Moving with kids is one of the more challenging moves you’ll make. Moving itself is rated as one of the most stressful experiences in life, so the last thing you’ll want is stressed kids too. It doesn’t have to be this way at all. Here’s a short guide with some ideas about how you can make moving with kids a positive experience.

1. Timing is everything

While our first thought might be to make a swift move while the kids aren’t around, involving them from the start is actually a much better approach. And the ideal time for your move is during the school holidays. In fact, it’s harder to move when kids are still going to school because you have to get them to and from school in between organising a move. For kids, the added pressure of school work on top of a move may cause them unnecessary stress.

2. Many hands make light work

Kids are often happier if they are put in charge of sorting and packing their possessions. For you, that’s one less room to pack. As the old adage suggests, the more hands available to do the work, the easier it becomes. You might also like to make a list of activities to give your kids to help out, such as looking after pets, sorting belongings for different boxes or writing what goes into each box on the side as it goes in. Just don’t tell them that task is also educational.

3. Moving locally

In most parts of New Zealand, the most noticeable impact of school holidays is less traffic on the road. If you’re only moving across town, everything will go much better with easy commutes back and forth on moving day.

4. The aftermath of the move (or the math after the move)

Once you’ve completed your move, the equation for getting settled is quite simple. You need as much spare time as possible to unpack and get your new house just the way you want it. For kids, they will appreciate the chance to explore the new neighbourhood, to work out how they’re going to get to school and so forth. For everyone, you’ll appreciate a few extra days to catch your breath before you have to get back to the routine of life.

5. Back to school

Finally, the clean break between terms will make the transition of going back to school easier for your kids. If they’re still going to the same school, the transition is simply around transport. If they are attending a new school, they’ll start school work at the same time as other kids which will help them to adjust and fit in.

Feel free to contact us if you want more information about moving with kids.