Moving into a new home with pets

Posted by tricia under Articles

Moving home can be a stressful time for all of us. There is so much to consider, organize and arrange it can be easy to forget that the family pet will often find the process of moving homes difficult to understand, and adjust to. This is particularly the case with companion pets, such as cats and dogs.

The majority of animals are highly territorial. The familiar sights, sounds, and especially smells, of a familiar home and its surroundings contribute greatly to a pet’s well-being. When these comforting elements are removed, the effect can be quite catastrophic.

It may be that you only plan to move into a new property on the other side of town – or perhaps you are traveling thousands of miles away. Either way, it will cause a considerable amount of upheaval and the key to reducing the impact on your furry friend should be kept to a minimum, wherever possible.

Transportation is one of the main things that need to be arranged. Shorter distances will allow for the pet to travel with the owners in the family vehicle, and this will help settle the animal. If unaccustomed to being in the car, it is probably better to put your dog or cat in a crate where they will soon feel comfortable. Longer journeys may precipitate the need for air travel, and this will need to be planned carefully.

Many states will have specific laws regarding the transportation of animals, and you are advised to look into this in detail before attempting to move your pet. Rabies inoculations, identification and health certification may all be required, so ensure an early visit to a veterinarian to clarify just what you will need to have in place before traveling.

When your pet arrives at its new home, bear in mind that with all of the relative chaos that can be associated with moving house, it is a good idea to place the animal somewhere away from all of the activity. It is advisable to have members of the family check-in regularly, as this will help comfort your pet. A supply of food and water, in familiar dishes, will also help the animal adjust to new surroundings. Once the move is complete, and the removals team have gone, allow your pet to explore the property. Place toys, blankets and such, in similar locations as at the previous home to speed up the settling process.

Dogs should be kept on a leash when investigating the new yard, and cats should be kept indoors for the first few weeks, until they are familiar with the new location. Too often, an unsettled pet will try and find its way back to its old home and become disorientated in unfamiliar surroundings.

With all of the other issues that need to be dealt when moving home, reducing the level of stress for both owner and pet cannot be understated, and with a little planning ahead it should prove be one less thing to worry about.

Help to make things less stressfull when moving into a new home

Posted by tricia under Articles

Moving into a new home also comes with some challenges.  One of the many challenges would be organizing things.

When you move into a new home, boxes and other storage items can cause clutter.  This creates a chaotic environment that makes organizing your things even more difficult.  Sometimes it can become so overwhelming that you can lose track of what do.

But getting organized with your storage isn’t too difficult to do. All you have to do is to be systematic with your activities. Doing so helps avoid stress and reduces problems in getting things done.

Here are some tips:

1. When the moving truck arrives at your new home, guide the movers accordingly. You can ask them to bring boxes inside the house and put them in their respective rooms. You can stand at the door and direct them where to go. Doing this would avoid waste of time.One tip, you can label the rooms beforehand. This way, movers would be able to locate the place faster.
2. All boxes that have entered the new house should be accounted for. Make an inventory list of the boxes that where brought inside and what rooms you expect them to find.
3. Unpack things one at a time. Do not be in a hurry to unpack them all at once. This could create problems and clutter. As much as possible, refer to your inventory list that you created when you packed the things before the move. Check the boxes that contain important stuff and unpack them first. Then you go one with other stuff the next day without creating too much clutter in the room.
4. Inside the room, all things that are small should be grouped with the same class. For example, if you have knitting tools make sure you put them in the basket or plastic containers and put them in one corner of the room. If you have magazine, make use of racks. If you have books, put them on one side of the room, on top of the shelves or cabinets. Doing all these things makes things easier to find, even when you have not finished unpacking the rest of your stuff.