Moving

Preparing for an Out of State Move: The Ultimate Moving Checklist

March 16, 2021 By Gabrielle Gardiner Leave a Comment

If you’re one of the many Americans preparing for an out of state move, it’s natural for your head to be spinning with all of the things you need to do. Turning over a new leaf in a new state brings a lot of excitement and a lot of tasks to accomplish for the whole family.

To make the interstate moving process run as smoothly as possible, there are tons of details to remember. The right checklist for moving out of state is key in helping you prioritize as you prepare for a move across state lines. The free downloadable checklist below from HomeAdvisor is both interactive and printable so you can reference it while preparing to move.

Also, be sure to check out some moving announcement cards that are a friendly way to bid your former neighbors farewell and say hi to new neighbors.

Download The Checklist

3 Bingo Boards To Make Moving Fun

February 20, 2020 By Elsie Weisskoff Leave a Comment

Is this new year bringing with it a fresh start in a new home? Unfortunately, moving can be stressful. The joy of a new beginning gets lost in the midst of packing boxes and moving them into trucks without breaking anything. Even with the help of movers, moving can be a chore.

Rather than dwelling on this daunting task, start this new chapter on a positive note by making your move into a game. To help you do this, we created new home bingo boards. They have three bingo boards for parents to play with their kids. Read through to find which board will be the most fun for your family to play.

Settling Into a New Home

This bingo board will make unpacking a little more fun. Simply check off items as you do them and see who can get five in a row first. Items include things like putting toilet paper in the bathroom and setting up a bed frame. Tasks that seem dull before will now help you win this bingo game!

New Home Firsts

Over the first few months in your new neighborhood, you’ll get to know the ins and outs of your house. Celebrate the little joys of life such as your first night of sleep, your first shower and your first game night. This board will take a little longer to complete but will remind your family to celebrate the little wins. After someone wins Bingo, see who can fill out the entire board first.

Kids Scavenger Hunt

Moving with kids can be especially difficult. Some parents get a babysitter to help them on moving day. Others decide to involve them in the packing and unpacking process. Regardless of your approach, it’s important that you allow your kids to familiarize themselves with the new home. If possible, visit the house before moving day. Make it a fun trip with a trip to a local park or ice cream shop. This will make the space less scary when the move-in day comes.

Another way to familiarize your kids with this new house is by playing scavenger hunt bingo. Read through all the items on the boards with your children so that they understand what each one means. Then, before you unpack, have them go a hunt for each item.

Objects like closets and microwaves will be easier to find. The first aid kit and smoke detector might be tough, but these are important to know. If they can’t find an item, it might mean they need to help you unpack it!

Playing these games with your kids will help them view this change as positive. They will feel like they are part of the process and the transition won’t be as much of a shock. If you are moving a far distance, it can also help to set up a trip to go back and visit their old neighborhood and friend group. If this isn’t an option, technology is your friend. Set up weekly calls or facetime. It will be encouraging to be able to tell their old friends about new adventures.

Moving is always a challenge, but with these bingo boards, you can make it fun. Be sure to have a prize for the winner!

A Step-By-Step Guide To Moving With Kids And Pets

May 11, 2017 By Keagan Pearson Leave a Comment

Moving into a new home can be one of the most stressful situations of your life. You’re not just relocating all your belongings, you’re changing your life. It’s no wonder that some people believe moving into a new home is more stressful than getting a divorce. As stressful as moving can be, preparing kids and/or pets could make it even more stressful — as the emotional burden they carry throughout the process can be even greater.

For young children and pets, routines are very important. Children experience constant changes as they grow and develop, so the security of familiarity — such as bedrooms or backyards — provides some much-needed stability in their lives. For pets, any changes to their routines and surroundings can be upsetting. In both cases, moving to a new house can throw their lives into upheaval. Unless you pay special attention to their needs before, during and after the move, children and pets could become withdrawn, scared or depressed.

Fortunately, there are some steps you can take to make the moving process potentially less stressful for your children and pets. For example, you can help kids adjust to the idea of moving by letting them choose the color of their new bedrooms. With pets, you can help them adjust by taking them for long car rides (if you’re moving long-distance). Packing your children’s favorite items in the same box can help them feel more comfortable by knowing where they are, not to mention easily accessible after the move. Leaving pets with a sitter could help to keep them occupied. Once you arrive at the new house, you can help kids and pets settle in by arranging their belongings as similar as possible to the layout of the old house.

These and other tips for all stages of the moving process can be found in the guide created by University Moving and Storage below.

A Step-By-Step Guide To Moving With Kids And Pets produced by University Moving and Storage

A Moving Checklist for Every Smart Dad

April 24, 2016 By Transit Systems Leave a Comment

Moving into a new apartment with your son or daughter can be stressful.

It’s a huge change that might even feel a bit overwhelming. Couple those feelings with taking care of your kids, and you’re practically setting yourself up for a breakdown! How do you prepare to move? Simple. A moving checklist.

The stress of moving can turn your mind into a pretzel, and cause you to forget a few things. Trying to remember every single thing you need to get done from, from checking out schools to furniture shipping can be impossible, which is why it’s important to be proactive.

Our contributors at Transit Systems have put together a great moving checklist including everything from planning ideas to packing materials in order to make sure that your move is as easy as possible.

Moving Checklist from Transit Systems

Avoiding Major Meltdowns: A Parents’ Guide to Moving with Kids

September 10, 2013 By Robin Knight 5 Comments

You think that relocating is stressful for you? Just think about how stressful it is for your kids. Your children don’t understand that they’ll make new friends, find new things to do, or even learn to enjoy their new school. All your kids know is that they are leaving everything they love behind, and this is the worst time in their young lives. If you want to avoid a major melt down, there are ways that you need to handle the transition your family is going through.

1.Routine

Years of research has shown that children are happier and better behaved when they follow a routine. Just because you’re moving doesn’t mean that you have to adjust the routine that you’ve gotten your little ones used to. In fact, moving the routine into your new home will help your children transition quicker. This is especially important at bed time, when your child may be more likely to experience anxiety in his new house. According to child sleep expert Jennifer Waldburger, insufficient sleep affects your child’s behavior and emotion in negative ways. Stick to the routine today and save yourself from a headache tomorrow.

2.Little Designers

Has your daughter always wanted a neon purple room? Perhaps your son wants, for whatever reason, to paint his walls blood red. A new house is the perfect opportunity to let your kids channel their inner decorators. Your kids will feel at home when they have autonomy in designing their own rooms. Blood red may be your absolute last choice for a wall color, but remember that walls can be repainted and doors can be shut; pick your battles.

3.Explore

Part of the reason that your kids are so anxious is that everything is unfamiliar. Spend the weekend exploring your new city, paying special attention to family activities and local parks. Not only will you get some great ideas for family time, but your kids will have so much fun that they’ll instantly fall in love with their new home. If your kids are especially resistant to get out and explore, don’t force them. Instead, collect brochures from local attractions and share them with your kids. Once they see what is so interesting, they’ll be more likely to get up and go.

4.New Traditions

It’s a new house and it’s time for new traditions. Start doing something fun and new in the house that you didn’t do in your old one. Make every Friday night game night, no matter what. Eat breakfast in bed on Saturday mornings. Think of something that you can do in the new home that will turn it into a special place for your children.

5.Talk

It seems simple, but you would be surprised at all of the parents who are too busy to talk to their kids during and after a move. Sit down with your kids and let them voice their fears and concerns. Sometimes it only takes a listening ear to make your children feel at ease. Cook a great meal, sit down for dinner as a family, and ask your kids how they are feeling about the big move.

Do not expect your children to transition to their new home as easily as you have. Children do not have the mental maturity to realize that their world isn’t ending. The way that you handle the move will determine how readily your children adjust.