Moving home is high on the list of most people’s least anticipated events that are a necessity,
and it can be even more stressful and frustrating if you have little ones running around the
house while you’re preparing to move.
Fortunately, there are ways to prepare for the big move that will take away at least some of the
pain away, and get you into that new home with the family’s sanity full intact. Here are some top
tips for moving with kids:
Prepare in Advance with Pre-Packing and Labeling
The big day doesn’t have to be 24 hours of last-minute craziness. If you prepare for the move
weeks in advance, it can go fairly smoothly. Two ways to ensure that things go to plan is to pre-
pack in the days, weeks and even months before the move, and label your boxes clearly and on
multiple sides so that everything can be stored, moved and unpacked in the right way. It will
save you so much time and effort, and give you more time to keep the little ones from getting
bored and in your way.
Get Your Little Ones Involved
This depends on the age of your kids, as babies and toddlers are unlikely to be much help with
packing. However, if your little ones can get involved in the move, it will get them engaged and
prevent them from playing up on the day of the move, which can slow you down and get even
the most tolerant of parents blowing smoke from their ears.
In the lead up to the move, ask the kids to start packing the clothes and toys they don’t use that
much, and (if you can trust them not to leave a ‘Goodbye’ message on the wall) give them a
bold pen and ask them to help with the labeling.
Hire a Professional Moving Company
Why not take the stress away from everybody and get a professional moving company quote?
These companies can pack, move and unpack your entire home, and can even store some of
your items in their facilities while you find your feet in your new home. This is particularly useful
for long-distance moves, where family and friends aren’t able to help out with the little ones. If
your children are very young, it will take a huge weight off your hands and allow you to
concentrate on getting your family to the new home instead of worrying about the big move from
your old one.
Call in Some Favors
Parents can be forgiven for making their home a children free zone during a stressful day such
as the big move. With some breathing space from tantrums, potty breaks and everything in between, you can concentrate your efforts on getting from your old house to your new home
with as little stress as possible. Call in those favors to Grandpa and Grandma and ask them to
look after the little ones until you’re ready to introduce them to their new home.
This post was written by Bill Clark. Bill is a freelance journalist who specialises in writing about culture and the arts, however will write about anything that piques his interest including business, travel and lifestyle. He can be reached on Twitter @BilboClark01.