Fall Moving: Tips to Help Your Family Transition Smoothly

Fall Moving: Tips to Help Your Family Transition Smoothly
Fall can be a great time for moving. The sweltering heat of summer is over, peak season has passed so there’s more scheduling flexibility, and school is back in session so routines have become regular again. But, moving in the fall can be more difficult with school age or little children. They know all of their classmates and teachers, are into a school/activities routine and fall holidays are fast approaching.

You can make moving fun for your family however and there are ways to turn sad goodbyes and missed activities into happy hellos and exciting new adventures. These simple tips will help you and your littles survive fall moving.

Plan Well In Advance of Your Move
Make sure you secure your move date(s) and plan ahead for things like inclement weather, colder temps and messy walkways. At Elite Relocation Services, we have full home protection kits that include doorway and banister pads, floor runners and mask for your carpets and hardwoods as well as furniture pads and shrink wrap to protect your furniture. It’s a good idea to sweep outdoor walkways so they are free of leaves and debris just before the moving crew arrives.

Start packing months (not weeks) earlier than you think is necessary. If it takes you twice as long to get out the door now than before you had kids, it will take twice as long to pack up your house, no matter how small it is. Gather packing supplies and start little by little, like with things already in closets. You can tuck those packed boxes back into closets until closer to move day. Also consider packing boxes at night when your children are asleep. Plan playdates for your children on move day so they are occupied with something fun. Out of sight, out of mind for your young children.

And on that note, donate or sell items at night. Pack your Goodwill piles into the trunk of your car at night so that you can drop them off the next day without your children spotting that one toy that was in the back of the closet that they never play with. You know they will decide it is their favorite toy if they spy it.

Use color coded duct tape for marking the boxes of each child’s room. This way there will be no confusion on which room they belong to. Let them help unpack their boxes in their new rooms.

Make Connections and Plan Activities in Advance
Contact your children’s new school(s) and find out who their teachers will be. Get in touch with the teacher and ask if they might send your child a note welcoming them to the school.

Look into churches, community organizations, parks or playgroups in your new neighborhood and plan some visits after (or before if possible) your move. Also check out what fun fall and winter activities are going on in your area. This will help your children to visualize the positive things about their new home.

“See You Later” Instead of “Goodbye”
With technology today, staying in touch with friends is easier and easier. Work with parents of your children’s friends to encourage them to stay in contact. This can be through more traditional methods like letter writing and phone calls, but it can also be through face-to-face contact like FaceTime or Messenger. Moving doesn’t mean your children have to say goodbye altogether and, with nurturing, sometimes the best friendships are those that begin when we are young.

Make Moving a Fun Event
Make a fun craft activity by having your children decorate a box with pens or stickers and then pack all of their special toys into it. This will make spotting their special box easy when it comes off of the moving truck and into your new home, and it gives them a sense of ownership and being a part of the move process. Leave this box out until the morning of move day so they have their favorite things all the way up to the big day.

Have a Few New and Exciting Surprises
Purchase a few new toys for the move and plan a visit to their favorite family restaurant to keep up morale. Put together a little welcome basket filled with a few new items and place it in their new room. This can be as simple as some new bath toys, vinyl cling decorations for their bedroom windows or a new stuffed animal or throw pillow for their bed.

Give Yourself and Your Kids a Break
Moving is psychologically and emotionally exhausting. It can takes weeks and even months to fully recover. Make sure you allow yourself and your kids to run through the emotions, both happy and sad. Practicing kindness is the best gift you can give to yourself and your children.

Written by Claudia Schouten Jones, Owner
Elite Relocation Services