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Relocating Your Family with Ease

Tips to make relocating a breeze:

Dramatic changes in the world have put a new face on relocation. Terrorism, corporate downsizing, and company scandals have forced Americans to re-think their views on moving their families to another location.

The average American moves 12 times in a lifetime, with a total of 43 million Americans moving each year. No matter how much help you get from your employer, relocating can be an overwhelming experience. Besides the shift in employee's work environment, there are many domestic challenges that one must overcome in order to have a successful move. According to a survey conducted by GMAC Global Relocation Services, the most significant obstacles included spouse opposition, family adjustment, and children's education. With these stresses existing, what can you do to ease the overwhelming aspects of your next move?

Human resource executives are finding that just as much emphasis needs to be focused on the family adjustment as in the logistics of each move. Cendant Mobility, a relocation services and consulting company for more than 110,000 employees from Fortune 500 companies to small local firms, offers the following tips to make your next move as smooth as possible.

1. Prepare your family. Inform your children about the move as soon as possible. Be sympathetic to any of their concerns or fears, and always be positive about the adventure ahead. Create a family moving "team." Include your children with as many moving decisions as possible, including options on their new room or play areas. In addition, if needed, assist your spouse with job searching in your new location.

2. What to pack. Before you begin packing, go through your house and take inventory of what you do and do not need. Organize a plan so that each family member can take one or two sentimental collectables with them to remember the old house by. Then make arrangements for a garage sale, or donations for the rest of the items that are not needed in your new home.

3. Who to tell. If possible allow your family ample time to say their goodbyes to friends and the community. Assist younger children by driving them to a friend's house one last time, or by bringing them to their favorite restaurant or arcade. Also, don't forget to inform your children's school about the move in order to mail transcripts to their new school system.

4. The big day. After all the preparation of moving, you finally reached your new home. Now comes time for the unpacking. Although this can become a stressful day, remember to stay calm and remain positive about your new home Allow your children to venture into their new rooms and begin unpacking and decorating. But don't forget to help younger children with large boxes, or breakable items.

5. After the move in. Phew, your all done unpacking, and the move is complete...not quite. There are still a few things you'll still want to do. Spend time for you and your family to get familiarized with your new community. Specifically locate the hospital, police station, fire department, post office, and schools.

6. Get Acquainted. Attempt to minimize the stress of your family being in a new place with new people by informing your children about clubs or sports leagues, and by supporting your spouse in their new job search. Look for groups that the family can join together, such as community or religious groups.

Cendant Mobility is the premier provider of global mobility management and workforce development solutions serving the corporate, military, government, and affinity markets. Through its industry-leading outsourcing, consulting, language and intercultural training, logistical support, and supplier management, Cendant Mobility helps the mobile workforces of organizations of all sizes achieve success worldwide. With nearly 50 years experience, Cendant Mobility helps clients achieve cost reductions and enhances service performance to accomplish their organizational objectives. Cendant Mobility is a subsidiary of Cendant Corporation (NYSE: CD). Visit www.cendantmobility.comfor more information.

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