Planning a move can be difficult — but planning a move with children can be even harder.
Whether you’re moving across the country or just around the corner, moving can be an incredibly stressful time in your life. Add young children into the mix, and your stress level can go right through the roof.
Now comes the hardest part — planning the move and telling the kids.
Today’s guest post comes from Kara Masterson a freelance writer from West Jordan, Utah. She graduated from the University of Utah and enjoys writing and spending time with her dog, Max. Kara is the youngest of four. She has two hilarious brothers and one beautiful sister. She also is the aunt of 4 crazy little girls that she loves more than anything!! Kara is not yet able to be a mom, but she loves being around kids and being like a second mom to her nieces. She dreams of the day that she can start her own little family.
So if you’re looking for ways to make your move go more smoothly, here are 4 ways to make it all happen.
I hope you find them helpful!
Moving with Children: 4 Ways to Make It All Happen
If you’re planning on moving, you know all about the work and preparation you’ll need to undergo. If you have children, you should be aware of the additional effort that’ll be required. While moving with children does require some additional planning and patience, it doesn’t need to be a pain. Here are four ways to make moving with children as easy as possible.
Start Early
Even before you start looking at houses, you’ll want to have a moving mindset. Set aside about a half hour every week to look through your child’s belongings and decide what should or shouldn’t stay. If they’re an infant or a toddler, you can dispose of most items with ease. However, if they’re an older child, you should consult with them and ask them about what they will and won’t be willing to part with it.
Give Them Responsibilities
Moving can be a tedious process that makes young children restless. In order for them to not let the boredom drive them and you crazy, give them clearly designated responsibilities. For instance, you can instruct them to bring in smaller items while your or movers are bringing in heavier things like beds and tables. Just make sure that any assigned duties are within their physical and mental capabilities.
Pace Yourself
You don’t want to overwork yourself when moving, especially not with children. One of the reasons it’s so important to start early is so that you aren’t scrambling like mad to get things done. Take the time to focus on all the aspects of moving, from preparation to finish. Your children will look to you as a good example so that they aren’t unnecessarily stressed out by this process.
Hire Professional Movers
Some people are able to move everything all on their own. However, if you have a full house to move out as well as young children, you might find yourself more stressed than you’re expecting. In order to alleviate the pressure, it’s always a good idea to hire professional movers. The work of several people at once can make your moving process all the easier. You can still be clear about your instructions for them, all the while feeling much more relaxed. Most moving companies these days have a website, like this example from Excellent Quality Movers, Inc. Spending some time reviewing a company’s website can help you make a decision about whether or not they are right for you. It’s usually a good idea to compare the services and prices of a few different movers before settling on which ones you will hire.
Moving can be demanding, especially with young children, but it doesn’t need to be stressful. Take the time to prepare accordingly and discuss expectations with your children. By following these guidelines, you can count on an easy move.
Need more moving tips? Check out 5 ways to save money when moving
These are great tips! I have three children and cannot even pack us for a vacation lol!
Moving is the worst! The last time we moved, I was pregnant with my 3rd. I never want to do it again!
These are great tips!! We recently went through a big move and it’s never easy with kids. I wish I would have started earlier and definitely hire movers!
Start early and hire movers are the biggest takeaways here for me. Both are so crucial to the process. Movers help lessen the stress of the move.
Gosh I know first hand how hard moving with kids can be! I’ve moved a lot in my lifetime but this last one with 6 kids was the toughest for sure! Your tips are definitely handy!
We just moved this past month with four kids and it’s been stressful! I feel very clutter minded.
We’ve been talking about moving and I honestly get overwhelmed thinking about it. These tips are great and I’m definitley saving these for later.
Moving with children can be hard. I think kids look at it either as an adventure or the worst thing ever. These are great tips to help.
Thank you for these tips. I have 2 children( 1 yr old and a 7 year old) and we are considering a big move. I’ve bookmarked this for later reference
I so much agree with giving the kids responsibilities when it comes to moving. As a large military family that moves very often we have learned if we don’t keep the kids busy and focused, it just ends up being more work for us. Often parents underestimate with kids can help with, even little kids can do more than most think they can!
I moved from Memphis, TN to NYC with my then 5 year old daughter. It wasn’t that hard, as I’m the master at keeping her entertained, but I know not everyone is that lucky. These are excellent tips!
Hiring professional movers is a must! We bought our home 3 years ago and at the time our daughter was 2 months old and our son was 3. Having a professional moving company come in and pack up everything and then un load it into our new home was the most amazing experience ever!
I remember as a kid moving a lot. I also remember how stressful it was for my parents. these are really helpful tips. Moving is a really stressful and demanding thing.
That’s true. It definitely helps when you can make it easier for everyone. It should be exciting!
We haven’t had to do this yet, but this is sound advice. We just started talking about starting fresh somewhere.
We are in preparations for moving. Last time we moved we only had one child and she was a baby. This should be interesting, thanks for the tips!
Giving them an adequate heads up is definitely key and I think allowing them to help would make a big difference in how they feel. Going with professional movers is sure to take a lot of the stress out of moving.