Moving homes—whether you’ve done it multiple times in the past or if it’s your first time in the ringer, it’s always bound to stress you out.
If you’re moving with kids, relocating can seem exponentially harder than it already is. Not only are you dealing with the stress of organising and packing your own belongings, but you’re also responsible for caring for your child’s baggage as well, physically and mentally speaking.
But we’re not here to tell you what you already know! If you’re itching to move more quickly and stress-free with kids in tow, we’ve got some tips on how to make the process easier.
1) Fill Your Kids in on the Details
Kids are very receptive when it comes to picking up on changes in the household’s atmosphere. They can tell when mum and dad are sad, stressed, or zoned out, consequently absorbing the same feelings even if they don’t know much about the details.
It’s important to keep them in the loop and make sure that they’re aware of the move before it happens. You can also tell them why to make them understand your situation more clearly. This will give them time to mentally adjust and prepare for the inevitable change.
You’ll have to do it age-appropriately, of course. Adolescents can take on the bare truth and make their adjustments accordingly, whereas toddlers may need to be informed more gently. Be sure to react appropriately and validate whatever apprehensions they may have, but also try as much as possible to frame the move in a positive light.
Letting them know about the move ASAP can help them feel more psyched about the move, or at the very least come to terms with it. It also coincidentally enough paves the way for them to accomplish the next couple of tips!
2) Get Your Kids Involved in the Move
Once your kid(s) are fully in the loop, you can twist that to your advantage by having them help with certain aspects of the move. This will have to be done in an age-appropriate manner, of course, but you’d be surprised to know that even 6-year-olds can lend a helping hand when it comes to performing moving-related chores.
For starters, ask their opinion on what their future room design should look like. Maybe they want to have a space-themed room. Perhaps they’d like to have a pirate-style treasure chest as their main storage. Maybe there’s a wallpaper coat they’d love to have. Whatever opinion they’re willing to divulge, try to match their expectations accordingly.
Speaking to them about this can be a great way to make them look forward to their new room. It can also boost their independence and self-expression since they have a say in what’s going to be in their room.
Another way to involve them is by having them pick and declutter from their current belongings. They may express be sentimental with more toys than you’d like, but you can say something along the lines of “There’ll be no room for new toys if you bring too much” and they’ll likely budge.
3) Hire Professional Removalists
While moving can seem like a job you can do yourself, there are some instances when it’s just too big for the family to handle.
While a friend or family member can carry these items in your stead, it comes with the added risk of breakages. It only takes a single misstep on their part for you to have a new list of problems to sort through.
Fortunately, you’re not short of professional options. If you’re moving from Sydney to Queensland, for instance, you can find Sydney interstate removalists on Muval to do all the heavy lifting for you. These people are professionally trained to handle furniture like their lives depend on it, so you can guarantee your stuff will make it to your new home in one piece.
4) Consider Requesting the Aid of a Babysitter
There’s no shame in asking for a helping hand for your move, especially for young ones. If you’re juggling between packing up an endless pile of boxes and taking care of the kids, consider getting a babysitter to watch over your young child. It can be a family member, a friend, or even a professional babysitter.
Getting external aid will help unload a lot of the move-related stress and give you some breathing room to sort out the physical aspects of the move. Not every child is cut out to help with the move, and that’s okay.
Finding a babysitter, preferably one that’ll watch over your child outside of the house, is a completely valid option for ensuring your child’s comfort and safety during the more physical-taxing days of the move.
5) Plan Far Ahead
Procrastinating your moving duties? That’s one of the biggest no-no’s when it comes to relocating with kids. There will be times when you’d be grasping for the little time you have (especially if you’re juggling a busy career), but there’s one easy solution for this: plan your move way, way, way in advance.
Three months would grant you enough time to wrap up the most pressing moving obligations; two months is pushing it, but it’s still doable.
To help you stay on top of your tasks, make a moving checklist of all the things you need to get done. Schedule deadlines for any urgent moving tasks and mark priority moving duties on the list. This way, you’ll not just flounder about when the big day approaches.
Kids may seem like they’d make the checklist harder to stick to, but that’s not usually the case. If you’ve briefed them earlier on the details of the move, they’d be more than ready to help you out with any obligations. If they’re not as reliant as you’d like them to be, schedule the packing of boxes or chores a week or two earlier so that you’ll have time to do it yourself.
