Vicki L MorrisonThe movers have unloaded your boxes and pulled the truck away from your new home. There are mountains of boxes everywhere you look. What do you do when the things you need the most are buried under 20 boxes and inaccessible?
Plan ahead, and put together a box designated, Moving Week Survival Kit.
Fill your box with things you will need until your house is semi-unpacked and set up. Tell everyone in the family what the box is for so they can add to it.
There are two ways to handle the box. If you are relocating by car then pack the box and hide it in the car for safekeeping, so it doesn’t get loaded onto the moving truck.
If you are flying to your new home the contents may have to be transferred to a suitcase, so try to be practical about the size and portability of things you pack.
What Goes in the Box?
The minute everyone jumps out of the car, and you unlock the front door to your new home everyone will be heading to the bathroom, so a roll of toilet paper is a must-pack. Baby or no baby, a simple package of baby wipes can handle a multitude of quick clean-ups too.
Electronics and chargers are a necessity. They can function as a distraction for kids who need to be kept occupied while you handle the unpacking. Use labeled sandwich bags to contain cords and games. Additionally, make sure that kids feel comfortable and safe in the new house by bringing along some select favourite toys.
Unpacking is dirty hard work. After a long day of digging through boxes at your new place, everyone will want to take a shower, and the kids will need a bath. Make sure you have a couple of towels, toiletries, and a dollar store shower curtain with shower hooks in your box.
You may have to subsist on fast food and take-out during your first few days in a new home. Paper plates, some disposable cups, and other small kitchen necessities can be packed in the box so you can feed everyone quickly and easily. Just label the cups, wash them out and reuse them.
Now is not the time to run out of medications and vitamins. Fill prescriptions early if you have to. Make sure you have enough of everything to save you from rushing to an unknown pharmacy in a new town in the middle of unpacking. Also, a first-aid kit is important. Murphy’s law of moving states no military family will remain unscathed. Bandaids will be a necessary.
Don’t forget the essential bottle opener. It’s a lot harder to reward yourself with a cold beer or a glass of wine at the end of a long day if you can’t open them.
Ask friends and your real estate agent where to eat or catch a movie in your new neighbourhood. Make note of their recommendations so you can escape the unpacking for a while to grab a meal or catch a flick.
If your new home isn’t adjacent to a coffee shop, you may want to consider packing instant coffee or some tea bags in the box. If all else fails, water can be heated in the microwave. Not the best solution, but waking up in a caffeineless house is not the way anyone wants to start their day.
Hopefully, your Moving Week Survival Kit will make the move less stressful for you and your family. Good luck at your new posting!
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