Kids are great, they bring joy to all of those around them. Their beautiful smiles and undying excitement for life are what make being a parent so great. However, taking on a local or long-distance move with kids can be challenging. They only want to help and don’t realize that mom and dad can get things done faster on their own. That’s why we’ve come up with a few tips to help you work around the kids to make sure everyone’s ready for the big move.
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1. Pack and organize after bedtime
Packing well ahead of time is always a good idea but it’s especially useful when you have kids. Trying to pack a toddler’s toys during the daytime will only result in them immediately unpacking and playing with them. Pack everything gradually, night-by-night, so that the kids barely realize that anything’s changed. This will help ease them into the idea of moving.
It’s also good to start early because, let’s face it, everything takes a little bit longer when kids are involved. You can remain stress-free by giving yourself more time than you need to prepare for the move. If you think you need two weeks to pack, start three or four weeks early.
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2. Get a babysitter
Friends and family will often ask if you need a hand with your move. They may be expecting you to hand them some tape and boxes, hand them the baby bag instead. You’ll find that you won’t need as much help with everything else when the kids are off having a fun time with the grandparents or babysitter. Having someone watch the kids will save you a lot of time, and they’ll probably have more fun than they will in a half-packed home.
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3. Sell items online
There will likely be a few things that you’ll want to get rid of once you start decluttering in preparation for your move. Instead of having a garage sale in order to turn those items into cash, try selling them online. Websites like eBay will help you find a buyer without you having to take any time off from packing and getting ready.
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4. Treat the kids
Moving may not be a big deal for adults because they’ve likely experienced it before. For your kids, this is not the case. Moving, especially for the first time, can be jarring and a few fun surprises can help make it easier. For example, try stopping at the favorite family restaurant on the way to the new house. Some familiarity will help ease the transition.
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5. Say goodbye to your old home
Another way to ease the transition to a new home is to actually let the kids say “goodbye” to the old house. Take the kids on a tour of your old home so that they can see that none of their things are there anymore. Give them time to say goodbye in each room, it’s a gentle way to drive home the point that this isn’t home anymore. It may be therapeutic for you as well.
