Relocating is a unique experience for everyone. It’s exciting for some and dreadful for others. One of the best ways to understand the process is by seeking advice from those who’ve experienced it first-hand.
Sales and Marketing Project Manager, Rhonda Baker joined the Wheaton World Wide Moving team this spring. Prior to her job and life in Indiana, she lived in Oklahoma City with her two sons and husband. When her husband’s job required relocating, they packed up their life and headed to Fishers, Ind.
“I grew up in Oklahoma,” said Rhonda. “It’s all I had known my entire life.”
Adjusting to such a major change is no easy task. Rhonda’s advice – Don’t overlook the milestone. In the weeks leading up to the move, be intentional about spending time with friends and family for a proper goodbye.
“Relocating definitely makes you appreciate friends and family,” said Rhonda. “You won’t take any time together for granted. It inspired me to make more of an effort to get together with close friends and family.”
Rhonda said she looks forward to planning several trips to visit her two sons, lifelong friends and family who still live in Oklahoma.
“I was most surprised about the amount of planning involved,” said Rhonda.
Rhonda attributes a great deal of the success of her move to the attention to detail in planning prior to relocating. She went as far as measuring their current furniture and comparing it to measurements of the new house. This saved time, money and space when it came to deciding what items to move.
“Downsizing and adjusting to a new home was definitely a challenging aspect of moving.”
She suggests diving into your favorite hobbies soon after relocating. For Rhonda, it is gardening and sprucing up her outdoor space. This made the new house feel like a home and took her mind off the move.
She also suggests asking a friend to ‘dog-sit’ for moving day. The last thing you want is your precious pooch running away on moving day.
“Having Ripley running around the new house made it feel more like home. Pets can play a huge emotional role in moving.”
Heed the advice of someone who has seen moving from the professional standpoint as well as personal.