Top tips for a quick and easy family move

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Moving house is said to be one of the most stressful things you’ll ever do. Add children into the mix, and it’s no surprise if you’re feeling overwhelmed by the prospect.

These tips will help to ensure your family move is the quickest and easiest move you’ve ever made.

1. Start early

If the idea of moving house feels overwhelming, break it down into small, manageable parts.

Decluttering your current home is a great way to start, and will help you to see how much space you really need in your next home. It’s amazing the amount of belongings we accumulate over the years. Decluttering your home will not only make it more attractive to potential buyers, it will also offer you the opportunity for a fresh start in your new home.

You can also start to get your paperwork and finances in order long before you book any property viewings. Having everything in place early will make the whole moving process quicker and easier.

2. Get the kids involved

The idea of moving house can be unsettling for children, especially if they can’t remember ever living anywhere else. It can really help to get children involved from the start.

Talk to them about your motivation for moving and the benefits for them in doing so. Perhaps you’re hoping to move to a property with more space so they’ll be able to have their own bedroom for the first time, or a larger garden to play in. Or maybe you’re planning to move to a new area and can talk to them about what there will be for them to do there.

You could also ask for their input on what they would like you to look for in a new property, for example space for a swing, or a playroom.

It’s also important to talk to children about any worries they have around moving, so that you can help them to process their emotions.

3. Keep them entertained

Once you start boxing up your things, it can be difficult to keep the children entertained. A great tip is to create a moving pack for each child.

In their moving pack you can put some quiet activities such as a new or favourite book or comic, and one or two small toys that can keep them entertained whilst you do the final bits of packing.

4. Ask for help

Friends and family are likely to be only too happy to help when you’re moving house. You can also find local removalists on Muval. Hiring a professional can help immensely with the stress on moving day too.

Hosting some playdates once a sale has been agreed is a great tip, as reciprocated playdates can often be booked in as you approach your moving date.

Moving day itself can be stressful for both adults and children, so you may want to arrange for your children to have a sleepover with a family member or friend the night before the move. You can then collect your children once the bulk of your things have been unloaded, so they arrive at the new house able to see things they are familiar with.

5. Explore all options

Unfortunately, around one in three property sales will fall through before completion, so it’s important to have a back-up plan if the worst should happen.

If it’s the sale of your current property that falls through, and you’re keen to keep your onward move in place, you could consider a property auction or a professional cash homebuying company. Both options are likely to be quicker than reselling on the open market – a homebuying company should be able to complete the sale in as little as a week – so they can offer a great solution if you’re in need of a quick sale.

What’s your top tip for taking the stress out of a family move?

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