Moving House with Kids? 9 Tips to Make the Move Easier and Stress-free

Moving is a stressful process in itself, so let’s not even get started on moving with kids! You don’t want to disrupt their daily routines, you’ll probably have to make their favourite pancakes for breakfast and possibly answer a hundred questions along the way about who the packers and movers are and why they’re taking all the furniture out of the house. Phew, that sounds stressful indeed! Whether it’s dealing with your estate agents in Gloucestershire or giving instructions to the packers and movers, there is so much to do while moving houses without the additional stress of dealing with your kids. To make your life easier and your move just a little less stressful, here are 9 tips to help moving houses with kids.

Tell Them About the Move Early

Let your kids know what you will be moving houses on such and such date, as early as possible. Explain to them what the process of moving involves, which basically means explain how your furniture and personal items will be transported from one house to another and then let them ask you any questions that might be on their minds.

Be Honest About Moving

Don’t just tell your kids that you are moving to a new place for a few days. Be honest and open with them. Explain to them that you are moving houses, for good, and maybe even show them the new place. Let them pick out their rooms or play in the garden of your new home so that they are not uncomfortable when they first walk in.

Start Packing in Advance

College kids and young professionals have the luxury of packing up one day before the big move. Unfortunately, parents with kids do not have this luxury! Start packing up things weeks in advance, so that on the main day you only need to pack up the essential items.

Make a Game out of Moving

To get your children excited about the new move, try to make a game out of it. Maybe ask them where they will place their favourite toy in their new room or where they would like their study table to be. Let their creative minds go crazy so that they actually get excited about the move.

Hire a Moving Company

If you’re moving houses with children, you’re going to need the help of some professionals! It is highly advisable that you hire a moving company to help you with the big move. That way, you won’t have to worry about the whole process of moving. You will be able to focus on your kids and continue with their daily routine, while the packers and movers do all the heavy lifting.

Have a Support System

Ask your friends and family members to come over on the moving day. That way, even if you’re busy giving instructions to the estate agent or ensuring that the packers and movers are labelling everything correctly, your children will have some company to keep them occupied. Also, your family and friends might be able to answer some of your child’s many questions – something most parents won’t have the time to do on the moving day.

Take Them to Their New Home

You want your children to feel comfortable in their new home. Take them to the property and show them around. Ask them to choose their rooms and get them involved in the decision-making process. Would your child prefer a pink room or a yellow room? Do they want to put an inflatable swimming pool in the garden? Which room would they like to turn into the study room? Basically, you want to get your children so excited about the new place that they cannot wait to move in.

Stick to Your Routine

Try to stick to your old routines as much as possible. Let’s say you always take your kids out for ice cream on a Friday afternoon and you’re moving houses on Friday. If you don’t have the time to do that, ask a family member to take your kids out or order some frozen yoghurt at home. If your kids have to go to school, make sure to plan the move after you have dropped them at school so that their daily routine does not get impacted.

Help Them Say Goodbye

Let your children say goodbye to their old home. Let them say goodbye to the door, to the furniture, to the crack in the wall, to the bathroom tile or the flower that is growing in the garden. You need to let them get closure so that they can actually say goodbye to their old surroundings and adapt to their new surroundings.

If you’re looking for packers and movers to help make the move easy, or if you’re looking for letting agents in Gloucestershire to find the right home for you, get in touch with the experts today!