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You might be moving to a new city for a range of reasons. Whether you’re starting a new job or relocating to be closer to family members, the stress may be getting to you. Fortunately, it’s easy to make a cross-country move fun. Here are some ways how.
1. Make A Moving Playlist
Packing can cause more anxiety than people expect. You have to find enough boxes and bubble wrap to keep your belongings safe. You’ll also need to strategize which belongings should remain in your cabinets or closets until the last minute.
Music makes all the difference when you’re packing. Make a playlist while you’re storing belongings and listen to it again while driving or flying to your new home. The uplifting jams will keep everyone in a good mood and help the time fly by.
2. Pack Entertainment Travel Bags
The ride to a new house can seem much longer while sitting in the car with anxious thoughts for hours. Distract yourself and your loved ones by creating entertainment travel bags. Colouring books and conversation starter card packs will help pass the time.
You can even make moving across the country fun by exploring board games for road trips, downloading movies or playing a video game together on multiple consoles.
3. Tow Your Belongings
When people pay for a moving van, it locks them into an arrival date and time. Towing your belongings in a trailer gives you much more freedom to customize your move. You can stop at popular roadside attractions along the way to your new city and make great memories before arriving home. You won’t have contracts locking you into a specific arrival because everything you need is riding behind your car.
If you choose to tow your boxes, double-check your trailer as a safety precaution before leaving your home for the last time. Ensure that the electrical cables work by testing your brake lights so other drivers know when your trailer is slowing down or switching lanes. Measuring the hitch ball light and testing the connecting chains will also keep everything intact while you’re on the road.
4. Decorate The Moving Boxes
If your kids are too young to help put everything in boxes, they may feel isolated from the family during a scary time in their lives. Invite them to grab their favourite markers and decorate the outside of each box.
They can doodle pictures, sign their names and personalize the boxes that hold things for their rooms. Younger kids will have less moving anxiety because the process won’t seem as scary with colourful doodles all over the place.
5. Host An Unpacking Treasure Hunt
Treasure hunts are a fun way to help your kids transition into your new home. Hide things for them to find as they unpack, like a pack of chewing gum, bubble wands or glow sticks. Your family will unpack their belongings faster and your children won’t feel as sad while setting up their rooms.
6. Make Bucket Lists
Moving can cause anxiety for people of all ages because the future seems so unknown. Bucket lists can change that. Encourage everyone in your family to list everything they want to do in your new town.
If you’re moving to Toronto, your kids might appreciate their new hometown more after they start looking forward to bucket list activities like visiting the Toronto Zoo or picnicking in High Park. Bucket lists help people explore new areas and make great memories, making everyone feel more at home after moving.
7. Set Unpacking Goals & Rewards
Unpacking can take a long time for various reasons, but sometimes people don’t unpack after a move because they’re sad or bored. Setting goals and rewards prevents that experience and makes moving across the country more fun.
If you unpack everything in your kitchen over the first weekend in your new home, schedule a spa trip. If your kids unpack their toys, they can pick the new paint colour for their room or attend an upcoming town festival. Ask everyone what they’d like as a reward so they can work toward whatever they define as fun.
8. Plan A Welcome Home Meal
Comfort food is comforting for a reason — delicious meals and snacks create serotonin to fight anxiety and depression by activating neurotransmitters in the brain. Plan a celebratory dinner to welcome everyone to your new home or treat yourself after a big move.
You could make your family’s favourite meal or schedule a pizza delivery night. Create an ice cream bar in your new kitchen with toppings and multiple ice cream flavours. Even if everyone eats something different on their plates, you’ll reduce any anxiety or sadness related to your move.
Make Moving Across the Country Fun
Anyone can learn how to make moving across the country fun and change their upcoming experience during a big move. Strategies like stopping at roadside attractions, making entertainment bags or scheduling bucket list plans will make any move less stressful for yourself and your loved ones.
About The Author:
Oscar Collins is the managing editor at Modded, where he writes about cars, fitness, the outdoors and more. Check out @TModded for regular updates!
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