One of the best tips for moving with kids is to take a deep breath before you begin. Moving house will inevitably be stressful, there is no way to avoid it. Moving with kids is going to make things a little more challenging. It doesn’t have to be so bad though. With a little bit of planning and using the right strategies, you can make the experience of moving to your new home as fun and exciting as possible. Here’s how you do it.

1. Get help

This might seem obvious, but you should ask friends and family if they are able to pitch in. Many people might be offering to help you with the move. This is great, but what you really need is some help keeping an eye on the kids as you pack up your home. Getting the kids out of the house while you focus on the challenge of putting your entire life into boxes can be a game changer.

2. Get the kids to join in

Depending on their age, your kids might be able to help with the move. If anything, a small task that you give them can keep them occupied for a few minutes while you tackle something else. This can be a great way for them to clean out a few of their toys or organize their clothing. Encourage them to be ruthless with discarding clothes or toys that they don’t want anymore. The less you have to move with the easier the whole process will be.

3. Colour code everything

Not only is this a great way to organize your boxes it can make the packing process much more fun for your children. If you put colour coded duct tape on each an every box that needs to go in each room then you will be able to sort them out much easier. This has the added bonus of being exciting for your kids. If you tell them that every box that has a blue stripe on it is theirs they will be much more interested in the comings and goings of the boxes.

4. Start months before you move

Don’t leave it until the last minute. If you have the time to start early, then do so. Packing up a home that you have lived in for many years can take a long time. Especially if you have kids. You will find that as you start the move that you need extra supplies. A job that you thought would only take an afternoon now takes a couple of days.

5. Be sneaky

If you are going to pack up your child’s toys, then you should do it at a time that they are not present. This is especially true if they are young. You may want to get rid of a lot of the toys that they no longer play with. If you can do this at night when they are sleeping, they probably won’t notice that they are gone. Especially with all of the excitement of the move.

6. Pack everyone a suitcase

You need to make sure that you have enough clothes for the first few days after your move in. You should ensure that you also have all the toiletries and little things too. This can be everything from school supplies to toys and games. If you don’t do this, you may be forced to search through all of the boxes looking for a book bag or your toothbrush. This small step can save you a lot of time and energy at the end of a busy moving day.