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How to prepare for a move with kids?

You've found your ideal home – the best location for starting a family. It's a lovely new construction with a large yard, pleasant neighbors, beautiful parks, and excellent schools. You've gone through the stress of closing on your new house and selling your old one; now, all you have to do is make it through the transition with your kids. But how to prepare for a move with kids?

Moving can quickly turn into a nightmare for everyone involved if you are not careful enough since there are many things to think about - from packing your entire household to actually relocating. However, with these pointers, you will be able to make your relocation go as smoothly as possible while keeping your kids pleased.

How to break the news to your kids
First and foremost, you must inform your children of the relocation. While you may be concerned about settling into the new area and arranging your furniture, your relocation will uproot and flip your children's whole world upside down. They will lose friendships and familiarity and will most likely struggle to adapt to the new situation. Fortunately, there are several things you can do to ease your children's adjustment.

  • Tell them as soon as you can. If you're planning a relocation, chances are your children are already aware of the situation. talk to them about your plans as soon as possible to assist them in preparing and to make them feel included.
  • Answer all of their questions. Your children may want more information than a basic outline of where and when you will be relocating. Make sure they know details such as the precise day you will be in your new home, when the move will happen, and similar things.
  • Respond to their concerns. Allow your children to express their concerns and help them feel more at ease. They may be worried about staying in touch with friends or adjusting to their new school.
  • Help your kids become excited. Your children will come up with a variety of reasons to be uninterested. They'll need your aid to get thrilled about moving away from everything they know.

A boy playing with LEGOs

Communication is key when you are trying to prepare for a move with kids.

Preparing for a move with kids

It's time to buckle down and get everything ready after you've informed your children about the move. Keeping track of kids, coping with unpleasant attitudes, and transporting boxes full of heavy books and toys are just some of the difficulties you may face. Here are some suggestions for surviving your move with kids.

Get insurance

Insurance is an essential thing when you are trying to prepare for a move with kids. Since you are moving with more items, there is more danger of losing or breaking something. That is why insurance is a must when you are trying to organize a relocation. Moving insurance comes in various forms, so make sure to research what works best for you and your family.

Begin the preparations as soon as possible

It happens to everyone - the moving day creeps up on you, and you find yourself packing boxes and cleaning floors at breakneck speed while the moving truck is on its way. To avoid this, start packing and deep cleaning as soon as possible to prepare your family for the big day. This will ease the whole process because you will be prepared for movers in time.

Make a timetable for moving week

Sit down with your kids and map out every aspect of the week leading up to your relocation. Determine which meals your family will consume and where/how they will consume them. To avoid last-minute stress, create packing plans. Plan who will ride in which car and how everyone will arrive safely to your new house.

A person checking a checklist

Following a checklist or a timetable is very helpful when organizing a move.

Give your kids tasks

Asking your children to help you with basic tasks that need to be completed before your move is a win-win situation for all of you. Provide them with checklists that contain housekeeping responsibilities and things that must be packed. For younger kids, having a fixed routine is vital. Making sure family plans and habits don't get disrupted throughout the relocation process is of the utmost importance if you want to reduce uncertainty and relieve stress in your children.

Declutter 

Kids collect many items they don't need, such as broken crayons, outdated school assignments, and lots of old toys, which is why it's vital to declutter. You probably have a dozen boxes of items that you don't need to pack between their and your old useless things. To save time and packing materials, get rid of as much as possible.

Not only can decluttering save you time when packing, but it will also lower the expense of your relocation. With fewer belongings, there are fewer boxes to store and less work to do! You have the option of throwing things away, donating them, or selling them. Although all three methods are excellent, garage sales and donations are the most popular.

Organizing a garage sale is a fantastic way to get rid of unwanted goods and pay some of your relocation expenses. If you have children, put them in charge of the sale and have some fun as a family.


Garage sale

Organizing a garage sale is a great way to declutter and get rid of unnecessary items!

In conclusion
If you do your best to prepare for a move with kids, you will surely keep the stress at bay. Doing adequate research and hiring reputable movers will help you keep everyone happier, thus making the entire process much more joyful and relaxed.