Between packing, organizing, and coordinating logistics, it’s no wonder why moving is often cited as one of life’s most stressful hurdles. Bringing children of any age along for that journey can make it even harder. However, with the right mindset, it’s not as hard to make the process less daunting as you’d think. 

Here are a few tips for getting started! 

1. Plan Ahead

It seems obvious. If you’re reading this, you’re probably already planning ahead! That said, while packing lists and dates might be at the top of your head, there are things you can plan in advance that might be less obvious. 

For example, you should find a moving company well in advance to ensure that one is available at your desired time. Certain moving companies have different options available. For example, SMARTBOX Solutions, Inc provides long-distance travel, while other companies may not. 

Planning ahead can avoid last-minute scrambling and ensure everything is in order before you move. It reduces stress and helps you feel more in control of the situation.

2. Involve the Whole Family

On paper, involving other people in the moving process might seem more stressful, but that's far from the case! Moving affects the entire family, so it's essential to involve everyone. The significant changes that come with moving can be stressful.

It can also be stressful for the kids to see their parents stressed out without being able to control the situation. Involving the children in the process can help them feel more at ease and less anxious about the move.

Give each family member a specific task to complete. Here are some examples:

Packing up Rooms

Getting a new room can be exciting for the kids. Make packing up their rooms a fun bonding experience. You can use this opportunity to get everyone excited: "What are you excited about for your next room?" "Remember this toy? Where do you think we should put this?"

You can also use this opportunity to be out with the old and in with the new. For example, you can eliminate excess junk or old clothes that don't fit and plan to start fresh.

Shopping for Furniture and Decoration

Make refurnishing and decorating your new space an activity for everybody. For example, if you're shopping for paint or furniture, it can be great to turn that into a group activity in which the family can all have input. Even if the parents get the final say, letting the kids pick test-out colors for wall paint can be fun. 

The trick is to make moving into a fun activity wherever you can find the opportunity. Find the parts of your journey that don't have to be all stress all the time and highlight those!

This helps distribute the workload and gives everyone a sense of ownership over the moving process.

3. Create a Moving Day Survival Kit

Okay, so you've planned ahead and involved everyone—what about the actual move day? One of the most stressful questions that come up in planning is "what if?" 

What if something goes wrong or gets lost? What if people get cranky? What if things don't go perfectly as planned?

In this situation, you should create a moving day survival kit to sate your fears. Pack snacks, water, a first-aid kit, and any essentials you think you'll need on moving day. Then, whenever you have an intrusive thought of "what if x bad thing happens?" throw a solution into your survival kit. 

Having a survival kit on hand can help you to stay comfortable and focused during a potentially chaotic time. It can also help to reduce stress and ensure that you're prepared for any unexpected challenges that may arise.

Conclusion

Moving is incredibly stressful, but it doesn’t have to all be doom and gloom! It can be a wonderful experience for the whole family if you plan ahead and keep everyone involved. You want to ensure that everybody feels they have control over the situation. 

Hopefully, with these tips in mind, you can focus on the exciting possibilities of a new home rather than the obstacles of the move itself.