If you’ve got kids and are planning to move, there are some considerations that you should make in order to streamline that process and not have to deal with any unforeseen headaches. However, with the proper planning and organisational skills, moving with kids can be a lot less difficult than the Herculean task it might seem – and at the end of the day your kids might actually be more help than hindrance when it comes to moving. As such, here are a few tips on moving when you have kids, so that things can go smoothly and you can avoid a chaotic mess.
Ask them to help
Moving is hard enough as it is, and when you have kids sometimes it can become even more difficult. It’s really obnoxious when they’re just standing there in the way and not doing anything while you’re busy packing things and lugging around boxes of stuff – so the best solution to this is asking them to join in and give you a hand so that everything goes smoothly. After all, the more hands the better.
Give your kids something to do
While related to the first point, you should really delegate tasks for your kids to complete when you’re moving rather than just encouraging them to help and expecting them to figure out on their own what they ought to be doing to give you a hand. So if you want things to go smoothly, it’s really important to tell your kids what to do so that they can actually be helpful – and the good news is that oftentimes kids are very much eager to do something useful if only you give them clear instructions.
Be prepared in advance
It should go without saying that you should be ready for moving day well in advance of when you’re actually planning to move. Being prepared means things like obtaining cheap moving boxes and planning exactly how you’re going to get everything to your new home while still giving yourself enough time to go through everything and get it packed up or sent off to charity. It’s really important when you’re moving to make sure that you’ll be properly prepared, and even if you don’t have kids it’s still an important step. But assuming that you do have a child or several around the house, it’s all the more important to make sure that you’re well prepared in order to have everything go smoothly.
Be clear with your communication
It’s true that raising kids requires clear communication, and when you’re actually moving with them it’s just as important as it would be otherwise. However, aside from when you’re actually dealing with your kids in the move, it’s important to communicate to you’re friends and relatives who are helping out. The last thing you want is your kid throwing a tantrum because the box of toys to be kept was the one they hauled off to the Salvation Army.
Make the most of your time when the kids aren’t around
If you’re moving, it can be a blessing when your kids are asleep or off to school because then they won’t get in the way when you’ve got your cheap moving boxes and are sorting through which toys to keep and which to donate. So make the most of this time.
Moving is totally draining
It’s really important to consider how much time and effort you’ll need to put into moving if you want your move to be a successful one. It’s one of the most stressful things that you can do, so keep this in mind both for your own sake as well as for your kids – the process is totally draining, and while you’ll eventually acclimatise to your new surroundings that doesn’t make it any easier.
