You've likely moved before, and you know that it can
certainly be a stressful time. The stress can grow even greater when children
are involved. How can you involve them in the process while still staying
organize? Follow these five tips to help you and your kids stay sane on moving
day.
Packing Their Belongings
When everyone wakes up on moving day, it's likely that there
will still be some items to pack up. Give them their little suitcases and
duffel bags, and leave them to pack up the rest of their rooms. They can do
some work in the playroom too. You'll likely need to give them boxes to
accomplish the task. You and your children are going to be very upset if
valuables are left behind, so it's very important to double check.
Room Inspectors
Children love when they get a special title for the day, and
this rules applies more so to your youngest little ones. Let them know that it
is their job to check each room for any items that might be left behind. Once
again, the depth of the project depends upon their ages. If you're going to
have toddlers or early elementary school students engage in these practices,
it's best for you or your spouse to check the room for valuable items.
Make It a Game
Try creating a game out of loading items into the truck.
Tell your kids you will see who can pack up the most things in their boxes
first. This would preferably be done with the smaller items that children can
handle. When you have items that need to go into the storage unit they can be
in charge of placing them there. Depending on your children's ages, some of the
larger items will likely have to be moved into the unit by an adult, but allow
the kids to have fun with the smaller items after the larger ones have been moved
in.
Checking Items Off the List
You probably have a fairly detailed list in hand on moving
day, and it's important that you have this out and ready to go. Older children
can actually help you to ensure that everything on it is accomplished. Once an item
has been moved into its proper space, ask your child or teenager to check it
off the list.
Hiring a Babysitter
It might be hard for you to supervise the move in general
and to supervise your children and their tasks. If you use a regular
babysitter, ask her to come over on that day to help out. You can also ask a
family member or friend to help monitor to the children. This is best for both
stress reduction and safety purposes.
It's quite possible to involve the children in your moving
day process and still remain organized. The key is to plan in advance.
Author Bio
This article was written by Dixie Somers on behalf of
extraspace.com. Check out more information about Extra Space Storage.
