The words “moving” and “fun” do not usually go together – moving is known to be “stressful”, “difficult”, and “expensive”, the exact opposite of “fun”. And indeed, packing an entire household, negotiating with movers, paying exorbitant moving costs, and parting with close friends can hardly be anyone’s idea of fun.
This doesn’t mean, though, that the moving process has to be tedious and miserable – you can still have a smooth and satisfying relocation experience. You just need to find some creative ways to make moving easier and more fun (which will admittedly take quite a bit of imagination considering the arduous nature of the relocation process).
So, how to make moving fun? Here are some ingenious tips to help you achieve a less dreadful and more enjoyable relocation.
How to make moving more fun when preparing for the upcoming relocation
Packing, researching movers, and dealing with endless paperwork isn’t amusing or exciting by any means. How can you have a fun experience with moving preparations then?
Well, with the right attitude, anything can be fun. When presented in a creative and appealing way, even the most tedious moving tasks can become a thrilling adventure:
- Find out as much as you can about your new area – not just serious, useful information such as the cost of living, crime rate, climatic conditions, local rules and regulations, etc., but also interesting facts and amusing trivia. Play detective and use the power of the World Wide Web to find out the perks and peculiarities of the area, spy on your new city with Google Street View, check the entertainment options and cultural calendar of the region and make a list of fun things you can do there, etc.
- Make a floor plan of your new home – Use a mobile app or an online tool to make a 3D model of your new home and have fun creating different interior designs and styles. It will feel like a game – constructing stairwells and demolishing walls, moving furniture around and customizing it all with a few taps on the screen or several clicks of the mouse button – and in the end, you will know which of your old furniture will fit in your new home, what you need to buy for your new place, and where each item should go. Both practical and amusing, right?
- Invite your friends to a packing party – Packing will be much faster and much more fun when done with friends. So, ask your pals to come give you a hand with packing and use the opportunity to have some fun together – prepare some of your friends’ favorite snacks and drinks, play cheerful, upbeat music (and some of your pals’ favorite songs), organize amusing packing games and competitions, share funny memories, etc. You will get to spend some more time with your friends before the move and will considerably speed up the packing process. (See also: How to ask friends to help you move; How to say goodbye to friends when moving)
- Turn your move into a game – Have family members compete with each other to see who can get rid of the most stuff, use the space in a box most efficiently, or clean their room the fastest; organize a hidden object game or a treasure hunt; come up with funny riddles that will keep everyone entertained while working; etc. Make sure you have small prizes (candy, funny certificates, gift cards to favorite restaurants, etc.) for the winners to drive up the stakes and increase motivation. The games and competitions will lift everyone’s spirits and get them more focused on the fun challenge rather than on the tedious work they’re doing.
- Keep the music playing – Create a playlist with rhythmic songs you love, turn up the radio, make up funny packing songs with your kids – lively music can make wonders for your mood and your efficiency. What’s more, putting your moving playlist together can be fun by itself – you can make it thematic (look for songs about leaving home, traveling, overcoming challenges, etc. and songs about the place you’re moving to) or funny (include humorous songs, parody songs, silly songs, etc.) or delightful (mix some of your favorite music), etc.
- Decorate the boxes – Get hold of multicolored tape, markers, stickers, and other fun items to decorate your packing containers – make colorful labels for each box, let your kids draw on the cartons, put funny stickers on every container, etc. It will allow you to personalize the boxes and express some creativity while also making unpacking easier – as you will know which box goes where and what it contains at a glance. (See also: What is the best way to label moving boxes)
- Enjoy the food – Come up with unique recipes using the different foods you have left at home; have healthy, high-energy snacks on hand at all times; order favorite take-out foods; go to your favorite restaurants in town one last time before the move; reward yourself and your family members with special treats when you finish a moving task, etc. Good food will keep everyone’s energy and spirits up and will help reduce stress and fatigue. (See also: What to do with food when moving; What to eat on moving day)
Must-read: 5 fun things to do before moving away
How to make moving day fun
Moving day, the culmination of the moving process, is stressful, chaotic, risky, and exhausting –anything but fun. With a positive attitude and some forethought, however, you can still add some cheer to the day – and ensure your smooth and successful relocation experience:
- Know how to make moving day less stressful – prepare well, ensure reliable help, take precautions to avoid potential risks, and don’t rush things. Keep your calm, stay optimistic, and be flexible – even if something doesn’t go according to plan, you can find an alternative solution;
- Keep your sense of humor – a few jokes here and there will not only lighten the mood, but will also make your work more pleasant and more productive;
- Have a fun trip to your new home – play music in the car (and sing along), play road games with your family (team storytelling, 20 questions, I spy, etc.), visit attractions and historical sites along the way, visit with relatives and friends who live near your travel route, and have a great time.
And don’t forget – it’s the first day of your exciting new life. Focus on the positive and make the most of your relocation adventure.
Additional useful information: How to prepare for moving day; How does moving day work; What moving day mistakes to avoid
How to make moving house fun when unpacking and settling in
The first memories of a new home should be filled with fun. So, regardless of how exhausting and nerve-racking the moving process – and moving day in particular – might have been, be sure to enjoy your first day in your new house or apartment:
- Have an indoor picnic and camping – This is the best way to spend your first night at your new home, especially if you arrive a couple of days before your items. There will be a lot of empty space and you’ll have the unique chance to camp out in the living room, sleep in sleeping bags (or even pitch a tent), and have a picnic on the floor! It will be quite a fun experience for everyone.
- Hide little surprises in the boxes for your family members to find when unpacking – Put little surprises (funny stickers, candy, etc.) in some of the boxes while packing your items for moving – everyone will be excited to find the goodies and it will certainly motivate them to unpack quickly and carefully after the move. The best trick you can use is to hide puzzle pieces in each of the moving boxes – by the time you and your family members find all the pieces, all the boxes will be unpacked. It’s fun and efficiency combined! And as an added bonus, you’ll all have fun putting the puzzle together (See also: How to unpack quickly after moving; How to motivate yourself to unpack after moving)
- Come up with a reward system – Having something to look forward to will keep your motivation high and your spirits up during the laborious unpacking process. So, promise yourself and your family members a reward for every completed major unpacking task – a meal at a fancy restaurant, a movie night, a visit to the beauty salon, a massage at the local spa, etc.
- Have fun with the packing materials – There will be a lot of boxes, packing paper, and bubble wrap scattered around your new home after you finish unpacking – and they can offer hours of fun and entertainment! You can build a box fort (or a castle, a maze, a playhouse, a dollhouse, etc.), pop the bubbles of the bubble wrap, let your kids draw on the packing paper, or use the packing materials for various art and craft projects – your creativity is your only limit.
- Decorate your new home – Moving into a new home is the perfect chance to create your dream home. So, unleash your inner designer and make your new place comfortable, cozy, and lovely – arrange your household items in a practical and elegant way, display your favorite artwork, try out bold decoration ideas, etc. Make your new place feel like home and make it reflect your personal style.
- Throw a housewarming party – It’s the perfect way to wind down after the move and fill your new home with laughter and joy – invite friends and relatives (even if you moved to another city or state, they may still be willing to come), any friends you have in your new area, your new coworkers, and your new neighbors, play some cheerful music, serve some home-made specialties and a variety of light snacks, finger foods, and sweet treats, offer plenty of drinks, play fun games, and celebrate your new life.
- Explore your new surroundings – Walk around the neighborhood, locate key places in the vicinity, find the local hotspots, talk to the people, and discover the secrets of your new area – it will be both fun and useful.
- Make new friends and enjoy your new life!
Moving house is quite an adventure – it’s up to you to make it a FUN adventure. And with good planning, good movers, and a little bit of creativity, that’s easily achievable. Have fun moving!
