By Guest Blogger, Shelly R., a Charlotte Real Estate Agent
Moving is the hardest thing – especially with young children. I just moved, and it has reminded me just how awful and difficult it is. Not just on the things you know are going to be tough – like the physical toll on you, and the logistics of things like mail and utilities, or having to weed through all the junk that you really should just donate or throw away. Moving distress runs much deeper than that. My children’s lives felt upside down, my 2-year-old is having potty accidents, and when my 4-year-old wakes up in the middle of the night, she can’t quite get to our bed among all of the boxes to come be comforted. I am prone to bursts of crying over my baby’s old room, and regrets over not having measured their heights on the wall somewhere for the last 4 years so I can take a picture and remember how little they were when we lived in this house.
One of the most traumatic events occurred when our movers accidentally packed my baby’s one-and-only-must-have-teddy-bear when I ran out to do a quick errand. And then, they packed a pile of things that we had planned to put in a dumpster. Now the things we DON’T want are at the new house, and the teddy bear we desperately need couldn’t be found anywhere.
So here is some advice that I can offer to possibly make this transition a little easier:
-If you are using Realtor, ask them if they have a check list of to do’s to help guide you through the process such as change of address and utility shut off/transfers.
-Hang up a chalk board or memo pad where you can capture notes or write lists of things you need as you think of them.
-If a neighbor asks if there is anything that they can do, ask them to bring dinner for your children one night. In the midst of packing, the last thing you want to worry about is food.
-Try to wait as long as possible before you pack up the items that affect the children the most. Kitchens are a good place to start. You can begin to use disposable plates and silverware, but packing all of the toys, DVD’s or a child’s room too early can cause major distress.
-Put aside all important personal items such as teddy bears and blankets in a box labeled “Do Not Move” so that the movers don’t pack it in the truck. Trust me, I know.
-Consider getting your children involved by giving them a little box and an area to pack. Make it a game so that they can have some fun.
-Also consider giving them a special moving toy to make them feel special in all of the chaos, something to get them excited about the new home is a good idea. Depending on your children’s ages, there may be strong attachment to your current home and they will need something to look forward to.
Good luck to all of the families who are moving this Spring. Do you have any moving tips to share?
6 comments
This was a great post–good tips!
Timely post for me. Any tips for keeping up a house – with small children around – while you are trying to sell your home? Are buyers expecting a house to be completely perfect or can I relax a little?
Great post!! We just put our house on the market and we have a 2 1/2 yr old!
Perfect timing I just about had a melt down this evening on my hubby. We are moving in just a couple of short weeks, we both work full time and have 3 little ones. With building a new home and completing all of the check lists for that on top of our children, house work, home work, real work, packing, keeping the current house clean for soon to be showings it makes you want to cry.Thank you for the advice.
I second that! I have my house up for sale. While I do stay at home, trying to keep a house spotless for that phone call for a showing with a two year old and one year old twins can make anyone want to pull their hair out. I think I probably clean too much and keep the house too spotless. All of the comments made so far have been about how I keep the house clean with three under the age of three. Unfortunately, my kids are paying for it. My hope is that this house will sell quickly and we can finally get all those toys out once again.
Try to hold a yard sale! We did and made some cash, but besides that the best thing about it was the motivation to get our “junk” together to sell rather than save it for “a rainy day” when I would have just moved it to the new house and thrown into the attic. I have a 7 month old and we just moved last week. It wasn’t fun but I tried to mimic her room as best I could. She’s adjusting well and now we are just trying to get our dog to adjust without too much barking or whining in the new yard! Good luck to all those movers with kids out there and just remember, the chaos is temporary and will all be worth it in the end!