Everyone knows that Moving houses is a stressful and chaotic time. Even the smoothest of moves only go that way because of countless hours of planning and headaches making sure everything goes off without a hitch. Now, when you add kids into the equation the outcome becomes ten times as hard to pull off. Plus, you have to think about if they’ll need to move schools and what to do about childcare on top of everything else.

Balancing the little ones’ needs with the stresses of a move can be difficult, but it doesn’t have to be a nightmare. Here we’ve prepared 10 tips we believe are useful for helping get your tiny troop from one home to another in one piece.

1. Have a family meeting

We often don’t remember just how slighted and uncomfortable we’d feel at the slightest change as children. As adults we get used to change. But if you ever moved, or were faced with the prospect of moving as a child, you might remember a bubbling sense of panic. Kid’s worlds are small. The prospect of being pried from their friends and familiar surroundings is scary, even if you’re only moving a few numbers down the road. Ignoring these feelings is a quick way to make your moving experience a whole lot worse. Confront the problem by involving your kids in the process as early as possible. You may find the kids getting excited rather than scared if you talk about the move openly and involve them in the planning.

2. Challenge your kids with a research project

Another great way to turn nerves to excitement is to turn the unknown into something to look forward to. Get them to do some research online for fun things to do when you get to your new area. Are there any pools nearby? Bowling alleys? Playgrounds? Help them find things they can get excited about and if it’s practical you could even take them to explore the new area together.

3. De-clutter

We’ve mentioned in our article ///4 Tips to Make Your Move Overseas Easier/// but it applies to moving locally as well. Downsizing can help to make your moving day much smoother. It’s hard to conquer our inner hoarder with fresh waves of presents hitting your home every Christmas and birthday. When you add in all the things your kids beg for in-between, families accumulate clutter fast. Try to have hard and fast rules for what comes with you and what gets thrown out. Chances are, if you or your kids haven’t touched it in 12 months, it doesn’t need to come with you.

4. Ask for help when you need it

No matter how great a parent you are or how ready you feel you are to tear through the packing and cleaning while wrangling the kids, it’s never that simple. People close to you will offer to help at some point, accept it. Even if it’s just watching the kids for a few hours or helping clean up a bit, it will save you hours of stress. If no one offers, ask. No one is an island and you should take the pressure off where you can.

5. Pack an ‘essentials’ box and let the kids do the same

When it comes to unpacking there are two choices: DIY and professional packers. When you have professionals like Kyle Bay Removals unpack your belongings at the other end the move can be over almost as quickly as it began. However, everyone has a budget and it’s important to stick to it. If you plan on DIY unpacking, make sure you have a box with everything you’ll need for the first week as unpacking procrastination is as unavoidable as taxes.

Having the kids do this too can help involve them in the moving process. If you want to give it a fun holiday feel, have them pack their favourite toys into their suitcase, or give them a plain box they can decorate.

6. Keep packed boxes out of sight

It’s a good idea to keep any packed boxes in a spare room, if there is one, away from the children. This not only stops the house from being full of hazards but also protects your well-organised boxes from little hands.

7. Hire a professional moving company

Even if you’ve followed the list up until now, there’s still likely to be stress on moving day, and the kids will feel it too. By bringing in the professionals at Kyle Bay Removals & Storage you can focus on easing the little ones into the new neighbourhood while we take care of the heavy lifting.

8. Take the kids out of the mix

Even with professionals handling most the work on the day, it can still get hectic. If there’s family available to watch the kids or you can do the move while they’re at school, take advantage of it. Let them leave home from one house and come home to the new one without having to deal with the stress and upheaval in between.

9. Prioritise the kids’ rooms

If you want a truly seamless transition, having the kids’ rooms ready when they get home is a great way to go. The comfort they’ll find in having their favourite toys and possessions where they can find them will help them settle in and take a load off your shoulders. Decorate the new room as closely as possible to the old one to keep things familiar, or get them involved in choosing a new decorative scheme if they’re ready for a change.

10. Stick to your routine

Routine means normality, and sticking to your usual routines can help make the kids feel right at home as soon as possible. Things like bedtime and breakfast routines change for us adults all the time but can make a big difference to a kid. Try to stick to your routines but feel free to have some treats mixed in for the kids like takeaway on the first night.

It may seem like a tall mountain to climb now but if you’ve read through this guide, you’re already halfway to the summit. Communication and planning will go a long way to ensuring you get into your new home without tearing your hair out. Plus, if you ever need further help organising your move or tips on how to handle specialty objects, the friendly staff at Kyle Bay Removals & Storage are always more than happy to assist.