Tips For A Successful Move-In With Your New Spouse's Family
These days, families take on many forms. If you have recently married someone who has a full life already with kids in tow, moving in might be a little more of a precarious process. Step-parenting can be tricky and usually begins when blended families share space and build a new life together. Here are three tips for making your move-in with your new spouse and kids as smoothly as possible.
1. Don't Take Over Shared Spaces
If you are moving in with your new spouse's home that is already occupied by their children, it is important to tread lightly at first. If you will have movers bringing in duplicates of living room furnishings, you might want movers to make a second stop at a storage facility. This will give you some breathing room until you can decide together what furnishings to incorporate and which to let go.
2. Have Movers Come When Kids Are Away
Your new stepchildren might be excited, anxious, or nervous of your arrival and the changes this will bring to their living situation. The less of a fanfare you can make this, the better. If you can schedule your move when kids are in school or with their other parent, you can seamlessly move in your belongings. Having your things settled in when the kids get home will make the move-in process less disruptive.
3. Bring a Welcome Present
While a welcome or thank you present to the kids might feel like a bribe, if it eases tensions, this might be worth it. Check with your new spouse first before you get something indulgent like a gaming console or a puppy. Make sure this is something that is approved by both parents and won't make any waves. This is something that you can get set up once your things have been moved into your new environment.
Moving can be hard for anyone, but moving in with an existing family unit can be a bit of a balancing act. The simple act of having your things moved into your new home might be disruptive, so try to be as understanding as possible when it comes to your new family's willingness to accommodate at first. Making sure that your move-in doesn't make too many waves at first is a good strategy. You and your new family will have plenty of time to adjust, so treat the move-in process as the first chapter in your newly blended family's life together.
