Buying a new home is certainly exciting but moving house can be stressful and if you’re moving house with young kids, the pressure is real!
If you are selling and buying a new property in Adelaide, then moving house is the next job. Buying a new home is certainly exciting but moving house can be stressful and if you’re moving house with young kids, the pressure is real!
When you’re moving house with kids the ‘to-do’ list is long, the available hours in a day are not long enough, and everyday family life still goes on while you’re trying to organise packing, cleaning, removalists and utilities.
But there are a few tricks and tips that can help you move house without too many tears and tantrums from the kids… or mum and dad!
Planning
If possible, plan your move for the least busy time in the kids’ schedules. Avoid times when they may have important school, sport, dance or music events on the calendar, because neither you nor the kids will be at your best if you’re overloaded.
Consider using a free online service such as Move Me In to relieve some of the stress around arranging utilities connections or finding removalists, cleaners and storage sites.
Preparation
Prepare your kids for the move by taking regular opportunities to talk to them about what is happening. Let them know what will change and what won’t change, e.g. “we’ll still see Grandma every Wednesday, but we’ll have to find a new dog park for Fido. Can you help with that?”
Create a timeline of moving house events and stick it on the fridge so you and they can refer to it. List suitable jobs for your kids to do prior to moving, and on moving day.
Decluttering And Packing
Explain the benefits of decluttering and help them sort their toys and clothes into boxes labelled with their NAME and GIVE AWAY, PACK, and KEEP CLOSE. They can choose a charity for their ‘give away’ box, while the ‘keep close’ box will be packed last of all and contain the comfort items, special toys, spare clothes and essentials each child needs easy access to on moving day.
Moving Day
Moving day will look different depending on the age of your kids. If they’re very young, have an older sibling, relative or friend supervise them closely. Prepare backpacks with lunchboxes, snacks and drinks so they are readily available. Set up a space with crayons and paper and suggest they draw their old and new houses.
Older children can be assigned suitable jobs, such as looking after the pets, unpacking boxes, removing used packing materials and stacking empty boxes or putting cold items away in the fridge.
Settling In
Set up the kids’ rooms in your new Adelaide property as a first priority and help them put their special toys into place so they feel secure in a new environment. Involving the children with settling pets into a new space also helps to create a sense of involvement and ownership. Establish your children’s normal routines as quickly as possible to minimise anxiety.
If you are selling your property in Adelaide, you’ll be moving house soon! Be sure to let your Boffo Sales Partner know if you need recommendations or tips when planning your move. You can contact us or pop in and say hi – our coffee is always hot.
