Dear Storage Seeker:
We will be moving into a new home soon. And, with three little ones in tow, we were wondering how we could make this move easier on them. Any advice?
Sincerely,
Moving in Maine
Dear Moving in Maine,
You are right to be concerned! Moving is always listed as a top-10 stressful life event.
In fact, a recent survey in the UK even listed moving as a number one stressor. This means it came in before divorce or starting a new job!
Let’s face it. Your home is supposed to be the one place you can go to wind down after a long day. So, it’s no wonder that disrupting it causes some problems (for adults and kids alike)!
In Moving is Tough for Kids, experts say that “When parents support each other and work hard to make a move as easy for themselves and their kids as possible, negative effects are minimized.”
Here are three simple tips to help make your move easier on the kids.
1.) Give your kids a voice.
Let your children search for your new home too! Share stories of what you hope your new home will be like, and let them draw little maps or lego models of their new place! This will make them feel as if their voice matters.
Since they will be a part of the decision-making process themselves (or at least think they are), the move will be empowering (and less scary).
2.) Visit your new neighborhood often.
Visit your new home and neighborhood often. Take your children to the local parks, library, and fun little eateries.
What’s great about technology today is that even if you are moving halfway across the country, you could always take some tours virtually online!
3.) Create a comfort box for each child to unpack right away.
If your kids are old enough, they can pack this box themselves. Trust us when they say they will be so excited to unpack it once they arrive!
If they are too young, you can easily do this yourself. Your kids will love seeing things they are familiar with.
Plus, throwing in a few new items to keep them entertained doesn’t hurt either!
To make your move a little less chaotic, consider renting a local self-storage unit so that you can keep boxes offsite. This will help make your old home feel a bit more normal (without clutter lying around). Please know that stacked boxes could be pretty hazardous to your kids as well. So, keeping them out of your home is really the safer option. Also, by keeping boxes in self-storage, you can pack and unpack in an organized manner, rather than having belongings everywhere throughout the entire process (keeping clutter at bay).
Just remember: emotions are okay. If your children are sad, allow them to feel that. Then, try to take some positive steps forward (without dismissing their feelings).
We wish you and your family a happy, stress-free move!
