Hello,
My husband and I are about to close on our first home this Friday. We are very excited to finally have a place to call our own. We will most likly be moving by the end of this month. I wondered if anyone had any moving tips. We are moving an hour away from where we live now. It's not far but I do want to make this as smooth of a transition as possible. The last time I moved was over five years age and we did not have any children. Also, does anyone have any suggestios on how I can prepare my kids for the move. My five year old will be changing schools. I hate to take her out of the class she is in now because she loves it so much. I hope she enjoys her new class just as much. I am thankful for any advice you can give me. Thanks
Hi Angela~
I don't have any advice on moving, but my dad is (just retired) a Captain for United Airlines so I feel your pain. My mom was often alone and holidays?...forget it!! Anyway, just wanted you to know you are not alone!
~L.
Moving is something I am pretty experienced in...my husband and I have moved 5 times in the last 5 years as he's been finishing school. He's finally done and we're settled here for at least awhile! Only the last 2 have been with our daughter and obviously she's younger...but here's a few tips I have. Spend the money on boxes if you're packing yourself (In fact we have slightly used uhaul boxes we'd sell at a fraction of the price if you wanted them). We used the nice boxes for the first time this past move and it made a HUGE difference! Start packing now! Pack up stuff you're not using everyday and do a little bit everyday. Some people do it all at once but that would drive me crazy. We always would pack boxes while we watched tv or just hung out talking together. Use the brown "paper" packing tape it is much easier to handle and tear as you pack boxes. If you can organize boxes by room and write a few key things on the outside of the box that will help you remember what's in it. Things that are important write "open first" on the box. That way you'll know which boxes don't need to be unpacked immediately.
As far as the kids go I would start talking to them about it...and if you have the chance take them to see the house before you move for good. You can help them take ownership in the house by letting them pick a paint color for their room (a cheap way to make it their own). Talk about how they'll make new friends by their new house and go to a new school. Let them see the school first and visit with you there if possible to ease the transition. Talk about how even though you'll be leaving your house you'll be taking all of her things with her. Have her help you pack up her stuff and even some of your things around the house.
There are a lot of great stories about moving, if you go to the library I'm sure you can find some to read and start talking about the process.
Seriously if you need any packing advice please just send me a message...I think I could do it in my sleep by now! Good luck and Congrats on your new home!!
We just moved about 6 weeks ago. I found it really helped to label everything really really well. Also, we moved over and unpacked my son's stuff first. He had a great time moving all his toys into the playroom in the basement. We made a big deal about his new room and Papa painted it for him (within a week so he could feel settled). We let him help pack and unpack so he felt like he was part of the move. We also took him to the house as many times before we moved in as we could. He transitioned very quickly.
One other tip-- make sure you take breaks to let them rest/play/eat during move in. Our new house has a swing set that my son was super excited about so we would take breaks from unpacking to go and play on it.
The new class at school may be harder on you than her. We had to switch daycares/preschools and I felt horrible for about 2 weeks. Brendan was fine though and I keep following up with the teachers-- now all the kids know him and I feel much better.
Congratulations on your new place!
If you haven't chosen a moving company yet I would recommend Corrigan. Our move a couple of years ago went without a hitch AND they provided all the boxes, tape etc for free! It sure beat trying to hunt down boxes from all over the place!
In regards to preparing your children, maybe find books about moving, if possible visit your new house and daughter's new school or if not, find a fun park nearby to get them excited. I also picked out some fun new things (for my 2 1/2 year old at the time) for his new bedroom to pump him up.
On moving day, you might want a family member or a close friend to keep an eye on the kids (if possible) since it can be a really hectic day.
Best of luck!
Angela,
A tip for moving: Tape the bottom of your boxes really well before loading them. That way the bottom won't fall out when they get a bit heavy. Also, clearly lable what room each box will go to and tape an identifier on the room doors of the new house, that way if you have movers or people helping you, they can take them straight to the room you want them put in.
Good luck with your move! --Erin
Hi Angela,
I've moved many times; across the country, the world, and just across the city. What worked for me: be very organized and label boxes very clearly. That way, boxes can be put immediately into the correct room of the new house.
When I moved across the city, I was lucky to stay at my "new" place with my mom and we unloaded boxes as they were brought in. That way, most of it was unpacked by the end of the day. I hope that helps some.....
Good luck on your move! I'm looking forward to the day when I can move away from Michigan (and the snow!)......
Patti
