House moves are stressful enough, but they can be even worse if you have unhappy children. Moving house for kids is difficult, and it will impact them whether they are small or teenagers. If you are only moving down the road and they aren’t moving schools, it’s often a lot easier to manage as it’s just their home environment that will change.
However, if your family is moving further away and they need to leave behind their friends, schools and sports clubs, it will be much harder for them. In this article, we share valuable advice on preparing your children for a house move and some tips on using self storage to help keep things organised and as stress-free as possible.
5 Tips for Preparing Your Child for Moving House
Moving house is always challenging, but it can be even harder on your kids. Here are some tips to help reduce the stress of moving and help your kids adjust to their new home:
1. Include your children from the start
The first step is telling your kids about the move, and timing is key. If you tell them too late, it’ll be an unpleasant surprise. On the other hand, if you tell them too early, they might not be able to envision the change. However, it’s better to err on the side of caution and tell them sooner rather than later so they have time to process and get used to the idea.
2. When moving house, involve your kids in the decision-making
When adults decide to move, we often forget how it might affect kids. They may feel as if they have no control over the situation. To ease their minds (and yours), take them with you when house hunting and let them weigh in on which space they like best. Allow them to choose which room they like best so they can get excited about thinking about how they want to personalise their new space.
3. Explore your new home and area before moving house
When you’re moving to a new home, it can be tough on kids. They have to leave their friends behind and start at a new school. So why not make the most of it and turn the whole thing into an adventure? Show them around their future neighbourhood and tell them all about the great things they’re going to do in their new house. It’ll get them excited about the move and help reassure any concerns they might have.
4. Sort their belongings in advance
If you’re trying to get rid of some clutter, it’s crucial to do so well before the move. Many parents wait until a few days before the move to start sorting, selling, and donating their children’s belongings, but this can add more trauma for some children. They may want to keep sentimental items you would prefer not to take along when moving house, so begin this process early and be compassionate and patient.
Make moving house fuss-free with self storage
If you have items your children would prefer to keep but don’t have space to store them in your new home, you can place them in a short term storage unit for a few months. Sometimes the stress of moving can cloud our judgment so take your children along when you put their sentimental items in self storage and explain they are safe and you can collect them after the big move.
We recommend placing all items your child has decided to donate, sell or throw away in storage until they have settled. Moving house is very stressful for kids, and they may accidentally throw out a beloved stuffed animal or toy by mistake. If that is the case, you can simply fetch it from your self storage unit without any fuss. Once settled in your new home, you can revisit the storage unit with your child and reconsider donating or selling unwanted items.
5. Explain what will happen on the day of moving house
Moving day can be a scary experience for children, so if possible, try to have them with you. It can be disorienting for them if they don’t get to see you leave the old house and move into the new one, but it’s better if there’s another adult present so that you can focus on the move.
Talking about packing, the removal process and moving house ahead of time with your children is essential. Explain that people will come to help you pack boxes and load them into a van. Showing pictures of the types of vans is also helpful if you have small children. Creating a visual schedule for moving day is a great idea, so your little ones know what to expect.
For more tips on moving with kids of different ages, we recommend reading this blog:
15 Tips For Moving With Kids: An Age-by-Age Guide
How Self Storage Can Help When Moving House
Self storage is an often overlooked solution when moving house that can save you considerable time, money and stress, especially when moving with children. By decluttering your house and renting a storage unit before putting your home on the market, buyers will be able to focus on the property’s potential rather than be distracted by your belongings.
If something goes awry on your move-in day, you can always store your belongings until you have a plan B. Or if your home needs a few renovations before you move in all your belongings, you can simply put everything into storage, so it’s safe and out of the way.
Space Centre offers ground floor self storage units for easy drive-up access to make loading and unloading a breeze. You’ll also have peace of mind knowing that your valuables are well-protected with our 24/7 CCTV surveillance, smoke alarms, and access control measures.
If you are moving house and need a self storage unit, please don’t hesitate to reach out to us at any of our branches in Bristol, Stroud, Cheltenham, Gloucester, or Stonehouse.