on track with their moving tasks, create a countdown calendar to use for two or three months leading up to the move. You can use a basic calendar from the store and simply write in the information you'd like seen by the family or use a whiteboard to create a new countdown calendar every week. Each day should feature the number of days left until the big move as well as:
- Specific moving tasks that each family member is responsible for.
- A fun assignment that the family should do together to learn more about Seattle.
- An interesting fact about Seattle, like that the city is considered to be the most literate in the United States.
- A little information about an attraction everyone can look forward to visiting after the move.
The idea of creating a countdown calendar is to keep everyone on track with their moving responsibilities so you don't get behind and to get the household excited about the move so stress levels stay low.
Get Friends and Family Involved
If your friends and family are supportive of your move to Seattle, they'll likely be happy to help with the process in any way that they can—so take advantage of the help when you can! Have the kids spend a few weekends at their grandparents' or friends' houses in the months leading up to your move so you and your spouse can spend all of your time focusing on the move.
If you have friends with animals that get along with yours, ask them to take your pets for a day once in a while so you don't have to worry about them being underfoot while you're getting things ready to be packed. You may find that a friendly neighbor doesn't mind picking up a short list of groceries for you on days when you're feeling overwhelmed with moving chores. After you've settled into your new place, take the time to send a thank-you card to everyone who supported your family's move.
Free up Some Time Upon Your Arrival
It's also important to free up some time for the whole family once you arrive at your new home so you everyone has the opportunity to explore their surroundings and get acclimated before heading to a new school or workplace. By feeling comfortable in your new environment, the entire family should experience less stress and anxiety when it comes to integrating into society. If at all possible, clear everyone's schedule for two or three entire days upon your arrival. You can explore local stores and stock the house with food and necessities to make it feel homier.
Consider exploring various museums in the city, such as the Seattle Art Museum, to gain some insight into Seattle's culture. It is also a good idea to spend some time exploring your new community on foot so you can get to know the neighbors and get an idea of the area's vibe. Planning a day of traveling through the city using various methods of transportation is a surefire way to acclimate the family to their surroundings while learning where the theaters, malls, and other places of interest are.
These tips and tricks should be easy to implement and will help ensure that the moving experience is less stressful and more enjoyable overall. To find moving companies in your area to help you reduce stress even more, visit sites like http://www.wheatonworldwide.com.
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