Moving is a stressful time, regardless of the size of the home, where you are moving to, or how many people are involved.
When you have children, this can make the stress seem much worse for everyone, but especially for the young ones. Fortunately, it doesn’t have to be. There are a few things you can do to help everyone pack, move, and adjust more easily without as many tantrums.
If your child is under 4, then the easiest thing will be to have them stay with friends or family during the moving day itself, more for their safety than anything else. Older children, though, can be involved in the entire process.
As one of the top moving companies in London, Ontario, Sprint Moving Services has all the best tips and tricks for ensuring a smooth move with even the littlest kids. Check out all our top tips below to streamline your moving experience.
1. Communicate with your kids
Regardless of the child’s age, you should communicate with them what is happening. For young kids, let them know that everything is coming, they don’t need to worry about being left behind, and that you are all going together.
Explain that it’s a new adventure for everyone to enjoy, and they will get to explore unique areas and a new home. A younger child’s comprehension is more about the wonder and magic of what’s happening, so use that to your advantage to help reduce their fear and stress.
Teenagers have a better understanding of what’s happening, so be honest and open with them. Explain that their help is valued and required and why you are moving. Though the teenage hormones may still lead to the common stubbornness and rebellion, they will at least understand the moving process.
If the move is relatively local, let the children know that they can still keep their friends as well as make new ones and that they can do all the things they love in familiar areas.
Should the move be further away, then comfort them by taking them to explore the new area. As well, tell them that they can make new friends and keep in contact with the old ones.
Don’t forget to answer any questions that they have, regardless of their age, with honesty.
2. Let them help pack
Although it may seem otherwise, children do not always need to be entertained, but they do want to be involved. They are learning new skills and need to exercise them to perfect them. So, involve them in the packing process.
Allow them to help you pack a room so that they can see how to pack a box, and how to wrap and protect certain items. You can even allow them to write on the box so that you know which room it will be in at the new location.
Then, give them their own boxes, packing tape, and bubble wrap, and let them pack up their own room. Supervise them and assist when needed, but allowing them to pack up their own belongings helps them to know that nothing will be left behind.
3. Explore the new location
As the moving day gets closer, take the children to the new area and let them explore. Visit surrounding parks and malls, and go for lunch at their favourite fast food place so that they can see there are still familiar things at the new location.
Letting them get used to the new area before the move will help to reduce any anxiety about the actual move. This won’t completely resolve it, but it will make it easier when it happens for them to be a little familiar with the area.
If you have possession of the keys prior to the moving date, let them explore the new house and maybe pick their room. This will reduce their anxiety when the time comes.
4. Allow them to organize their rooms
As the move happens and the boxes start to fill their new, hand-picked room, let them start to unpack and organize the new room the way that they want.
While you will still need to assemble the furniture, like the bed or a dresser, let your child or children dictate where in the room they should go. This will help them become comfortable in the room as they can control this part of the move.
If the room needs to be decorated prior to unpacking, let them pick the colours and decorations so that they can personalize their own room. This will be especially important if you have more than one child who is used to sharing a room with their sibling. Allowing them to unpack and organize their own room will mean the world to them.
5. Have a fun camp out at home
The first night in a new place can be scary. Often, there are strange noises that no one is accustomed to and new shadows from different light sources, among other unfamiliar things.
Younger children can have trouble adjusting to new surroundings, and a form of sleep regression can occur. Teenagers tend to find the transition easier as they have coping mechanisms in place to help them adjust. Music, gaming, and the internet play a big role, so make sure that a Wi-Fi connection is one of the first things that is set up.
Having a camp out in the new home on the first night allows the family to all be together in the same room, which especially provides comfort and security to young children. Throw in some hotdogs and S’mores, and the stress of moving day will soon melt away.
6. Throw hello and goodbye parties
Leaving a place that you have known your entire life can be a struggle for children, and they may have the urge to say goodbye to their childhood home.
Throwing a small “goodbye house” party with a few friends the day before will help give children closure and make the move easier. At the same time, it’s important to say hello to the new house, and celebrate the successful move and new surroundings.
A “hello home” party not long after the move will help children adjust, as they can invite their friends from the previous neighbourhood as well as any new friends they have made.
Contact Us for a Stressless Move
Keeping children entertained and involved during a move is essential. So, while you take care of them, Sprint Moving Service can take care of the other valuable things, and move your old home to the new one quickly and efficiently.
Call us at 548-489-0140 or go online today for a free quote, and let us help you with a stress-free move.