Moving could be as a result of a job transfer/ promotion, new beginnings, new home ownership among others. The moving with kids experience can be traumatic and stressful for kids, who may not understand the decision to move as they are compelled to leave their friends and previous home. Children may need some time and special attention to adjust during the transition.
At Space Move, we recommend these tips to make the moving process seamless for everyone;
- Discuss with them about the moving plans.
If you’re planning to move soon, chances are your kids already know about it. This will help them prepare and be included in the move. Provide them with as much information about the move as soon as possible; where and when you are moving, their new neighborhood and an overview of how life will be in their new home.
- Make your kids feel part of the process.
Give them honest answers to allow them to be prepared for the move, be aware of their concerns eg: leaving their friends behind, joining a new school and help them understand the process truthfully.
- If you’re moving near, organize a visit to the new home with the kids to familiarize them with their new home and explore their new neighborhood.
- For out-of-town/ distant moves, answer all their questions whether positive or negative to help them be receptive to change. You can use the Internet to learn more about the neighborhood, where the children can participate in fun activities. Get some pictures and share with the kids to give them a visual of the new home.
- Decluttering before the move.
Get rid of the things you all don’t need. Kids can accumulate broken crayons, old toys, old school projects, old clothes and so on. Dispose/ Sell/ Gift the old junk to save time and avoid packing unnecessary stuff to your new home. ‘When in doubt, throw it out.’
- Help From a Moving Company
Finding the right moving company will help ease off loads of stress on the moving day. Kids can be grumpy on the move day, due to anxiety and heavy duties. At Spacemove, we try to make your move with your children as seamless as possible. Our well trained moving experts will handle your entire move from beginning to end without you lifting a finger allowing you and your kids to relax and enjoy your last moments at your previous home.
A professional moving company will help handle fragile & bulky items safely and with ease eg: furniture during your move and will be able to settle you in faster into your new home.
- Make the packing process fun and exciting.
Kids can sometimes be cranky and hate the packing duties and wouldn’t want to cooperate. Our Space move team, suggests some pointers to keep them excited through the process:
- Reward good behavior – Offering the kids incentives for a job well done can act as motivation. eg: if you’re planning to sell old items, you could allow them to keep any proceeds made from the sale. You can also promise them a personal reward eg: playstation, flat screen TV etc once they complete a task. This will keep them motivated during the moving process.
- Assist them in sorting – Children may not be able to do everything on their own depending on their age, you may need to assist them or sort everything personally in the case of toddlers. Offering the kids guidance will help them be more organized, you could sort out three boxes; keep, dispose, sell/donate/gift.
- Organize Sibling Competitions – Packing competitions with the siblings can encourage positive rivalry where the winner who finishes packing neatly will receive some sort of a prize. Siblings always have a competitive spirit and this can be good to help hasten the packing process.
- Donating Old Clothes &Toys
Donation is a great way to get rid of unwanted clutter, instead of throwing them away it’s a chance to teach your kids about giving and charity work.
Packing broken items, toys and old assignments out while kids are asleep/ not paying attention can also be a great idea since they like accumulating old items not in use. Educate them to understand that the toys they don’t use anymore can go to other children who need them & will give them all the love.
No idea where to donate? Here is an article to help you decide.
At Space move Kenya, we recommend:
- Create a moving plan and to do list to let them know what to expect and be excited about. Take time to discuss with your kids and plan every detail before your move. You can create packing schedules and assign simple duties to make them part of the process and reduce last-minute stress.
- Retaining items with sentimental value & memories of your old home. Ensure you take pictures and keep memorable items to reduce the kids’ anxiety of leaving their previous home and neighborhood.
- Letting them help in packing their own boxes. Allow them to customize/ paint their boxes to make the experience more fun and exciting.
- Let them choose the color of their new bedroom, linen, furniture etc this will keep them excited.
- Encourage the children’s input in helping organize and decorate other rooms in the new home as much as possible.
- Organize prior the means of transportation and how everyone will arrive to the destination and what they will eat during the move day.
- Involve them in your house-hunting tours or the home ownership process if they’re of age so they can give their input too on their future home.
Conclusion
Highlight the positive results that the move will have on the kids, being careful not to overpromise. Help them through getting familiar with their new friends, new school and new neighborhood as they can be frustrated or resistant to change. They need your support to feel excited about leaving their old friends behind and moving to a new place. Be sure to keep a positive attitude during and after the moving process as they adjust to their new environment.
Proper and prior planning with your kids, allows the kids to be involved in the moving process and a positive attitude & outlook helps reduce the stress and anxiety of moving.
What are some tips you use to move with the kids? Share with us below!
Visit our website on https://spacemove.co.ke/ to book your next move.
Space move, the best move you’ll make!
