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How to survive moving interstate with kids

Moving Interstate With Kids

Research

Once your new city has been confirmed, start to research possible areas that you could see your family living. Ideally visit your new city so you can decide where you would like to live. Spend time getting to know the area, both during the day and night to see if you and your family will be happy living there. Are there schools in the area? Do you need easy access to public transport? Can you afford to live in that area? Spend time looking online, how do the locals feel about the area? The more research you do the better it will be in the long run for everyone.

Think about childcare and schools

Moving can be a stressful time for everyone especially kids having to start a new school.

Once you have an idea of which schools you would like you kids to attend, get their name down. When the new school has been approved, plan to make a visit with your kids so they can get to know their new teachers and class. Doing this will help your child settle in when the time comes to move plus reduce any anxiety they may be feeling about starting at a new school. Additionally, think about the best time of year to move with your kids. Moving at the end of a school year will be much easier and minimise impact to their learning. If it is not possible to move at the end of the school year perhaps thin about the possibility of commuting for the first few months until the right times approaches. Moving with younger children (less than 5 years) will be easier and requires less planning as to the perfect time to move.

Speak to your kids often about the move

Kids will be easily stressed about moving home. They are leaving their home, friends and school behind and that can be scary. Taking them to see the new house, their bedroom and school will help them. Remind them they are taking everything with them and that they will make new friends. To reduce stress and create excitement about moving, perhaps help them to choose some new bedding for their new room or allow them to choose a new paint colour.

Pack some favourite items if you’re are moving into temporary housing

Sometimes it will be necessary to move into a serviced apartment or other temporary housing before moving into your new home. Pack a few key items with you instead of sending them all via removalists as it will make the temporary living arrangements more comforting for your child. Toys, favourite bedding and wall art are all great examples.

Make this change a fun one

A number of things will make the move as enjoyable as possible for the whole family. Some of these include:

  • Once you have arrived at your new house, get to know the area with your kids.
  • Go on family outings to the many new exciting places present in your new city.
  • Schedule playdates with other kids in their class.
  • Make friends with other local mums/dads/families
  • Join a local Facebook community/group
  • Get to know your neighbours
  • Set up your kids room ASAP so they can feel at home quicker
  • Remind your kids that you’re there for them no matter what they need

Packing Tips For A Successful Move

Packing can be a stressful time but here are our top tips to ensure you’re ready for the big day.

De-clutter as soon as possible

Start to get the ball rolling early by throwing out anything you don’t need anymore. Go through each room of the house, sorting through all of your belongings and being as ruthless as possible when deciding what to throw out.

  • That yoga mat you bought in the hope it would encourage you to exercise? Donate it
  • The stack of 90s magazines you never look at but keep for “just in case”? Recycle it
  • Those 10 pairs of socks you keep that are worn out and feature too many holes to count? Bin them

Doing a major clear-out before you move not only means you have to pack fewer items, resulting in less spend on boxes and removalists but it also means you arrive at your new house with a less cluttered floorplan.

Choose the right box

Choose smaller boxes for heavy items and larger boxes for lighter items. This may sound fairly obvious but time and time again people try to load a big box up with their whole book collection and then fail to lift the box off the ground, injuring themselves in the process. Keep your small boxes for those heavy items such as books or electronics and fill your larger boxes with lighter items like bedding, pillows and towels. 

Pack a personal overnight bag

Moving can be a chaotic time so ensure you can settle into your new house as quickly as possible by packing a bag with all your necessities. Things like toiletries, a change of clothes, phone charger and kettle are handy to have on hand when you arrive at your new house. If you want these to stand out from the sea of moving boxes, pack them into a clear container as it will stand out and allow you to see what is inside.

Label your moving boxes like a pro

When you pack each box write a list on the outside with everything that it contains. Packing your boxes by rooms will also allow you to find each items end destination and saves you time when unpacking as you’re not traveling from room to room.

If you wanted to take your box labelling a step further, you can create a number system. Number each of your boxes and then on your computer create a spreadsheet that lists every item inside that box. By taking it one step further you’ll know the total number of boxes you’re transporting, allowing you to check for any missing or stolen boxes and if you are frantically searching for a particular item, such as tea bags, it allows you to look up the item on your spreadsheet and locate it quickly instead of digging through every “kitchen” box.

Remember when labelling your boxes that you write on the side of the box. When all the boxes are stacked it will be impossible to tell which box is which without spending time moving all of the boxes around.

Take pictures of your electronics

Before you pack up any electronics take a picture of the back where the cords are plugged in. This will allow you to know exactly which cord belongs where and saves you time frantically searching for that missing user manual. To make it even easier to locate the right cords, tape them to the base of your electronics.

Pack your clothes like a pro

Use your suitcase as a box for your clothes. Not only will you save money by not purchasing extra boxes it is also very obvious where your clothes are for quick access the next day. For hanging clothes, keep them on the hanger and place them inside a bin liner with the handles sticking out at the top. When you arrive at the new house simply hang them up and take off the bin liners.

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