Top Tips for Moving Home With Kids in Tow

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Moving home is a stressful time for anyone, you never seem to realise just quite how much "stuff" you actually own until you have to box it all up and move it all. Whilst moving home in itself is stressful enough, there is one thing that can make it even more stressful... moving when you have kids in tow! Of course it's lovely for them to get involved and see them getting excited about moving home but it can also be tricky to move with little ones under your feet creating a very excitable trip hazard and lots of not so helping hands.

Of course the obvious solution would be to see if the kids can go on a play date or stay with family whilst you pack, but that of course isn't always an option. So here are some top tips for helping you move home when you have kids in tow.

Use a self storage facility

Many of us accumulate lots of stuff once we have our own homes. From sentimental memories, day to day items and large pieces of furniture. Of course they all have their space in your home but when you move to a new home it can take a while to find a space for everything. That is especially true if you are planning on decorating or renovating when you move in and you don't want large amounts of furniture cluttering up your new home. One way around this is to use a self storage facility such as Now Storage self storage in Swindon to keep your furniture and household items safe until you are ready to move them.

Give kids their own jobs to do

Kids loved getting involved in anything the grown ups are doing and a move can be just as hard (if not harder) on kids than it is to us adults. It's a whole new change for them and so the more you can get kids involved in the moving process the better. Take them with you to viewings before hand so they can get used to the new house and perhaps let them pick their new bedroom or suggest how you could decorate. When it comes to moving day let them get involved too, give them a box to pack up some of their favourite toys and books, or if they are a little older perhaps give them the job of labelling the boxes etc. If they are able to pack a few of their own boxes with "unbreakable's" in, it will also give them something to unpack themselves when they get to the new house too.

Jennifer from Rice Cakes and Raisins said - " We took my little boy out to the shops to choose some stickers which he then used to decorate the boxes containing the things from his bedroom. This kept him busy when we were packing and when we got to the new house, he had lots of fun locating his boxes with his fancy stickers on!"

Start early 

Whilst the idea of an early start probably doesn't sound very appealing, getting started early is always a wise move when planning a move, especially if you have kids in tow. If you are lucky enough to have kids that will sleep in, it means you can get a head start on the packing etc whilst they sleep. But either way moving day will be a long day for everyone involved and so the sooner you start the sooner you can get moved, the last thing you want to be doing is still unloading boxes at bedtime with grouchy kids too.

Have an "essentials box" and keep it close by 

We all have good intentions when we start packing right? Labelling all the boxes, carefully wrapping everything precious and trying to box things in some sort of order be it room, person or categories. However after hours or even days of packing we all get to the point of just throwing everything in any box we can find and hoping for the best at the other end! If this sounds all too familiar having an "essentials box" is a good idea for a hectic move. It is easy to do, just grab a decent size box and fill it with all the stuff you will need when you get to your new place. It could be things like pyjamas and bedding, kettle and tea bags or gadgets and devices to keep the kids entertained whilst you try to unpack. Whatever it is keep the box nearby, perhaps in your car rather than the moving van so it is easily accessible. That way when you get to your new home you can easily and quickly get to this box and have all your essentials to hand rather than rummaging through box after box trying to find it all.

Lynne from New Mummy Blog said - "Remember snacks, tea, coffee and to factor in a lunch break during the move. We remembered all snacks and drinks but forgot we'd need sandwiches!"

Plan, Plan, Plan (and allow extra time!)

There is a lot to consider when you move home. Not only do you have to pack everything up (and unpack it the other end) but there are other jobs such as setting up new utilities, changing your address on everything rerouting mail to name a few. Planning and making lists is a great way to keep on top of everything, especially changing addresses on everything as it means you can tick off what you have done meaning you don't forget something important (easily done when things feel so hectic). Planning will also help you keep on track time wise too and if you have others helping you make them aware of the plan so they know what is going on and when so everyone is on the same page.

Ask for help 

You know the saying "many hands make light work" well of course moving house is never going to be "light work" having more helping hands will definitely mean the work load gets spread out and made much quicker too. Many of us have friends and family who are more than willing to lend a hand when asked so don't be afraid to ask for help. It could be as simple as helping you pack, moving boxes from the old to new house or helping you clean at either end of the move.

Caroline from Mrs Magovern said - "Don’t be afraid to ask friends and family for help - even if it’s just an hour of childcare. You’ll be able to get much more done in that hour then two hours with the kids in tow!"

Have you ever had to do a big move with the kids in tow? Do you have any top tips to share even if they are just for moving home in general? I would love to hear them in the comments below.

xXx


**This is a collaborative post.**