*collaborative guest post
It’s a new year. One that will hopefully be full of new and exciting adventures. Perhaps you’ve set your New Year’s resolutions (although everyone knows we rarely follow through!). Or maybe you’ve decided to go on a long vacation this year and explore a new culture. Alternatively, this might be the year that you and your family move to a new house.
If you’ve made the decision to sell your home and relocate to a new one, then it’s sure to be an eventful year for you. But before you go ahead and start preparations for your move, it’s important to consider the possible effects it will have on your family. A move is a big change, so don’t go about it without knowing how it will affect your life!
Disruption Of Your Schedule
One of the strongest effects of moving house is how disruptive it can be. Of course, moving to a completely new environment can take some getting used to and can even be disorientating. However, the disruptions start early on.
You might have to forgo certain regular activities in order to make the necessary arrangements and get everything packed. For example, moving house is quite expensive so you might not have the luxury of a summer vacation. Or you might simply need to make time in your schedule to be able to get things ready.
When moving, your life will most likely feel chaotic and it’s difficult to get into a familiar, comfortable rhythm. This greatly affects younger children in particular since they depend on regularity and predictability to feel calm. To avoid this, try to keep daily or weekly rituals such as takeaway and movie nights or weekend afternoon trips to the park.
Relationship Troubles
Unfortunately, you’ll have more difficulty maintaining close relationships when moving house. You might even have to cut some ties. The same goes for your children. For big moves, such as to a new city or country, the effects are greater. Kids will most likely focus on the losses during this time—friends, family, and the environment that they know.
Instead, it’s important to focus on the positives. Reassure your kids that although it’ll be more difficult to see some friends and family, there are still some familiar things to take comfort in, such as their toys and books.
Get them excited about a new house or city by showing them fun places to explore and foods to try. They’ll also be able to meet new people and make friends, whether that be from their school, sports teams, clubs, or other groups that encourages socializing.
And don’t forget to take the stress off yourself too, delegate any tasks you can and make sure to use an experienced local real estate agent who can foresee any possible problems and take the burden of worry off you.
Feeling Left Out
Planning for a move might appear to be solely reserved for the adults. However, it’s crucial that your children are involved in the whole process as well. If they feel left out, they’ll have a much more difficult time accepting and dealing with the change.
Take them with you when you’re house hunting, asking for their opinions. Talk about the move openly and tell them about your reasons for the move. Be sure to let them have their say and to even give their suggestions.
Get your kids feeling involved by having them help out with moving preparations. Let them pack their own rooms, choose their rooms, and decide how they’ll decorate them. You can even let them plan for a farewell party with all their friends and family or help load up the van. If possible, let them be present during the big day so they can get first-hand experiences and help them cope with the change.
Stress On Your Health
One area that is often neglected when preparing for a move is your health, both physically and mentally. With everything involved with moving, such as paperwork, arranging for help, and packing, it’s difficult to maintain a healthy lifestyle.
The lack of time and high amount of stress makes it easy to just order takeaways, eat out all the time, and snack on unhealthy food. You might also not have the time and energy to exercise regularly or to get the fresh air you need. Instead, make an effort to prepare nutritious meals at home and take much-needed exercise breaks. Make sure to set time aside for what’s important: your health.
Letting your attention focus away from moving will also help your mental health. Destress by doing your favourite activities alone or with friends and family. Take your mind off of the move and you’ll be surprised by the results!
