Tips for moving with children

Moving is complicated. The whole process of taking your whole life apart and relocating it to a different place can’t be easy after all. Add to that moving with children and you have a recipe for a messy disaster, right? Well, not necessarily. While adding children to the mix will make your move a bit more complicated, there are still ways to ensure it all goes smoothly. That is precisely what will be the focus of this article. So, if you are getting ready to move your family, don’t despair, you have come to the right place!

How to organize moving with children

Something that is equally important in all kinds of moves, be it residential or big commercial moving, is staying organized. This goes double for moving with children. With your kids relying on you to keep it together having good organization becomes crucial for the success of your move. So let’s explore some ways to organize moving with children

Have a family meeting

Moving stress and its effects on adults are well known. However, a move may be even more stressful for your children. On the other hand, psychological research has shown that talking to your children about the move and how it will be conducted, will prepare them for what is to come. After all, it may be the first time your child is leaving behind their old home. With it they will be leaving the only surroundings and friends they have ever known. That’s why preparing them for the move is so important. If your child is old enough, have a family meeting with them. It’s a good idea to make this meeting as pleasant as possible. You could order pizza or some other food they like.

Also, try to keep a positive attitude about the move. Explain to your child the reason for the move and try to keep them included in as many decisions related to the move as reasonable. This will help your child develop a positive outlook on the move. You will probably find that this will prove invaluable in the days of the move to come.

Make packing and unpacking a family activity

Another thing that you can do to make moving with children easier is make packing and unpacking a family activity. You could go hunting for moving supplies together. You can also let them help with all kinds of packing and labeling. Just make sure to make it age-appropriate. Your child can pack their room and decide what will be their essentials to unpack first but avoid including children that are too young in packing the kitchen or the bathroom. With all the sharp objects and chemicals there accidents can easily happen. Instead, they can help with labeling those boxes, once safely packed. Making packing a family activity is another thing that will help your child stay positive about the move.

Organize a sale

Something that residential moving experts may tell you is how beneficial de-cluttering can be to a move. This basically includes leaving behind items that you won’t need anymore. Not only does it save you money on packing supplies but it also saves you time spent on packing those items. How does this fit into moving with children? Well, you can use de-cluttering to make your kids happier about the move. Just organize a sale of the items you are leaving behind and make the goal of the sale something your kids would love. Maybe you can use the money from the sale to buy a new TV or a gaming console, or something else your kids will enjoy in your new home!

Leave enough time for moving with children

Another thing that moving industry professionals might stress to you is the importance of planning ahead for the move. This becomes even more important when moving with children. We can all be guilty of procrastinating sometimes. However, relocation is something that is to be prepared well ahead of time. It is wise to leave about six to eight weeks for moving preparations with any move. When you factor in that you have to move with kids, it becomes even more important to leave enough time. That way you won’t be stressed out about the last-minute move and will have time to fully pay attention to your child while still keeping the relocation on track.

Take care of your child’s connections

The thing that adds to moving stress when it comes to children is the fact that they may feel like they will be losing their old connections. Friends that they have known their entire life and places they have visited may suddenly become very distant. That’s why, when it comes to moving with children, it’s important to plan to take care of your child’s old connections. You can help them to say goodbye to their closest friends by organizing a fun sleepover.

You could also throw a moving out party with fun activities and take pictures which will become nice keepsakes for the future. Maybe you can also organize a visit to the old neighborhood or school after the move. All these will serve to make your child feel less cut off from the old world they knew and left behind.

Be there for your children

Finally, when it comes to moving with children it is very important that you arm yourself with patience. As moving is tiring and you will have a lot to do, you may feel exhausted and stressed. In these situations, it is easy to lash out or not have enough patience for your child’s behavior. However, you should remember that the move is probably affecting them much more than you. So, be there for your child. Be ready for them to be sad or angry about the move and try not to let your stress spill over to them. Also, try to stay positive as your own outlook will have an immense effect on your child.

How to make moving with children easy

Moving with children is not simple. However, as you can see there are ways to make it easy. If you prepare yourself and your child right you should have no problems while powering through this difficult period in life. And when it’s all over and you are happily settled in your new home, your child’s smile will be an invaluable reward for your efforts!