Packing and Moving Tips for Large Families
The process of moving from one home to another, isn’t always fun, no matter how few possessions you might own. If you have a large family, however, the process can seem like a downright nightmare. How are you supposed to keep everyone in line while you pack, move, and unpack? Being nervous about this is only human—it’s a big burden on your shoulders. To make the transition easier for you and your family, we have a few packing and moving tips for large families that should help reduce the stress.
Get Help With Those Who Can’t Assist
This advice is obviously dependent on having people near you who can help, but don’t be afraid to ask for that help when you start packing. Small children aren’t going to be much help at that stage—in fact, they can get in the way and make it take longer most of the time—so ask their grandparents or your friends can entertain them while you pack up. You need to be practical during a big move, so don’t feel bad about asking for assistance when you need it.
Label and Categorize Everything
One of the best packing and moving tips for large families is to make sure you separate boxes into categories and label everything. You’ll have a lot of boxes to deal with when you get to your new home. The more organized you are while packing, the quicker unpacking will go. You can separate things by:
- Which room the box belongs in
- Which person’s possessions the box contains
- How soon you’ll need the item once you arrive
- Size and weight category
Declutter as You Pack
Even if you happen to move to a larger home, there’s no need to bring every single thing you own with you. The chances are high that, with your large family, you have a lot of clutter to deal with as well. As you pack everything up, be realistic about what you need to bring with you and what you don’t. For things that are still useful but not necessarily to you, donations to places like the Purple Heart Pickup can really thin out the amount of stuff you need to pack. When packing up the bathroom and vanity, beauty products that are brand new can be donated to the Glamorous Moms Foundation for New Mom Baskets for Moms in need and for their Mom of the Month program!
Be Flexible
With a large family, the temptation is to plan out every single second of the move so that you don’t forget anything. However, this type of move rarely ever goes to plan. Moving is full of things that are out of your control, and you need to be ready to deal with them. Planning is important, but don’t let yourself get so bogged down in your plan that you end up flat-footed when a problem pops up.
