This is a sponsored post written by me on behalf of CORT. All opinions are 100% mine.
When my husband and I were younger, we were pretty adventurous. Like most young couples without a ton to tie us down, we moved without much hesitation. Shortly after our first child was born, we took a leap and moved over a thousand miles away from everything and everyone we knew. My husband received a job offer shortly after graduating from college, and we dove in headfirst. While moving with a baby was difficult, it was certainly manageable.
It was a wonderful experience for us as a couple; we grew by leaps and bounds during those two years. Being situated so far from family and friends, helped to foster a new bond in our relationship. We leaned on each other in a way that we had never done in the past. It turned out to be one of the best decisions we've ever made.
Shortly after we welcomed our second child, we decided to head back to familiar territory, for the kids. The move turned out to be slightly more challenging with two children in tow, but it was manageable because they were still so young.
Fast forward yet another two years, and we found ourselves moving again {though not quiet as far} for a job offer that my husband couldn't turn down. This time around it was different. New challenges presented with the move as both of our children were now slightly older. They were now well aware of the changes taking place, and they both had very mixed feelings about the move. In an effort to make it a positive experience and rid them of their fears, I did a few small things that wound up making a world of difference.
Read on for my simple tips and activities to help make a move with kids easier on everyone.
Change can definitely be scary for kids. During the toddler years, it can be easier to plant roots in a new city. However, as children get a bit older moving can present a challenge. Children are often focusing on the friends that they have to leave behind and their attachment to the local area and all things familiar. As a parent you can help make the move easier {and maybe even fun} by taking a few simple extra steps.
- Make packing a
fineFUN art: Set toddlers and younger children up with a stack of boxes, markers, crayons, stickers, and patterned packing tape in their choice of print or color. Then, let them decorate the boxes that will transport their belongings to their new room at the new house. I did this with my daughter when she was younger and it worked wonders on easing some of her fears. After she had finished decorating all of the boxes, she helped me place all of the belongings from her room carefully into each box and seal it with special pink packing tape that she had picked out on her own. She was so excited for the move after we did this fun little activity together! As an added bonus, it was super simple to identify each of the boxes that belonged in her room when we arrived at the new house.
- Pack a special bag: Pack a special bag with a few of your child's must-haves. A special bear, a blanket that they can't sleep without, crayons, a coloring book, small toys, a cup, etc. Trust me - you'll be so thankful for this little bag while in transit and when you first arrive at the new house. When we were making our big move back to the Northeast, I made the dreaded mistake of packing my then 2 1/2 year old's blanket into a box. It may have been simple enough to find / retrieve it if we were moving ourselves however, all of our belongings made the move with a long distance moving company. It took 7 days for our belongings to arrive. Which meant that it took 7 days for his blanket {that he refused to sleep without} to arrive. Those 7 days wound up being long and hard on all of us, my friends
- Ditch the bulk: If you're moving long distance, consider the advantages of leaving some of the furniture behind and rent furniture at your new location, - even if just for some time. Moving with kids can be difficult. Ditching some of the bulk not only makes financial sense {consider how much it will cost to move all of your larger furniture pieces long distance}, it makes it easier to get settled faster at your new location. CORT Furniture Rental makes it incredibly simple to fill each room of your new place with their easy to navigate website and "rent by room" categories. Simply scroll through the various options available for living rooms, bed rooms, and dining rooms to select full rooms of furniture - perfectly suited to your preferences. They even have a category for housewares where you'll find everything from luxurious hotel quality bedding sets, to flatware and cookware for the kitchen. Just think about it; you could have all of the furniture delivered and set up before you even arrive. This is such a super convenient option for parents moving long distance with their children.
Taking a few easy steps to ease the transition to a new home and location for the kids, ultimately makes it much easier {and even more fun} for everyone.
Do you have any special tips or tricks for making a move with children easier? I'd love it if you'd share in a comment below, or tag me on Twitter @one_savvymom
