Moving into a new home is an exciting prospect. As your family grows, your needs change, which might mean buying or renting a new property with more space or in a better location. However, while it’s exciting to imagine a home better suited to your needs, the moving process itself is always a daunting task.
This is true at the best of times, but moving house can be even more stressful if you have a young family. Here are some ways to help your family to make it through with minimal stress.
The more you do in advance, the easier the moving day will be. Once you know when your moving day will be, then you can plan your packing. This also gives you a great opportunity to sort through your belongings and throw out anything that you don’t want or need, saving you a job later on.
Start with the non-essential items. You might even be able to move some furniture and keep it in self storage units along with your packed items. This gives you more room to clean your house before moving out. It also means that you can cut down on the amount of packing and work that you need to do the day or week of the move.
If your children are old enough, then you can involve them in the move. You can give them the responsibility of packing their own room, depending on their age and maturity. This is especially handy if you have to move on the weekend.
With this in mind, you do need to teach them how to pack properly. Supervise your children and be willing to lend a helping hand. Moving house is a chore for everyone and it’s important that your kids understand why you’re moving and how it can benefit them. If you’re moving far away, they might feel uprooted from friends and family. Don’t be surprised if it takes them some time to adjust.
If you have younger children or pets, then it’s usually best to keep them away from the work on moving day. This is safer for them and you, as they might get underfoot and potentially get hurt. Not only this, but the whole day is stressful enough for adults, let alone children or pets who don’t know what’s going on.
Ask a friend or family member to take care of your children or pets. This means that you can focus on the work and get it done more quickly. If you need to, use a babysitting or petsitting service.
A moving day is always more stressful if you have to do it yourself. If they’re willing, then you can rope some friends or family members into helping you. However, you should at least repay them with a meal or drinks. Another option is to hire a professional removal service that can streamline the moving process considerably. You’ll find that the workers have the skills and equipment that you need.