Preparing For A Move With Kids
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Preparing For A Move With Kids
Over the last seven years, my husband and I have moved our family a total of 3 times. We've lived in four different states which means we've had to move our lives three times!We've learned quite a few things through trial and error. You know how it is when you move... You get so exhausted that you start cutting corners, only to end up at your new house with no idea where anything is. If you're not careful you end up in this predicament for much longer than expected!
Simple Tips To Follow For Your Next Move
Don't worry, I have a few tips for you that will make your next move a cinch!
Leave one small box of the kid's favorite toys out until the very last day
As you start packing up each room, be sure to leave out your kid's favorite items. In our house, this was a few stuffed animals, a building set, books for bedtime, cars, and some superheroes. It helped to reduce the mess by only having one box of toys and it was comforting for the boys. They were watching their home be packed away, but their favorite toys were by their sides.
Use plastic tubs instead of boxes
Boxes are nice, but at the end of the move, you're stuck with dozens and dozens of broken down boxes. This time around, we learned from the past and picked up a few dozen tubs. They were a bit spendier than picking up boxes, but made moving so much easier! They stacked on top of each other beautifully!
Label Label Label
The biggest headache is arriving at your new home and not being able to find anything! This is why labeling is so important. Label to the point you think you're overdoing it because I can promise you, you're not!
Stay Hydrated
The best thing you can do for your whole family while moving is to keep them hydrated! It helps keep their energy up, helps their body fight new sick bugs, and makes for much happier kiddos. Moving takes a lot out of your body so be preventative and keep them hydrated the entire time.
Put all of your essentials in the same box and label them so you can find them right away
There are always a few items you will need as soon as you get to your new home. Put all of these in 1-2 boxes and label them so you can find it easily.
Keep Hanging Clothes On The hanger
Use a garbage bag to hold all of your clothes on hangers. This way you can transport it easily without having to take them off the hangers. It means one less thing to do!
If you're breaking down furniture, keep all the pieces in one place
When you're breaking down furniture, you end up with dozens of little screws and bolts. Put the pieces for the furniture in a separate baggie. Then take all the bags you end up with and put them in a small box or container. This way there's not a way to lose pieces you need later!
Let the kids play outside
As your packing up the house, the worst thing is for the kids to get into boxes and start taking things out. Do yourself a favor and try to get them to play outside as much as you can even if that means you pick up a few cheap outside activities like chalk
Offer delicious food to people that help you move
Finding people to help you move can feel impossible. In reality, who wants to spend their whole day lifting boxes? All you need to entice them is some delicious food! Pick up some good snacks and tempting food.
Purge when you can
When you move you realize just how much junk you've acquired over the years. This is your opportunity to get rid of anything you haven't use in the last six months or can easily replace at your new house.
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4 Things To Do When You're Overwhelmed
My husband and I have been married for six years. We have packed those years full of beautiful memories, early mornings, teething babies, first homes, ridiculous arguments, big moves, tearful goodbyes, nights on the town, and so much fun. We knew we had a big adventure in store, but there was so much we didn't anticipate. If I could go back in time, there is a lot I would have told my 20 year old self about.
I would have warned myself...
to never let my children sleep in my bed because it would create a habit that would mean they would climb into my bed every single night at midnight for years to come...about the reactions some people may have when telling them about my intercultural relationship...that my husband will always try to diffuse arguments by trying to make me laugh...about the nights my husband and I would spend in the hospital after our baby had a seizure...to always use a timer when cooking so I wouldn't burn dinner... and to NEVER use American versions of Indian recipes because they will ALWAYS end up horrible. While we were dating, we anticipated all of the beautiful and life changing moments we would have together, but didn't think about the struggles we could face. The reality is that the hard times in our marriage have brought us even closer than the good times. They remind us that we are in this together and that with each other, we can handle anything. What about the hard times that feel overwhelming? It's easier to look back on the situation and see what good came from it, but what about when you're in the middle of it? I received an email from a reader recently and she was in the middle of a really hard season with her spouse. I asked her if I could share a bit about her story because I think so many of us can relate. They have been married for three years and they'e in the midst of figuring out how they can blend cultures in their marriage. They recently moved to India and she's feeling overwhelmed in a new city, surrounded by a new language, homesick, and feeling like her and her spouse can't agree on anything. She's happy with their decision to move, but is overwhelmed trying to make this transition, feel at home in India, and trying to blend their cultures in their new family. While you may not be in a new country like this reader, I'm sure many of you share similar struggles. Maybe you're spouse speaks a different language and you feel left when his family comes to visit because you don't understand what they're saying. Maybe most of the conversations between you and your spouse end in fighting because you can't agree on how to blend cultures. Either way that overwhelming feeling can be suffocating.I get it. It can feel like it will never end.
Here are 4 things you can do when you're overwhelmed in your relationship.
Take a deep breath.
Sometimes you just need to take a deep breath. When you're overwhelmed, you tend to focus on it all day. Instead, take a minute and remind yourself it will be ok. It may be really difficult right now, but it won't last forever. [tweetthis twitter_handles="@almstindianwife" display_mode="box"]When life gets overwhelming, take a deep breath and remember it won't last forever.[/tweetthis]
Get away.
Take a break from the situation. Don't let your struggles take over your life. Take some time to yourself and do something relaxing. This can be getting a coffee and reading a good book, taking a walk, or maybe even going to see a movie by yourself. You won't be able to make any progress on the situation is you're drained and exhausted. It's so important to step outside of the situation so you can regroup and come back to it refreshed. [tweetthis display_mode="box"]When life gets overwhelming, take a break and can come back refreshed & able to face the challenge[/tweetthis]
Date your spouse.
Marriage requires a lot of work. Don't lose sight of why you and your spouse were married in the first place. You'll experience struggles through out your marriage and there's nothing you can do to stop it. Often times, couples grow distant from each other in the midst of trouble. Just because you're fighting or going through a hard season doesn't mean you shouldn't love on your spouse. Decide together to put your difficult situation on pause and go out to dinner or a movie. You can deal with the situation when you get back. Just like the step before, it's good to take a break from the situation and regroup. You and your spouse need to remind each other that you're going through these struggles so you can face this struggle together. [tweetthis display_mode="box"]Just because you're having struggles in your marriage doesn't mean you shouldn't date your husband[/tweetthis]
Take it day by day.
Sadly, your problems usually won't be solved in a day. It takes time to figure out how to blend cultures, to feel at home in a new environment, etc. All you can do is take it day by day. Look at the progress you're making. Even the smallest amount of progress is a HUGE step forward. [tweetthis display_mode="box"]When you're facing a challenge, remember any progress is a HUGE step forward! Celebrate all successes![/tweetthis]
Our Adventure To Chicago
Thirty-two hours, one moving van, one flight, about twenty iced coffees, one lost ninja turtle bag, twelve lost food vouchers, an Indian wedding, and three crazy kids later... we're now in Chicago! I'm pretty sure we've packed our last two weeks as full as humanly possible. Let me lay it for you. Joel and my cousin decided to drive our boxes to Chicago. It took them 34 hours! They made the best of it! For the sake of my children and my sanity, my aunt and I decided to fly with the kids, turning it into a four hour journey. Little did we know it would turn into an entire day at the airport...As our taxi pulled into the airport at six a.m., I checked my flight, for the second time that morning. Instead of flashing ON TIME for the seven a.m. flight, it was now saying our five p.m. flight was on time. Apparently, our first flight was cancelled and they pushed us onto a direct flight. All I was picturing my head was the horrible fight it took to wake my kids up and get them ready so early. Now, I had an entire day at the airport to throw at them. I told my aunt and her response was perfect, "No. We won't be doing that." My aunt is one of those no nonsense kind of ladies and I love her for that! We went in and found an open kiosk. After some negotiating, we were able to get rebooked on a 3 p.m. flight with a different airline. The gal helping us was amazing and even gave us twelve food vouchers. Instead of going back to the hotel, we decided we could hack it there for the morning. There was a kid's play area and a Starbucks at every turn. Our brains were shot because we were both functioning on a few hours of sleep. In the next few hours and three Starbucks drinks later, we had lost all of our food vouchers, lost a backpack, found a back pack, and were asking ourselves why in the world we decided to stay in the airport. Getting on the plane was a huge relief. Our flight was four hours so we figured the kids would sleep. They slept for three hours which was AMAZING. Although my aunt had to deal with my oldest, Liam getting four bloody noses! He had been dealing with really bad allergies all week and the high altitude was the shove over the edge his body didn't need. We arrived to Chicago only to find out my bag had been put on a different flight. While waiting for my bag Levi got his foot stuck in the stroller... Are you even surprised at this point? We weren't.What made the whole day better? Arriving to our new home and being greeted with delicious butter chicken my father in law made us! Indian food can seriously make anything better. The rest of my aunts visit was much better. We started unpacking boxes and then started to eat our way around our new town. We tried all the best deep dish places, which my husband was all too happy to take part in. Then we celebrated her last day in the city. We took Lucas and explored! 
A day or so after she left, we drove to my sister in law's wedding. Indian weddings are full of ceremonies, delicious food, more ceremonies, more food, dancing, family, and more food. It was a beautiful week and our family had a great time. One of my favorite parts of weddings on my husband's side is that family from India comes!! I was able to FINALLY meet one of Joel's cousins and I was able to witness first-hand how talented she is. She put together ALL of the dance numbers throughout the wedding week. They were great and everyone had so much fun! The kids were also able to cuddle with Nanamama (great-grandma) and Thathia (great-grandpa) all week. 
The day of the wedding was beautiful. My sister in law was so calm and collected all day. She was taking care of everyone else and making sure her bridesmaids and photographers were enjoying themselves. We had to remind her, "This is your day to be selfish!!" I now know why her friends all call her mom. She had the biggest heart and selfishness just isn't in her nature. I don't think there could have been a better way to start off our adventure in a new city. Make sure to follow my blog so you can hear more about the wedding our follow us on our new adventure in Chicago! If you liked this post and want to hear more about our family, sign up for weekly updates!