Toddler playing at kids room overlay

How to Make Moving With Kids a Memorable Experience

Posted in How-to,Moving Essentials,Moving Tips & Tricks on November 29, 2021

No matter how much you’ve mastered the art of relocating, as a parent, you’re facing some new challenges. What makes moving with kids out of state so complex is that you have much more on your hands than simply pack up and go.

It probably seems like it was only yesterday that you’ve moved for love. You’ve decided to take that next step and relocate to be with your significant other under one roof. The next thing you know, your family is growing. So now your reasons to move are to find a larger home for you and your loved ones. You’re using all the house hunting tips to get a good deal on a home with more bedrooms and probably a lovely backyard. But, can you relocate with your child with ease? The answer is yes, but you have to be ready and willing to slow down and prepare.

The Reason Why Parents Are Moving Out of State With Children

There is so much intertwined with a move. Some may decide to move to a small town because the environment may be more suitable for their youngsters, so you have to get a job before you move. Others are perhaps seeking a career advancement that is offered in an urban core, so they are taking their families to move to the suburbs. But most of all, the majority of parents that are moving with children move because they need much more space. According to the National Association of Realtors, on average in 2019, families have bought homes with four bedrooms and two full bathrooms that were 2,000 square feet in size.

How Does Moving House Affect a Child?

Relocations can have both psychological and physical effects on a kid, but they are connected. Although packaging fragile items may be the one thing that requires your focus, don’t disregard any emotional or other issues your child may be experiencing. The symptoms can vary, from simple clinginess to unexplained headaches and stomach aches. You can prevent most of these negative emotions if you are open to their needs throughout the relocation process. Find time for your little ones, even if it means skipping some of the work that awaits you.

A couple carrying boxes after long-distance moving
When your family starts to grow, you need a bigger space

How to Prepare Them for the Upcoming Move In the Best Possible Way

We all know that organizing a move starts with considering your finances and creating a relocation budget. But when you have kids, it should also start with a conversation you’ll lead with them, to tell them about the upcoming relocation. You can do several things to make it easier on them:

  • Don’t postpone this conversation. First of all, it’s hard to hide something of that scale, and your kid may notice right away that something’s going on out of the ordinary. Talking about it early on will create a sense of inclusion. Keep in mind that your kid is smart and sensitive, and they might even notice you’ve searched for cross-country moving services.
  • Relocations can be an exciting adventure, and you should help your child to see it in a positive light. They will probably see it as a negative event in many ways, as they are leaving behind their friends, school, and many other things they are accustomed to. Look together for the positive angles of the move.
  • Depending on how old your kid is, you should give them as many details as possible. They should be informed about the date, whether you’ll be relocating with pets, and how your new house looks like.
  • Agree to let them take care of their furry companion during the trip. Not only will they feel included, but they will have a responsibility to take their mind off of everything that accumulates anxiety about moving out.

Be prepared – they might not take it lightly. After all, their whole world will suddenly be uprooted, and they will have difficulty adjusting to an unknown but significant change. Be sure that besides organizing your move, you should find a moment to answer all of their questions. Also, be very mindful of their feelings because they are too young to know how to deal with them.

A family talking about moving cross country
If you prepare your kid for the upcoming relocation, the whole ordeal can be turned into something exciting for everyone

You Can Start Prepping as Early as Eight Weeks Before

These early preparations are the same as with any relocation. You should get informed on how much do long-distance movers cost, find a reliable company to transport your stuff, and present them with your household inventory list. But if you think you’re going to have a difficult time because of all the packing, just think how much your little ones will hate the whole process. That’s why you should start as soon as you decide to move, and get some things out of the way.

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What to Consider When Moving With Children? Start by Researching Schools

According to the National Association of Realtors, another fact is that around 50% percent of buyers with youngsters believe that the quality of the school in a neighborhood is an important factor when deciding whether to buy a home or not. Finding the right school for your child is not one of the things to do after relocating, but long before you relocate. Decide between a public and a private school, and see how they are rated.

Create a List of Essential Tasks and Be a Master of Knowing How to Move With Kids

If you are versed in relocation hacks, you have probably already planned to create a relocation binder and list every possible task ahead of you. But when you have a child, it’s best to include them and create a family list. Agree together on everything that needs to be done before you leave your current home.

How Do You Move States With Kids? Declutter Their Toys and Clothes

Decluttering is and always should be an essential part of every relocation. It’s simple – it helps you get rid of excess stuff and lower the price of your move. But while it’s important to throw away unneeded bulky stuff or set it aside to leave it in a storage unit, it’s also vital for your kids to do so, too. You can talk to them about making a pile of toys they could donate and ask them to throw away anything broken and damaged.

They should also pack clothes or at least some of them, like socks or anything else that won’t be wrinkled when boxed up. Let them take care of their shoes, accessories, and artwork, too. It’s a great way to keep them included in all the hard work. The following video may provide you with the needed motivation for organizing toys.

Tips for Moving With Kids to Help You Create a Less Stressful Environment

We, the parents, act as role models for our children, especially at an earlier age. This means that to have a stress-free move, you should do your best to keep your composure and lead by example. If your child notices that you are nervous, they’ll be under a lot of stress, too. You can practice a healthier lifestyle by finding some space in your schedule to go for walks with your children and stick to the usual routines.

If You Can, Try to Visit the New Surroundings

If you’ve managed to get a job in a new city that’s near your current location, you can easily drive your children and visit the new surroundings. Take a ride through the neighborhood you’re planning to live in, and perhaps take a walk in the nearby park. If the town you’re relocating to is in another part of the country, you can use Google Street View to take a good look at the neighborhood with your kid.

Throw a Party and Let Them Say Goodbye

Besides strain on our body (because of all the hard work,) the emotional impact isn’t strange when it comes to relocations. Both us and our young ones may feel the impact so severely that we fall into depression after relocating. But although a small amount of homesickness is unavoidable, there are ways to prevent it from being severe. You can’t leave your current home without saying proper goodbyes. The best idea is to throw a party where they can invite their friends and spend some more time together. Ensure they have lots of fun, and they’ll be talking about it months after the move.

Additionally, make some memorable trinkets that will mean the world to them. You can create a treasure box where they can store their favorite drawings, leaves, stickers or anything else that is important to them. A memory book is another great idea, as it can contain contacts from their friends and family. But don’t make it a simple address book. Add photos of their important people, as well as any events they would like to look back to.

But What if You Have a Baby? Relocating With a Newborn Requires Some Additional Steps

Relocating with a baby can be easier and yet more challenging in some ways than with a bit older kid. Sure, you don’t have to run after your newborn, but you should also pack all the vital baby stuff into your relocation essentials bag. You should also learn how to baby-proof a house before you move into it. If you’re a parent that wants to avoid going out of their mind later, this is probably a must. If you’re sending one car through the auto transport service, but you’re going to drive the other, ensure you have a high-quality baby car seat and that it’s properly secured in the back.

Two kids resting after cross-country moving
If you're traveling with a newborn, the most important thing is to stick to its daily routine

The Move-Out Day Has Come, and Your Children Are Ready for Their Own Fairytale

Finally, the best help you can find for yourself and your family is to enlist professional support in the form of reliable cross-country movers. Perhaps the wisest choice is to pay for the packing services because the professionals will handle all the hard work while you spend time with your family. It’s essential to be close when the time for such a great change approaches and to be each other’s support. Assemble a new apartment checklist together with your kid, and plan the design of your new fairytale home.

Kate Holland

A true grunge and rock music fan born in Seattle, Kate has moved across the country and started writing about her experience.

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