There are many benefits to moving house; such as the opportunity to have a fresh start, to clear out the clutter and being able to see the world from a new perspective (and location). But it also comes with certain hardships; you and your family’s friends have to be left behind, possessions can get lost or broken in the shuffle, and your family might have trouble adjusting to the new location. This is to name but a few issues. Here are six quick guidelines to help to overcome these difficulties.

Plan carefully

Make sure when planning your move, you do it carefully. Note down your plans for before, during and after the move has happened. You will be surprised how much it helps to have an idea of what you’re doing before hand, seeing as it helps to keep your mind clear of other worries, and helps you see to your children and / or pet’s needs on the day.

Make sure you hire a reputable moving company

This is crucial. The last thing you need during a potentially stressful move is a cowboy removal service who won’t take care and attention with your possessions and deny you certain services, such as dismantling and rebuilding your larger pieces of furniture. By doing a bit of research on the subject on comparison sites, and by doing some extra legwork you can make sure you hire the right people for your personal removal needs.

Take extra care when packing

All of the fine china, priceless ornaments and your children’s favourite toys need to remain intact, so keep the following packing tips in mind; avoid second hand materials that might split and tear, make sure you purchase the materials from a well known packing company, and avoid over packing. You really don’t want to make it all the way through a move and find your valuables broken, and you definitely don’t want your children throwing a tantrum after finding that their action figures are broken.

Get to know your new area before you leave

Google maps is your friend, make a note of all the relevant hot spots, such as the nearest schools, nearest convenience stores, public transportation stations and of course, the nearest pubs. And in turn, you should set a day aside to visit these places and by get to know the neighbours. Remember, the more familiarity you and your family can gather over a few days will do wonders for reducing stress and homesickness.

Keep your friends close

Thankfully in this modern era, this step is easier than ever. If you or your family have friends they will be sad about leaving behind, keep in contact with them by exchanging email addresses or adding them on the myriad of social networking sites. If you have tween or teenage children, ask them about it, they’ve had this step sorted out for years.

And lastly:

Keep you and your family calm

This step ties in to all the previous ones. If you keep a clear head and avoid arguments, the move will happen a lot more smoothly. If you have children up to teenage level, it’ll be normal for them to be wholeheartedly against the move, but at the end of the day as parents it is your decision. The most you can do is listen to their objections and treat them with respect. With younger children, make sure you make the most of their short attention spans and be ready to answer their questions. As long as you keep a cool head, you can make them understand in their own way.

Yes, moving is typically a stressful business. But by keeping optimistic and keeping a tab on things, the pre, during and post move week should go swimmingly. Who knows, your children might find the new town of residence more suited to their needs. They’ll thank you when they are older. Happy moving!