One of the most important things to consider if you’re blending families is where your new family will live. It’s likely one of the first things your children will ask, especially if your two families currently live far away from one another. There are two options for where your new family can live: moving into a new home, or transforming one of your homes into the new family home. This is a big decision, and one that needs to be discussed at length. Go through all the pros and cons and come to an agreement with your partner. You don’t want there to be any resentment down the road due to this decision, so make sure to be completely honest about your opinions, thoughts and feelings. Both of you will likely have to make compromises, but it will be worth it in the end to make a decision both families are content with. Take a look at how to move on together as a blended family. 
 
Option One: Find a New Home for the New Crew
Your first option is finding a new home for your new blended family. The pro to this is that everyone gets to start fresh in a new space. You can build new memories as a family and everyone is just as comfortable in the home as the next person. If you opt for this choice, there are a few things to keep in mind when searching for a new home. Make sure to explore the schools in the new location by using a program like SchoolQ. You want to ensure your kids are getting the best education possible, so finding a great school is essential. 
 
Sit down and figure out what amenities and conveniences are most important for your new family. Do you need to be close to public transit? Is it important to be close to trails and dog parks? Where are your kids’ extracurricular activities? Do you want to be able to walk to lots of restaurants and cafes? Take your family’s lifestyle into consideration when choosing your new home and neighbourhood. 
 
Option Two: Make an Existing Home “Home” for Everyone 
The other option is moving into a home one of the families already lives in. A benefit of this option is that only one family has to move their belongings, making the process a lot easier and much less work. Since one family already calls this home “home”, it’s important  to make the new members of the family feel at home as well. Allow them to bring some of their own furniture, decor and toys, or you can opt to update the home and buy new furniture you all love. Putting up photos of your new family will also help it feel more like home for all of you.
 
Moving one family only means that those family members will have more adjusting to do. They may have to change schools and will need to become comfortable in their new home. One way you can help is to create as much predictability and consistency as possible. Make sure rules and expectations are clear, and allow them to continue with their extracurricular activities and spend time with their friends. Make your home a safe place for all your children to talk about how they’re feeling and take the time to make sure all voices are heard. 
 
No matter which option you choose, create routines together such as making dinner as a family and taking weekend walks to your favourite parks or cafes. Schedule family movie nights and game nights, and pick out pieces of furniture for your new home together! 

Blending families can be challenging, but it is also a very exciting time! If you decide to go with option one, reach out to us at AskNina to find the perfect home for your new blended family!