Moving to a new home can be both an exciting and stressful experience, especially for families with children and pets. The impact of such a change can temporarily upset the harmony in any home. As a trusted property practitioner who understands the challenges families face during this transition, Etchells & Young is here to provide you with some valuable tips to make the process smoother and more enjoyable for everyone involved.
Begin your moving journey with a solid and well-organised plan. Create a moving checklist that outlines tasks and timelines, not only for moving day but the weeks and months leading up to it. This will help you stay organised and alleviate last-minute stressors.
Moving is often an overwhelming change for children and animals, particularly when tension and stress levels are high. Involving your children in the process will help them to adjust more quickly and feel more at ease. Invite them to help pack their belongings, and consider giving them a special box to fill with their most treasured toys and comfort items, to keep close on moving day.
Uphold your family's daily routines. For children, familiarity provides comfort and a sense of security during periods of change. Keeping meal times, play schedules, and bedtime routines consistent will help your children settle into their new surroundings.
Designate a safe and familiar space in your new home for your children to retreat to when things become overwhelming or a little overstimulating. Choose a space that is within/close to the most frequented living areas, so that smaller children can draw strength and security from their parents’ presence. Even a quiet corner in the family living area will suffice. Together, select an assortment of treasured toys and familiar items to fill it with. For example; favourite stuffed animals, books, or blankets.
Pets can sense, and become easily unsettled by, a change in environment (or territory). The unfamiliar surrounds, scents, and sounds may lead to behavioural changes like restlessness, anxiety, clinginess, or loss of appetite. To ease the transition, maintain their regular feeding and walking schedules, create a quiet space for them with familiar items, and reassure them by staying calm and offering love and reassurance through a calm and positive tone. If possible, arrange for a trusted friend or family member to care for them on moving day.
Hiring professionals who are experienced and efficient in handling the packing, loading, transporting, and unloading of your belongings not only saves valuable time, but alleviates the stress and anxiety that accompanies coordinating such a significant change and the family’s wellbeing. This allows you to focus on your children and pets’ most pressing needs and support them on moving day, when they are likely to be feeling the most unsettled and overwhelmed.
Begin by setting up your children's rooms and familiar spaces first, to give the whole family a sense of continuity and comfort in the new environment. Even if the room layout looks different to what they had before, children will find comfort in a space they can call all their own. Take the time to show them where all their most treasured toys and possessions can be found.
As a family, explore your new surroundings. Create a list of local parks, playgrounds, and family-friendly spots and have everyone in the family choose a place to visit. Exploring together can be a time of meaningful bonding and connection following the stress and change of a move. It will also help your children acclimate and start building positive associations with their new surroundings.
Remember, moving is a significant change for everyone, and affects everyone differently depending on their individual personalities and sensitivities. Children and pets, being the most sensitive, require the most empathy and patience. Allow each member the space and time they need to settle in.
Lean on friends, family, and your new community for support. Building connections with neighbours and your surrounding community through street WhatsApp groups and friendly interactions at the local park strengthens that feeling of belonging, and may ease the transition for your whole family. Model stepping out of your comfort zone to your children by introducing yourself to new and friendly faces wherever you go, and plug into community initiatives like local running clubs, Moms & Tots groups, or family-oriented events hosted at local parks or churches.
Moving with a family involves careful planning and a nurturing approach, especially towards those members of the family who are more sensitive to the impact of such a change. Minimising stress, fostering a positive atmosphere, and helping your children and pets feel more comfortable and excited about their new home will help make the move to a new home a harmonious one.
