Moving to a new home can be exciting but also stressful for both you and your kids. But if you allow your kids to help get in on the move and preparing to move, then it will be better on your whole family. Give your kids some responsibilities will not only keep them entertained but will also make them feel important during this big move to the Calabash area. We have compiled a list to help you and your family make this move as stress-free as you can.
The first stage of moving is finding another home to live in. Let your kids provide you with some input on where to move to. Bring them when you go look at a house or two and ask for their opinions on the home. You will learn some important insights from them about what they thought of the house and what they didn’t. Finding a house just isn’t about what you like, but it’s what the whole family loves.
When moving, one rule of thumb to remember is less is best. Honestly, you never know how much stuff you have until you start to pack. Then it seems you find everything that you haven’t used in years. A good rule of thumb for getting rid of things easier is if you haven’t used it in the past two years just let it go. This goes for your kids too, if they have clothing or toys that they haven’t worn or played with in years, let it go. But allowing your kids to help get rid of things is the best as they can say what they want to bring with them to the new house. If your kids are having a hard time parting with something, just let them know that there are less fortunate children out there who have nothing. Most times, this works like a charm and it helps them feel like they are doing something special too.
After you have packed up a box or more, let your kids label the boxes. Asking them to help participate in with packing will help them adjust a little better too. And when you are finished packing up each room, finding them will hopefully be a little easier. Just including your kids in something like labeling the boxes can make them more excited for moving.
After the house or say each room is packed up and hopefully on a truck headed to your new home, you will want to clean it. But cleaning the house on your own can be stressful, so why not let your kids help. Even toddlers can help clean up like wiping down surfaces and sweeping corners. If you assign each kid with a cleaning task appropriate for their age then your old home will be clean in no time. By middle school, your kids should be capable of doing things such as vacuuming, dusting and wiping the fridge clean. Just remember to not give the tasks to your kids if it involves using a lot of chemicals. But asking for help with the dusting, vacuuming, sweeping and more can help you not feel so stressed out.
Once you have moved into your new home, you want to get your kids involved in the unpacking process. Put them in charge of unpacking their own boxes for their new room. Let them put their books on their bookshelf or their clothes in their dresser or closet. Just remember that you can always go back and rearrange what they have done if you don’t like it. But asking for their help with unpacking can help you as well. Once they have finished their bedrooms, then you can ask them to help put away other boxes in the house. This will help them feel important and will have less anxiety about moving to a new home. Make this process fun for them as they too are adjusting to a new home.
There are many other things or ways to help your child not be stressed about moving, but these are a few we thought you would like. If you haven’t moved yet but are thinking of moving to the Calabash area, then please give us a call at 910-575-2200. We hope that you and your family can have a stress-free move.