The Family Guide to Moving Home
The expat life isn’t always a permanent one. Factors such as fixed term contracts, visas, family problems and money issues can all spell an end to living abroad—or perhaps you’re just missing the motherland. Regardless of the reason for moving home, the repatriation process can be a daunting one. As an expat, you will be all too familiar with the stresses of moving away and reversing the process can be equally stressful—especially when there’s family involved.
Removal Services Scotland has put together ‘The Ultimate Family Moving Guide’, a comprehensive eBook full of useful tips to help ease any stresses leading up to, during and after the move. The guide brings together the best advice from experienced movers, parents, family bloggers and even psychologists.
The effects of moving can have a big impact on family life, putting stresses on all members of the family unit, both physically and emotionally. When young children, elderly relatives and pets are added into the mix, moving can soon become a logistical nightmare without proper planning and execution.
When it comes to younger family members especially, big changes can take an emotional toll, and parents need to keep on top of this—it’s easy for adults to get caught up in the practicalities of the move. Listening and reassurance are key to keeping the kids happy—things like changing school and moving away from friends can have a big impact when you’re young. Talk to your children about their worries, and encourage them to build excitement for starting a new adventure back at home!
The practicalities of moving back home may also be different from your initial move abroad—service industries vary dramatically around the world and arranging the logistics of removals and shipping could prove more difficult. In order to avoid any hold-ups or bumps in the road, start planning in plenty of time and source your shipping company of choice with a clear action plan of when and where you’re going to start packing.
On the flip-side, the fact that you’re moving back to your home country means that things like visas and healthcare, which can prove highly problematic to sort out in a foreign country, are already taken care of when you get home. If you will be living near relatives on your return home, use them to your advantage and see if you can get help with the unpacking process.
Depending on how long you’ve been abroad, moving back home can be just as big a change as your original move. However, change isn’t necessarily a bad thing. Moving anywhere different presents an opportunity to make new memories and uncover exciting opportunities and experiences.
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