Moving house is a busy and stressful time for the whole family. Not only is it disruptive for the lives of adults but it’s especially so for the lives of children who live in the house. The moving process itself is loud and involved, and the idea of leaving behind a familiar home can be upsetting for some children too.

If you have children and you’re considering a move, or you are just about to embark on one, here are some tips on how to keep living life as smoothly as possible during the process.

Tell them what’s happening

Children can take some time to adjust to new experiences. So, if you’re going to be living in an entirely new house in the future, tell your children about it as soon as possible. Give them a chance to adjust to the idea and also some time to say goodbye to your existing house before the moving process gets started. It’s normal for kids to feel a little sad about the process, but you can be sure they’ll find the idea of moving pretty exciting as well.

Allow plenty of time to have some last experiences in your existing house, taking photos and creating memories your children will be able to cherish forever. Then, prepare them for the excitement and new adventures waiting for them at your new address.

Move at a convenient time

Consider the timing of your move as carefully as possible. Ensure this will be at a time that is convenient for your whole family, including your children. Check the calendar and make sure you avoid moving during any times which may be extra stressful for your children including exam periods, birthdays or at the start of the school year. It’s best to avoid adding extra stress to what will already be a stressful time for your family if you can avoid it. Also, if you can organise your move to occur on a weekday when your children are at school, preschool or daycare that will make things easier and faster for you too.

Let them help

Of course, you’re going to need the kids to be out of the way as you move heavy furniture and box your breakable items, but that doesn’t mean you should completely exclude them from the moving process. Give them some ownership over a particular area or section of the house, even if it’s only a single cupboard in their bedroom so they feel like they are part of the moving process rather than separate from it. Older children can be responsible for larger sections of the house, even helping with cleaning and packing boxes in areas other than just their bedrooms too. Use your judgement on what responsibility you think they can take on and then assign them a task so they can join in the experience of moving house.

Consider using childminding services

For at least some of the process, having the children out of the house is the easiest and safest way to get things done. If you can’t utilise time when children are at school or daycare, consider asking a friend or relative to look after them for a few hours while you get some of the heavy lifting tasks done. You could even hire a babysitter to take the kids to the movies or local park where they can play and have fun while you pack or unpack your items without having to worry where they are or what they’re up to.

Make memories

Lastly, don’t forget to allow for some opportunities to remember good times in your old house, make keepsakes and document memories before you move on to somewhere new. Take photographs of your favourite spots in the garden, your children’s rooms and of everyone crowded around the dining room table. Have a last special dinner, let your children invite some friends over one last time and make an effort to remember all the happy memories you’ve already made in your existing house. Then, once you get to your new place, focus on making some new happy memories to mark the start of your life in your new place. Start a new tradition, take photographs and talk about your plans for your new house together as a family. Moving can be a stressful time so it’s a good idea to take some small moments to focus on the present and be together as a family, focusing on the positives.

Get help with other tasks

Trying to do all the tasks involved with moving while looking after your children on your own is sometimes just too much. Luckily, the Hire Group can take care of your complete moving and relocation needs. From packing and unpacking boxes to moving your items and supplying the boxes and packing materials, we can help with all of it. Your move couldn’t be easier with our friendly single point of contact.

Our team at Hire A Packer can safely pack and unpack your items, Hire A Mover can get your items to your new place, and Hire A Box can supply you with all the packing materials you’ll need. Not moving straight into your new place? Hire Storage can now help with your short or long term storage needs too.

Are you moving house with kids soon? Hire A Mover can help get you there. For more information on how we can help you with your move, call us today on 1300 358 700 or request a quote via our website.

This article was written on conjunction with the Leeds carpet cleaning company, Carpetmonsters.