Moving is a stressful experience at the best of times, let alone with kids during the school semester. It can be challenging to plan out packing and transportation for a single person—adding kids into the equation multiplies the difficulty. Research has found moving, in general, is an extremely stress-inducing event.
Especially if you are moving with younger children, it can be harder transitioning them to a new environment and new school. Not only can it cause disruption to their school life, it can impact learning and be a source of anxiety.
This guide will explore everything you need to know about how to move with kids during the school semester. This includes tips on how to plan your move, minimise the disruption to your children’s routines, and make the moving day more manageable.
Moving can have a massive impact on a child, especially in the middle of the school semester and if they have to move away from friends. Fortunately, there are ways to make the transition easier, like maintaining consistency and involving your child in the process.
Planning Your Move
Planning is always crucial when it comes to a move, whether you have kids or not. You want to create a thorough plan, detailing everything from the timeline, how to inform the school, and how you’ll include your child(ren) in the process.
Research New Schools
Several months prior to moving, you should start researching and touring schools in your new city or suburb. Once you have a plan for where your children will go, this can make the transition easier. It won’t seem as daunting for your children, and you can involve them in the move process.
Choose The Right Time
Timing is crucial when it comes to moving with kids. While moving during a school semester isn’t ideal, there are still times that can help minimise the disruption it’ll have to your children’s school routines.
For instance, the best time to move during a school semester is either at the beginning or end of a semester. That way, your children’s amount of schoolwork is minimised, and it’ll give them more time to adjust to their new environment without the stress of homework.
The day you move is also important, too. We recommend always trying to move on a Friday or during a weekend. Moving throughout the week can be difficult to juggle with school pick-up/drop-off. Your children will also need time to rest and adjust after a move.
Inform The School
When it comes to informing the school, the earlier, the better. Once you’ve confirmed the move is happening and signed the lease (or bought the house), you should start discussions with your child’s school.
Not only is it important for the school to be aware, they can be helpful during the move process. For example, when preparing to send your child’s school records to a new school for acceptance, letters of recommendation from the previous school may be beneficial, especially for competitive and/or private schools.
Minimising Disruption To Your Child’s Routine
Research points to disruption to a child’s routine being damaging to their mental health and growth. Moving can be an incredibly stressful event for a child if not properly planned, especially if they’re also having to deal with transitioning to a new school and having to make new friends.
Fortunately, there are ways to minimise the impact that a move can have on routine. Below, we’ve outlined ways to ease the transition process for your child.
Maintain Consistency
When it comes to routines, consistency is key. Years of research in psychology have shown that children thrive on routine. So, it’s important to maintain as much consistency as possible when it comes to your child’s daily routine, even amidst the chaos of packing and moving.
There are different ways you could help to maintain consistency. For example, stick to the usual bedtime routine, stay consistent with mealtimes (like dinner and lunch), and regular homework schedules.
Involve Your Child In The Process
Involving your child in the process also makes them feel more valued and in control. You can do this by talking to your child regularly about the move and answering any questions they may have.
Where possible, also involve your child in the packing and moving process. Have them pack their own belongings or choose their new room. Not only can this help reduce their anxiety about a move, but it’s also a great opportunity to bond and form memories together.
Make The Moving Day Easier
While planning for a move can be nerve-wracking, nothing beats the stress that the actual moving day brings. If you want to lower your stress levels on the day, we’ve outlined a list of tips below.
Hire Local Movers
When it comes to packing and transport, hiring local movers with knowledge of the area can be a huge stress relief. This can free up your time and energy to focus on logistics and your children.
Professional removalist companies also provide complete pack/unpacking services, saving you time, which can then be spent on other tasks. Any reputable moving company should also be fully insured and offer guarantees, so there is no need to worry about damage or mishandling.
Local movers also have the experience and specialised tools for moving furniture and large boxes. This also saves you the time and resources for organising hiring or obtaining the tools yourself and avoiding potential injury.
Pack Strategically
If you do plan to pack yourself, make sure you pack strategically. For example, the last thing you want to do is go without your toiletries, so pack those last. Make sure to also keep any important documentation and medication with you.
We also recommend always labelling your boxes and organising them by room. That way, you aren’t packing boxes with a combination of different items for different areas of the house. This will save you time in the long run.
Packing all of your child’s essential belongings in a suitcase for the first few days in your new home can be beneficial, too. That way, you can easily locate everything they need without stressing about which box they’re packed in.
Hire Ready Movers To Handle The Move
Whether you’re going interstate or moving a few suburbs down, you can trust Ready Movers for an efficient and reliable transition. We’ve helped over 20,000 customers move houses, handling their possessions with the utmost care and professionalism.
We offer a wide range of flexible removal services tailored to suit your unique requirements. Whether you’re looking to pack your belongings and just need transport or a full pack and move—Ready Movers has you covered.
We offer a range of home removal services for local, interstate, and international moves. We also offer a No Damage Guarantee on local moves because we pride ourselves on our work. Our team also understands how valuable furniture and belongings can be, so we are fully insured and reputable.
Our trucks are also specifically designed for moving, so they can handle heavy furniture with ease and keep it protected. So, when you choose Ready Movers, you can expect your belongings to get to your new home safe and sound. Contact us today and request a quote for your next move.
