Unpack your children's rooms first. This will help them feel settled and will give them a place to sleep at naptime and bedtime. Include your child in the unpacking process (as much as is practically possible). Your child will enjoy pulling out their toys from the boxes and can help put his toys and clothes away.Consider having your child help decorate the room with room decals or picking out paint colors. Having some control and ownership over their new space will help him adjust more quickly to his new environment. If your child is too young or makes more of a mess than you can handle there are a few other options. You can send your child out with another caretaker to explore the neighborhood or if you have extra space, allow your child to unpack his toy boxes - this will definitely keep him very occupied while you unpack!
Mix the old with the new. Make sure you keep some of the same furniture, pictures, decorations from your old house to create a familiar environment. When possible, include your child when purchasing or finding a place for new items. The more a child is involved, the easier it will be to adjust to their new surroundings.
Explore! Take a break from unpacking to explore your new neighborhood and meet your neighbors. It will be good for both you and your children to have some fun and get acclimated to your new surroundings.
As, I mentioned in the previous blogs, try and maintain some of your routines. Sleep and good nutrition will be helpful for getting everyone through this period.
Finally, I know there are a lot of design blogs out there, but if you have children and like DIY projects, then Mission Decorate (www.missiondecorate.com) is the place to get ideas for your new home. I enjoy reading Jill's posts because she is creative, yet practical and gives tips on making your house beautiful and kid-friendly (on a budget!). Jill also inspires me as the seasons change, to decorate my home for the holidays and gives me ideas of projects to do with the kids.