Moving Tips For Families With Kids

Moving can be a stressful time for everyone involved, especially if you’re ill prepared or you’re trying to get it done all on your own.

When you have help from family, moving can be a lot easier. Afterall, more hands make for lighter work, as they say.

However, moving when you have kids can pose some additional challenges.

Regardless of their age, moving can be a big transition. Changing schools, leaving friends behind and saying goodbye to an old home can be an emotional process.

There are a few ways to prepare for the process.

Here are a few tips.

Get Them Involved 

When you’re preparing to move, there’s lots to think about: packing up all your belongings, hiring a moving truck, putting your items into storage.

Within all the hecticness of moving, sometimes kids are forgotten in terms of their involvement.

Firstly, communication is key.

Communicating with your children about the move as soon as possible will help prepare them for it in advance. Talk to them about their feelings about the move while providing validation.

Additionally, involving them physically in the process whenever possible will help.

Examples of this include:

• They can help you run a yard sale
• Let them pack a few of their own moving boxes
• Get them involved in the decision making process when possible, depending on their age. Examples of this would be letting them help you pick a color of paint if you’re repainting the walls or asking their opinion on what house they like.

Quick tip: If you have trouble convincing your kids to help you pack, you could turn it into a competition. Kids love beating their siblings at anything and everything! You could set a timer for each packing round, and whoever finishes first and has their items arranged neatly wins.

Use Time To Your Advantage

If moving day is months away, use that time to prepare your child by supplying them with as much information as possible. What’s the neighborhood like? What school will they be going to? Paint a picture of the new life they will have in this home by getting them excited about decorating their room or the new backyard. Give them reasons to feel excited about this new stage of life.

If possible, take them to their new school in advance for a tour and to possibly meet their teacher. A lot of fear and uncertainty comes from the unknown. If they are able to see a layout of their new school, it may reduce some anxiety.

If your schedule happens to be more short notice, use that time to make a plan to map out the moving process and answer any questions they will have.

Pack a “Moving-Day” Bag for Each Family Member

Moving time can be extremely busy and, depending on whether you are storing your possessions  or not, items can get misplaced or you may have difficulty locating certain things. Make sure each family member packs a “moving-day bag” with all essential items. Explain that it could be a week or two before your items are organized.

Minimize Initial Change

As mentioned, moving is an exciting process, but it can be scary and quite the adjustment, especially if your children are young. Moving to a new home, a new city or a new state can feel like a big change, but you can keep it familiar for them. You can arrange their furniture the same way in their bedroom that it was in their old house or stick to similar morning routines. If there’s certain traditions your family has, like Fridays is movie night or Sundays you make a nice breakfast, try to preserve those traditions.

Choose a Family-Friendly Moving Company

At U and Me Moving, we have been a family-owned and operated company since 1923, making the moving process easier for families like you. We have a team of experienced professionals who will get the job done quickly and respectfully. You will never have to worry about your items being handled poorly. Give us a call today at 561-832-6156 or contact us today!