Advice from our moving experts to make your next move smoother, safer, and less stressful.
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Published on Jun 6, 2019
•7 min read
By Mike Stackable,Founder
We all know that moving to a new house is a huge change for everyone in the family, but for our children, it might seem like the end of the world.
Just think about it, they are going to have a brand new room, go to a brand new school in a neighborhood that they aren’t familiar with, they’re going to need to make brand new friends, and that can all be very scary for kids no matter their age.
As a parent, you might be wondering about the best ways to help your children prepare for moves.
Keep reading for our guide on the seven ways you can keep your children involved in your upcoming move so they can be ready to move to the new house.
One of the biggest mistakes that parents make when planning a move is hiding it from their children. There isn’t going to be the right place or right time to tell your child about the big move so you should tell them about it as soon as you know.
Plus, you don’t want them to find out about the move from another friend or family member because it could make them even more upset.
Whether they’re going to feel sadness or anger when you tell them, you need to be prepared for it. After all, your children are going to be the ones who are going to feel a sense of loss. They’re going to have to think about making new friends, going to a new school, but mostly they’ll be thinking about everything that they’re leaving behind by moving.
When letting your child know about the move, make sure to let them ask questions and answer them to the best of your ability. You might not have all the answers right away but try your best to give them the answers that they’re looking for.
They might be angry, sad, upset, in denial or even want to bargain with you about the move. Do your best to talk it through with them and explain it to them in a way that they can understand.
It is easy to brush off the conversation by telling them that they’re moving and that is the end of the conversation, but that isn’t the most helpful way to get your child on board with the move. You may even want to look into counseling for children if they’re having a difficult time accepting the new move.
Explain to them why you need to move. Whether it is because you got a better job, you need more space, or because it will be better in the long run for your family.
Another way to help your child get excited about the move is to help them get familiar with their new home. You can take pictures and videos of the new house. Show them where their bedroom is in photos and what the backyard looks like.
You can even take pictures of the neighborhood and the school. This is a great way to help them get familiar with where they will be living.
If it’s possible, you should take a trip to the new area and let them look around. They’ll love exploring the new town and getting familiar with their surroundings.
For long-distance moves, pull up some photos on the internet! You should show them pictures of the house as well as pictures around town and especially of their new school.
When moving with families, the best way to help get your child excited about the move is to let them plan their new room. Either tour your new house or show them photos of their new bedroom so they can start thinking of fun ways to decorate their brand new space.
They can pick out a paint color for their walls, a light fixture, bedspread, and even artwork for their new room. There might even be more that goes into planning their room but let them help with the process of decorating their new space.
This is a great way to get them excited about the new house and getting a brand new bedroom.
Saying goodbye to their room and their house is going to be difficult no matter how young or old they are. One good way to help your children say goodbye to their home is by letting them help you pack everything up.
Plus, seeing all of their things thrown into boxes and put onto a truck can be a very scary thing for younger kids. Especially when their toys are their favorite things when they’re that young.
Packing personal items like toys, books, and stuffed animals with your kids can be fun for them and can make it a lot less scary for your children. A fun thing for younger kids is to let them pick out their favorite stuffed animals, books, or toys and put them into a backpack so they can bring them on moving day.
For older kids, let them pack their laptop, tablet, or gaming console in a backpack so they can ensure safe traveling on moving day.
Before you officially move, a great way for your children to say goodbye to all of their friends is by throwing a going-away party. They can say goodbye to their friends, their town, and even their home by having one last hooray.
Buy them a t-shirt, stuffed animal, picture frame, or something creative for all of their friends to have at their party. It will be an awesome keepsake and they can display it in their new room.
Make sure that you ask for all their friends’ addresses so that you can send them mail and give them your new address too!
The best way to get your children settled into your new home right away is to do it as soon as possible on moving day. Once you get all of the boxes into the new house on moving day, then get to unpacking their rooms first.
It is going to feel a bit crazy with boxes everywhere in an otherwise empty house, but the most important thing is to make sure that your children feel comfortable in their new home.
Make sure that their beds are set up, unpack their clothes, and even get their toys out. If they are ready to sleep in familiar sheets by the end of the day, then they will be more comfortable even in a brand new space.
If you’re thinking of moving but worried about your children, then there are definitely tons of ways that you can help your children prepare for moves. Keeping your child involved throughout the process of your move is the most important thing when moving to a new house.
Change is the most difficult part for children but if they’re involved and know what is going on, then they will be more likely a better time for your child.
Are you looking to move? Make sure to get a free quote from us right away to make your move a breeze!