The Ultimate Family Relocation Timeline

Planning a relocation with your family can be a very difficult task. Because of this, you will need to properly plan every aspect of your move. A moving timeline is a useful tool when it comes to preparing your family for an impending move. The timeline below will greatly help you navigate your way through this process as it relates to what steps you need to take in order to properly prepare your family for the move.

Eight Weeks Prior to Your Move

Explain to your children that you will be moving and help them understand the process.
Relocating for younger children may be a more difficult task; therefore, it is vital that you help them accurately comprehend everything that is going on.
Contact your children’s current school and inform them of the upcoming move. By doing this, their teachers will be able to help them complete any necessary work. This will put your children on the right track to conducting a smooth transition to their new school.
Locate a school for your children in your new area. Before making any final decisions about the school, make sure to check their rating. If you are not familiar with the area, ask you real estate agent for advice, they will be able to give you more insight into the quality of the school.
Take your child and pet to your new home and let them get familiar with the area. Taking the time to make this trip will make them feel more comfortable about the move. It may even help to take your child to fun places near your new home in order to get them excited about the move.

Six Weeks Prior to Your Move

Obtain copies of your families medical records. Once you arrive at your new home, you will need to secure new doctors for you and your family. These new physicians will typically need copies of your medical records. By having these documents already in hand, you will be able to reduce the complications of having your olds offices transfer them.
Get a number of references for a new family doctor. When selecting a new family doctor, you will want to find someone who you can trust. If you are relocating to a new city, this task can be more difficult than it seems. However, by getting references from friends and family, you will be able to make a wise choice.
If you have a family pet, request a copy of their vet records. Your pets vet records are just as important as your medical records. Before most vets will see a new pet, they will request all of their shot records. Gathering these items in advance will make your pet’s first trip to the doctor a breeze.
Also, schedule an appointment for your pet to get all necessary vaccinations prior to your move. Some states require your pet to have certain vaccinations prior to entering the state. By getting this done prior to your move, you will avoid any complications with getting your pet into your new state.
Plan a going away party for your children so they can say goodbye to their friends. Moving away from friends is never an easy thing for children to experience. Throwing your children a going away party will allow them to make the most of their last days with their closest friends.
Locate fun and exciting activities in your new home for your entire family. After your relocation you will want to unwind and enjoy your new home. Knowing what activities are available in your new area will make planning a family day of fun a breeze.

Four Weeks Prior to Your Move

Create a packing plan of action. When you relocate you should always have a solid plan. Creating a moving plan of action will help you organize every aspect of your relocation.
Help your children determine what they should and should not take to your new home. Everything that your children own may not need to be moved to your home. Because of this, you should help them examine all of their belongings and decide what should stay and what should go.
If you are moving long distance, plan a number of road activities for the children. Long drives can be tough; so, activities will keep them occupied during the trip to your home.
Look up information about your child’s new school. A new school for your children is a major change. It is important that you look up as much information about the school as possible. Some of that information may include start and end times, uniform policy, and any other vital information.
Help your children collect the phone numbers and addresses of all of their friends. Your children will want to keep in touch with them. With this information they will be able to write or call their friends after the move.

Two Weeks Prior to Your Move

Plan several meal ideas for the first few nights in your home. When you arrive to your new home things will get pretty hectic. So, you will want to plan a few simple meals in advance to avoid eating out so much.
If you have a pet, make sure to secure comfortable traveling arrangements for them. Pets hate traveling just as much as children. Prior to your relocation, make sure you have bought a few toys for them to play with, a comfortable bed, and a spacious cage.
Encourage the entire family to participate in the packing process. Packing is a very timely and thorough process. If the entire family joins in this process, then you will be able to successfully pack all of your belongings in smooth manner.

One Week Prior to Your Move

Collect a number of snacks for the entire family to enjoy during the move. On moving day, it is likely that you will not stop often for full meals. Instead, having snacks will keep you sustained throughout the day.
Pack a first night box for everyone in the family. All of your possessions will be packed up during the first night in your home. By packing a first night box, you will have all of the necessities right at your fingertips.

Moving Day

Conduct a final walk through of each room. This vital step will ensure that each room is cleared out, and that nothing important gets left behind.
Say final goodbyes to friends and families. This is your opportunity to tell them that you will miss them and will keep in touch.

Again, conducting a move with your family will require a ton of preparation. But hiring an expert moving company combined with this checklist will help you keep the needs of your family in the forefront of your mind during your moving process. They will be more than happy that you kept their needs in mind during this hectic time.