Note: This is a collaborative post.
Are you considering moving home with your family?
Moving home is a stressful enough situation when it was just you and your partner. But moving home when you have children running around, unpacking boxes, is going to be a challenge. As well as the practical considerations – whilst you will feel excited for a move, to a bigger house or better area, do your children feel the same? Change is difficult. They may feel worried about leaving their friends and starting a new school. Tell your children that you’re moving as soon as possible – they need time to get used to the idea.
First things first when planning a move.
A home choice will not often have 100% off your ‘ideal’ checklist but make sure you are ensuring a house and area will meet your needs in the long-term. Consider the size of the home, availability of parking, the garden size etc. If you are planning more children in the future make sure a potential house will accommodate this. Give a lot of thought to the area you will be living in. You need to think about picking schools, transport links to work, local amenities etc.
Before families even get to moving day, there’s a lot of things to consider and manage to ensure it goes as smoothly as possible. These simple tips will help make the move less difficult.
Take care of family finances.
Your bank accounts will take a hit. The first thing you need to calculate is the mortgage you’re going to need to buy the home. Use a Housing loan calculator online, they are usually pretty good at telling you what money you’d be able to borrow. Think about what type of home you realistically need. Work within your budget. But of course, you then need to calculate all of the other expenditures; solicitors fees, buying/selling costs, movers, money for decorating and buying new furniture! Make sure you contact the utility providers and get meter readings etc, so there are no overpayments on any bills. If you want our advice, make sure that you’re over calculating.
Accept any and all offers of help! Try not to take on too much yourself and don’t be afraid to ask friends and family for help.
Prepare children for change.
Get them involved. Don’t prematurely pack as having a room full of boxes is unsettling. Together go through things to keep and things to get rid of. Encourage children to plan the colour of their new bedrooms. You will want to keep familiar things around them but why not consider an exciting new bed, or tv, or new pictures that they would love. If possible, provide older children with room dimensions so they can plan their own space. Ideally try to plan a physical visit to your new home, failing that, have an online tour to show your children how exciting their new home is. If the move means new schools for the kids, then try to plan the move during the school holidays. There may then be an opportunity to enrol your children in some summer activities arranged by the school, where they can get to know some of their new classmates in an informal setting.
Take time to say goodbye. It might help your children to have a farewell party, especially if you are moving far away.
Manage the move and pack smart.
Consider getting a babysitter whilst you and your partner focus on the move that is great. We also think it’s important that you don’t compromise on removals. Research professional companies or tried and tested recommendations from friends to help you get all of your belongings safely from A to B! The quicker it’s all done, the quicker you can settle. If you only have a small load you may just want a man and van. Get at least three quotes and go with the one you feel is best suited to your move, like The Man Van London rather than the cheapest. Check on insurance just in case anything gets broken in transit. Creating an inventory also helps you `make sure nothing is lost throughout the whole moving process. Ensure your furniture will fit through doors. Create a ‘room plan’ for your new home so you know where furniture will be placed in each room. Don’t forget to make an ‘open me first’ box so cuddly toys, toothbrushes and all essentials are accessible! Make sure the tools needed to put beds back together are handy. Always stick screws and bolts to bed frames in a zip lock bags and have tools packed in the car.
Moving to a new house is a great opportunity to de-clutter and simplify. A good rule of thumb is, if you haven’t used something in the past twelve months, get rid of it.
Let your family adjust.
Rather than dive straight into unpacking everything on moving day night, plan to organize the children’s bedrooms first so that they are comfortable, safe and have some familiar things around them. Get unpacked but spend most of your time exploring the area with your kids. Keep their meal and bedtime routines consistent. Offer lots of reassurance and take time to talk.