Moving Tips for The Busy Mom

So, you and your family are moving. You’ve put your house on the market, prepared for countless showings and finally received an offer on your home. You’ve accepted and are in the escrow / closing process! Congrats!

Now to pack!

When it comes to moving your family to a different neighborhood, city or state with husband and kids in tow, life can get a little stressful and crazy. You are trying to keep a calm, nurturing environment for your little ones, make sure they are not completely uprooted and scarred from the moving process, all while working full time, and keeping your home as normal as possible while packing it up. It’s a bit overwhelming. Just a bit. So here are some tips for moving that can make things less stressful on everyone, including you!

Look into moving companies that offer different services

Most moving and storage companies offer different options and services for you to choose from. They can drop off a storage pod and you can pack and load everything yourself. Or you can opt for full service and allow the moving company to come in, pack everything, load it into a pod or onto a truck and deliver it to your new home. Get quotes from multiple moving companies and a detailed explanation of what is included in their services. Decide on what you can afford to have someone else do for you. While you supervise, of course.

Decisions, Decisions…

Decide which items you want to leave in the home for the new buyers and which items you will be taking with you. This can be anything from certain appliances to curtains, window treatments or pieces of furniture. Make sure your realtor understands what you are taking with you and what is staying from the start. This helps to avoid any heartache or headache further down the road when you are negotiating with potential buyers.

Packing

Save those Amazon boxes and bubble wrap / packing paper! If you are going to pack some, most or all your belongings, label each box with its contents as you pack. If you have glassware or fragile items, label the box fragile along with the box’s contents. Choose a designated place in your home to store boxes and packing supplies.

If you are doing the packing yourself, invite friends and/or family over for a packing party. Throw in a few pizzas and drinks, and packing can go by much quicker with a little help. This help may also come in handy when it comes time to remove all of the stuff stored in your attic.

Clothing usually stored in drawers can be packed in suitcases (win-win!) and hanging clothes can stay on their hangers and place black yard-sized trash bags over them, poking a hole in the bottom of the bag for the hangers. This allows for clothing to be hung on moving racks or laid down in a trunk without getting them dirty. They can then be easily transferred into new closets once they arrive at your home.

If possible, get a babysitter to keep the kids occupied while everyone else packs. If they are staying at home with the babysitter, designate a kid-friendly area for kiddie crew to stay in. This will keep them out of your way and packing should be easier if someone else is keeping them occupied. If you can’t find a babysitter, involve the kids in packing by letting them pack some of their toys or clothing. This can help kids to feel like they are helping mom and dad and it can be a welcome break from packing to watch them throw their toys in a box.

Those last days…

Store all packed items in a designated space and try not to feel the need to unpack and repack. Keep out any cleaning supplies, paper supplies, clothing, toiletries, food, cookware, silverware, glassware, and dishes you may need for the last few days in your home. I would suggest packing clothing in suitcases and simplifying the kitchen packing dilemma by using paper plates and solo cups for the last few days you are in your home. Bonus – less dishes to wash. You may also want to do a cursory cleaning once everything is packed. This will also give you peace of mind that you didn’t forget anything and the new owners won’t think the previous owners were complete slobs when they begin moving in.

What are some of your tips for moving? Comment below!

Amy Craft-Peltier
Amy was born and raised in Lafayette, LA. She attended UL Lafayette and graduated with a bachelor’s degree in Health Information Management. Amy works remotely for a healthcare company based out of Lafayette, LA. She and her husband Toby have two children - a rambunctious, loving boy and a sweet baby girl - and one dog. When she isn't working or spending time with her family, Amy enjoys quiet trips to Target, good food and, depending on the time of the day, coffee or wine.

2 COMMENTS

  1. We search the dumpsters behind nice stores for decent boxes, the best we ever found were at a medical building. I also like to pack my china in a large plastic tub and use old towels as layers between dishes, 4 moves and I’ve yet to break something.

  2. These are all great tips – Try to organize and purge what you can in the months leading up to your move too. That’s the single best way to cut costs and get rid of stuff you don’t / won’t need!

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