What do death, divorce and moving have in common? They are the top 3 most stressful events in a person’s life! So in the interest of lowering the homicide and divorce rate, we have come up with the following tips for you. Family is extremely important to us, which is why we are trying to preserve yours!

1)    Make a plan! Sit down with your loved ones and iron out a plan. This is a great time to assign a quarterback to the move. Get a to do list on paper and assign deadlines. Be realistic with the amount of time you will need. Start packing 2 months in advance if possible and take it slow.

2)    Set expectations. Let your family know what you expect out of them on the days leading up to the move and on move day. Talk to your kids (including your “big kid”) about ways they can help with packing their rooms. To keep your husband from getting in the way, let him know his main responsibility is to pack up all of the “useless stuff” that he has collected in the garage over the years.

3)    Separate….temporarily. You will need someone to be at the pickup location as well as delivery. You might also need to pick up keys, sign paperwork, etc. Since you can’t be everywhere at once, assign your husband to be at the other location. Often times when I am stressed and at the point where I am going to explode, it is my significant other that takes the brunt of my anger. Alternatively, you can assign your husband the role as the ever-important “food and beverage man” for the day. As soon as the movers arrive, send your husband out for coffee, snacks and food.

4)    Payback Remember back to that time when Hailey kept you up all night talking about her problems? Now it is payback time! Ask for some help. The worst thing that you can do is try to do too much on your own. Ask your friends and family (think twice about your Mother!) for help leading up to the move with packing and organization.

5)    “I’m not asleep… but that doesn’t mean I’m awake.” The stress and anxiety leading up to a move can really affect your sleep but you can’t afford to get any less than 6 hours the night before your move. Go to your local pharmacy and stock up on sleep pills, horse tranquilizers or anything else that will knock you out. Being well rested will make your moving day much more manageable.

We hope this guide will help you minimize the stress and your homicidal tendencies on moving day. If it fails you, you can always Rent-a-Son for some digging 😉