Is your move stressing you out and prepping your children to uproot their lives is just the cherry on top of it all?
It’s okay, I’m here to help you take away some of that anxiety and give you 10 simple tips for packing, moving and helping your family transition better so that you can start to feel excited about why you’re moving in the first place.
Moving is a big deal for families even if you’re not moving all that far away. There’s so much physical stuff to do that when we see our kids emotionally struggling with the process we often already feel too drained to address how they are feeling.
So let’s get right into my first tip to help you with this move.
BOOK A FAMILY MEETING
Order in your family favoruite or have a build your own pizza night and have lots of conversation with your kids. Let them know why you’re moving and what they stand to gain by it. Share any past moving experiences with them and how you may have felt unsettled too. Let them know that it’s okay to feel that way and nd it with how you made new friends, got to try new things and got to create new memories.
You can also use this meeting to plan a fun day with the kids after packing everything and moving to the next house. It’s easy for us to always say let’s do it when we’re done the work but kids don’t understand that. So give them something exciting to look forward to before their new normal possibly overwhelms them.
PURGE ALLLLLL THE JUNK
Tip number two is to purge ALL the junk. Some of the best parts of moving I think are purging that 10 year old dusty mug at the back of the cupboard you never used.
Use this time to donate to a local charity and turn it into a learning tool for the kids to perform a good deed.
But I will warn that some kids will not see this as a fun task so you may need to purge some of their things in the darkness of night.
To also alleviate some stress consider hiring a packing company if feasible.
ORGANIZE A MOVING SALE
Pick a date and organize a moving sale. Give your kids some freedom to help you with this. Let them put the price stickers on the items and make the yard signs.
Let them know that the proceeds from the sale will be used for something for the family at the new house. In fact, you can have a family meeting and vote to decide on what that might be.
LET THEM DECORATE THE BOXES
This tip is fun and simple. Let them decorate the boxes. As you’re labeling the boxes of which room the items need to go to in the new house, let them colour the boxes and give them a theme for each room for inspiration.
Even consider getting a special box for their things.
UNPACK THE KIDS ROOM FIRST AND KITCHEN NEXT
There’s two things that are easy to learn with kids. They like to play and they like to eat.
So my tip number five is to pack up the kids’ rooms last to give them a sense of normality as long as possible. When you get to your new house unpack their rooms first and get them set up and happy. This will rid your ears of the “mom where’s my this and Mom I’m hungry…”
BOX OF ESSENTIALS
Tip number six is to create a box of essentials such as children’s records for changing schools, toothpaste and brushes, snacks, toilet paper, water, soap, towels and so on. A box that you can put at the back of the truck and is easy to find and unpack right away. All the things that you need to keep everyone happy from the moment you step through the door.
MAKE A GROCERY LIST
Make an on going shopping list. When you’re cleaning out your fridge and purging the 2 year old condiments. Write out a grocery list right then and there of the things you need to replace so you’re not wasting time staring at the grocery aisles later on.
ACTIVE ROLES
Give everyone in the family a role in the process. Your older kids can pick the first restaurant to go to when moved in or pick out their room colour at the store. You can even have them plan an adventure day for when you’re moved into your new community.
Your younger kids can help you unpack and bake a fresh batch of cookies to introduce yourselves to the neighbours.
BUY SCHOOL SUPPLIES BEFORE YOU MOVE
Buy school supplies before you move. I know that sounds like more to pack and move but it’s going to be one less thing to think about when you’re sorting through boxes on their first day of school and navigating a new community.
You can also make their first week of school better by bringing some cupcakes to the bus stop to celebrate their first week in the books. Let them share with their new friends and talk about their week and the challenges they may need help navigating.
GOING AWAY PARTY
My last tip is to host a going away party for them and their friends. Plan some games where they share the best memories together. You can make a craft or buy a polarized camera and have them take photos with their friends. Use all of these great last memories to create a memory book for them to take with them and try to add in other memories created in the house and around the community from over the years.
You have a big task ahead of you but giving your kids a sense of control in the process will help them feel needed but also excited for all the activities you have planned before the move and after.
Be sure to also ask for help, there’s no shame in asking for a babysitter for moving day or gathering some buddies to help pack and unpack the trucks.
GOOD LUCK!
- MEGAN PROPER
Did you know that although I only usually service the Huron and Perth surrounding areas that I can help you buy and sell anywhere?
