Moving into a new home may be stressful and demanding. Moving with kids can be terrifying and exhausting. Not only do you have to worry about doing everything, but you also have to take care of the kids who will be particularly impossible during this period. Thus, it’s important that you do everything you can to make the entire moving process as easy as possible. Not only will this keep you efficient, but it will also help you stay sane.
1. Keep your kids involved
Moving may be a stressful change even for adults, let alone children who feel completely powerless in this decision. Thus, it’s important that you keep them actively involved in the entire process. Not only will they be occupied and less “restless”, but they will also feel as if they have a saying. For instance, you can get their opinion on your new home or ask them in what type of neighbourhood they would like to live in. You can also let them choose the colour of their new rooms. Packing, unpacking and decorating can all be kid-friendly activities that will make your children feel appreciated and active parts of the moving process.
2. Make moving fun
We all know that children have a short attention span, so they can quickly become bored with an activity, especially chores, such as packing. Thus, you should find a way to make packing and moving fun and engaging for your family. For instance, you can play your favourite songs in the background to keep the mood high. You can also hide rewards around your home or in their boxes so that they can look forward to different surprises.
3. Clear out clutter
Who knows how much clutter hides around your home, so make sure to deal with this issue before moving into your new house. You certainly don’t want to take all those broken and forgotten toys to your new place. There’s also plenty of other items that you don’t want to take with you, so take some time to sort out your and your kids’ belongings beforehand. You can ask your children to go through their items and set apart those that they wish to donate to charity. It’s important that you go through everything because otherwise, you’ll end up with a pile of clutter in your new home that will only keep building up.
4. Prep your new home
Before actually moving into your new home, you need to get it ready for your family. Most importantly, you need to make sure that there is a functioning utility connection, which is one of the basic necessities. You don’t want to move in only to realise that you don’t have running water or electricity. If it were just you, you might be able to manage for a day or two. However, you need to provide a stable environment for your children and this is the essential step.
Cleaning is another important aspect of preparing your new home. You need to get rid of all the hidden toxins and health hazards, so make sure to clean your space meticulously.
5. Find a helping hand
If you can’t get a lot of time off work, you should definitely find someone to help you out. Packing, moving and taking care of children at the same time can be truly exhausting. Thus, you should consider hiring a moving company who will take this tiring process off your hands. However, if this financially isn’t an option, you can ask your friends to help you out.
Another possible option is finding someone to look after your kids while you’re dealing with moving, especially if you have young children. Your family members or friends can keep them engaged, fed and happy. You can also find a day-care for this period if you have no other options.
6. Unpack your kids first
The entire packing and unpacking process will be completely chaotic, so it’s important to make your children feel settled as soon as possible. Setting up their bedrooms will make them feel in control and provide them with a somewhat familiar environment. In addition, they will be able to unpack some minor details and organize their rooms, which will keep them engaged and out of your way as you deal with the rest the house.
No matter how hard you try, this period will be stressful and exhausting. However, these tips will make it easier, which is a blessing when you have kids.