TIPS FOR MOVING WITH A CHILD

People who have prior experience with moving residences would vouch for the fact that it is indeed one of the most daunting and challenging tasks under the sun. Add to that a young kid or two and relocating to a new home becomes a horror for real. However, that doesn’t imply that you have to wait for your little ones to grow up to an acceptable age before you choose to migrate to a new house. There are countless smart tips and tricks that you can employ to make moving with a child a more convenient and hassle-free affair. Here is a list of such incredible life hacks that you might want helpful.

Engage in a family discussion

The prospect of saying goodbye to familiar surroundings and settling down elsewhere can be quite upsetting, especially for young children who are experiencing it for the very first time in their lives. However, you can effectively take the sting out of the move by having a healthy discussion over the process with your kids before actually committing to it. Regardless of whatever reasons you might have to migrate to a new home, it always helps to express your excitement about it in front of your kids and encourage them to view it as a positive opportunity to explore new places and make new friends. 

Encourage their active participation

Moving can typically instigate feelings of powerlessness among young kids who feel that they have no say in the decision. You can, however, help them restore a sense of control over the circumstances by allowing them to participate in the actual process. Encourage your kid to help you decide the design theme of their new room or redecorate the yard for a brand new look. If your kids are a little older, you can ask them to help in packing their belongings and favourite toys for the move and even decorate their boxes with stickers or colourful markers for easy identification.

Toss out the clutter

Regardless of whether your new home is larger or smaller than your current place of residence, it is a good idea to get rid of all the excess clutter that is no longer used. A great way to identify the useless items is to separate the ones that have not been used for at least a year and place them in separate boxes that can be given away to homeless children, sold online or simply trashed in the waste basket. You can ask your children to help you identify items around the house that have no business being hauled to the new home. 

Take your kid for a site visit

Instead of expecting them to simply imagine their new whereabouts or make a mental picture of how they would decorate their new room, you can take your kids for an actual tour of the house before moving in. Show them their new room, the neighbourhood and any special activities or playgrounds in the locality that might be of interest to them.  In addition to this, you can also show them around the new school in the neighbourhood that they would be joining. Doing this will help your child get acquainted with the place and make the transition less stressful for him.

Unpack your kid’s belongings first

Since a sudden migration to an unfamiliar neighbourhood can be quite distressing for your little one, you would want to make him feel a sense of belonging to the new home as soon as possible. That being said, it is a smart idea to unpack your child’s belongings first and set up his room with his favourite study table, bed, toys, and other items before moving on to the other rooms. 

Hire a reliable moving company

The one critical aspect of relocating to a new home is hiring a mover who can help streamline the process and cut back on your stress. The importance of hiring a reliable and experienced moving company cannot be stressed enough, especially when you have a little kid to take care of during the move. Most reputed movers and packers are highly skilled professionals and great at packaging and shipping your belongings without damaging or losing them in transit. They also provide adequate insurance coverage to compensate for any losses incurred at the hands of their company officials. If you are planning to make an interstate move, you might want to look for a moving company that has adequate cross-border permits for the transportation of goods. By hiring a quality mover, you can enjoy absolute peace of mind knowing that your valuables are in safe and reliable hands and have a stress-free move to your new home.

Remember, all your kids need during a move is a constant reassurance that their new home will be as fun and rewarding as their current place of residence. It helps them deal with the fact that they are being uprooted from familiar surroundings and prepares them to embrace new beginnings with great enthusiasm and eagerness.