Include Them in the Process
Moving is a work-intensive process and can leave many children feeling ignored. Including them in the moving process is a great way to prevent them from dwelling on hard feelings and a good way to make moving easier for you.
Have Kids Pack Their Own Items
Give your children boxes that they can use to pack up their toys and clothes. Inspect the boxes before you tape them up, and then allow your children to write the labels on the boxes that they think are the most fitting description of what is inside.
Allow Your Children to Sort Their Own Clutter
What goes and what stays? Many people ask this question when deciding to move. Reducing clutter helps cut costs and can make moving your things from one house to another a less time-consuming task.
Let your kids decide for themselves what they want to bring with them to their new house and what they want to get rid of. Your kids know better than you do which possessions they still want and which possessions they can do without.
If your children are reluctant to let go of anything, give them the option to sell something for a profit. If you donate to charity, talk about the other children who will be able to benefit from your child’s generosity. Create a narrative that will help your children imagine the other people who will enjoy playing with toys from your family.
Keep Healthy Snacks on Hand at All Times
Some kids start to get snippy when they are hungry, but keeping food in the house is hard when you do not cook as much. As soon as you pack the kitchen things, many kids find that less food and fewer leftovers are around the house for snacking. Keep healthy snacks on hand in your house, even up to the very end. Having a full belly will prevent your kids from being cranky.
Pack a Go Bag of Kid-Friendly Entertainment
After you have loaded everything into the truck, you will not have access to the majority of your possessions for awhile. If you move across town, this period will probably be very short. However, if you move some distance away, you may have to go for days or even weeks without having access to your things.
For this time, many people pack a go bag. Since you are moving with children, you will probably need multiple bags, with one dedicated to entertainment. Your children will need travel games, dolls, toys, and other sources of entertainment.
Allow your children to pick the majority of the contents of the go bag. Explain to them that this bag will have to keep them entertained until the movers arrive with your stuff at the new house, and even then, unpacking their toys and electronics will take awhile. Ask your children to keep this in mind as they decide what they want to bring in their bag.
Make Moving an Adventure
Moving can be an adventure for your kids. Find ways to make a game of your relocation. For example, allow your kids to have a camp out in sleeping bags in your living room once you have packed their bedding. To take this a step farther, put a tent in your backyard where your kids can sleep at night as your house fills with boxes. Make up songs to sing while packing.
When you arrive in your new home, take your kids out to explore new restaurants and kid-friendly businesses in your new community. After spending a day unpacking boxes with your children, go for a walk to explore your new neighborhood. Taking this time out to do adventurous things with your kids can help make the entire experience more enjoyable.
Work With a Reputable Moving Company
Working with a reputable moving company is one of the best ways to make moving with children easier. A good moving company can take some of the burden off you so that you can pay more attention to your children during your move. Contact a reputable moving company that can help you load and unload your truck, and pack if that is what you need.
For more information about how you can make your move better for you and your children, contact Wheaton World Wide Moving. Call us today and we will be happy to discuss this with you.
