5 Things To Consider Before Moving Your Family Cross-Country
Moving across the country can be a terrific choice for your family. You may be moving closer to family or to a new job. You may have inherited property and finally have the chance to be mortgage-free. No matter what your reason is, there are big decisions to be made.
1. How To Move People
Your decision on how to move your people will center primarily around 3 factors:
- How many drivers will you have?
- How many vehicles are you taking?
- How many times do you have to make the trip?
If you have 2 teen drivers and both can drive an SUV or pickup, you have expanded your moving capacity. If all of your children are under the age of 8, you’d probably better fly.
One of the big challenges for moving as a family is that the largest family vehicle is often the one with the most hauling capacity. It may be tempting to load up the car seats in the smaller car and use the minivan or SUV for boxes. If you choose to do this, make sure you give your little ones time to adjust.
A taller vehicle allows your little ones to see more out of the windows and the front windshield. If you don’t let them adjust, moving day may be very distressing for all involved.
2. How To Move Stuff
Lighten The Load
Map out your new space so you know exactly how much furniture you’re taking and where you’re going to put it when you arrive. If everything is going into storage while you stay with friends or family, create a color-tracking system based on the home you moved out of. Everything from bedroom one can have a blue dot or tag on the box, and everything from bedroom two can be tagged with red.
Have a moving sale. Make donations. Be ruthless about throwing things away. Part of the joy of the unpacking process is knowing that everything that comes out of a box will be enjoyed by your family members. Avoid packing regret by only loading up what will be useful.
Your Transport Vehicle
Will you be renting a moving truck and driving it yourself or hiring a moving service? If you’re going to be doing your own driving, take a careful look at just how you will pace yourself on this drive.
Professional drivers of big rigs must take breaks. Plan to stop every few hours to stretch, rest your eyes, and grab a bite to eat. Don’t push yourself as though you were just driving the family car.
Enlist The Family
Children too young to drive can be extremely helpful in a cross-country move. You can put one child in charge of chargers. They will carry the backpack that carries all the charging cords for
- phones
- tablets
- computers
Work with this child to set up a charging schedule so everyone in the car has their entertainment screen when they need it.
Another child can be in charge of snacks. This may mean making sandwiches or filling individual water bottles. This will also mean getting everything placed in trash bags when you visit a rest stop.
3. What Your Obstacles Will Be
If you have to cross mountains, move in the summer. If you are relocating to an island, hiring a Hawaii car transport service and a downsizing coach may be necessary. If you’re moving to the south or to the desert, move in November.
Every move is different. You may think you have a house waiting for you and find that the deal fell through while you were on the road. You may plan to move in with family and find that won’t work long-term. Staying flexible is key to a happy move.
To that end, make sure that you carry your personal items in easily accessible tools. Every member of the clan needs a suitcase that contains
- pajamas, a towel, and toiletries
- at least one change of clothes
- sheets for their bed
On the day the truck is unloaded, you can clean up, make the beds and sleep on fresh sheets. You don’t want to have to unpack to make the beds.
4. Your Timeline
Despite the fact that you planned ahead and put the utilities in your name, it’s hard to unload a truck in the dark. It’s very hard to manage small children in an empty house who are tired, confused, and in need of a bath and bed. Should you arrive at your new home later than you expected, do your best to push back the move-in to full daylight.
As you plan your move, no matter who is driving, put in a great deal of schedule “padding” for breaks. If your mapping tool says it will take 9 hours to drive to your new city, give yourself 2 days to do it. Avoid driving an unfamiliar vehicle through unfamiliar terrain in the dark. Break up your drive to avoid fatigue.
5. Time To Settle In
If you’re moving at the end of July and your children start at their new school in August, your focus will have to be on getting them into school. If you’re moving in November, you’re probably focusing on preparing for cold weather or your first holiday in your new space.
Give yourself time to settle in. If you have family nearby who can take small children for a day of fun while you tackle your personal cardboard mountain, do so. You may have to hire a babysitter and settle them and your children in front of a movie while you work in another room.
Your cross-country move will be disruptive. It may be tough for your school-aged children and really hard on your teens. However, every aspect of it can be managed with some planning.
