Getting ready to move house, packing, dealing with estate agents and solicitors, before finally getting settled into a new home, ranks high on the list of life’s most stressful experiences.
Trying to take care of a tiny person, who might not be completely aware of what is going on, can add to that stress. Thankfully, there are some things you can do to make life a bit easier when moving with children,
What to do with the kids while you move home
On moving day there can be lots of hustle and bustle; people moving furniture, loading boxes into vans and going back and forth between your old and new homes.
While all this is going on it’s worth arranging to leave the kids with a babysitter, a grandparent or family member, so you can focus on getting your belongings moved.
Even if it’s just for a few hours, this can be a massive help – just to empty a few rooms, for instance.
Top tips for moving house with children
• Clearly mark the kids’ boxes, so you can find them quickly once they’ve been moved and unpack their rooms first. This gives them somewhere to settle and play, out of the way, while you unpack boxes for the rest of the house.
• If you’re able to leave the kids with friends or family, while you carry out the move, it’s wise not to pack all of their toys. Instead, give them some of their favourites to play with first, so, in the event that you don’t manage to unpack their rooms, you can still keep them distracted.
• Prioritise the rest of the unpacking to help ease any unnecessary stress –what you use most should be what you sort out first. It’s even worth making up a box of essentials (kettle, teabags, the phone, cutlery, etc.), which you can get access to quickly when you’ve moved.
After you move
The hours after you move house can be just as tiring as the move itself, as you recover from what’s been a big upheaval. It’s exhausting for an adult, so imagine what it’s like for a child.
Bear in mind that children, especially at a younger age, are creatures of habit, so it might take a few days to get settled into their new surroundings.
Try making the days that follow your house move fun – let them explore and get comfortable in their new surroundings. Living in a new home can be quite overwhelming for anyone at first, so make their first few days there as painless as possible, help them settle and lessen the stress for you.
This is a sponsored post on behalf of Red Rose Property Management , a sales and lettings company based in the North West.