Boxes, packing, unpacking, and… toddlers?? Wait, I didn’t know that those things go together… Well if you’re like me than they do! Our family is currently going through the moving process and what a process it is! Moving can be stressful and filled with many different emotions.  Personally, I felt overwhelmed at first putting all my things from one place (of 8 years) in boxes.   

            As I began taking pictures off the wall and packing all of our belongings so many memories flashed before my eyes as the house became empty:  my home, creating a family, bringing both of my kids home from the hospital, tears, and laughs.  Although I knew it was time for a change, it still filled my heart with a set of emotions I didn’t think I’d have. 

            Since I know just how stressful this can be, I wanted to share a few ways to cope, plan, and coordinate your move with your toddlers/babies.  It’s not easy, and I endured some stress and aggravation during this process, if you’re feeling this way remember that it’s a temporary process and you will be unpacked and all moved into your new place in no time.  Try and enjoy the experience and process.  Your kids are watching you and every reaction you have.  I have five tips for  a successful Moving Day With Toddlers and here they are! 🙂

            Tip #1:

Pack Smart.  What I mean by this is make sure that everything is coordinated the way you want them.  For example, I packed my kids rooms first this helped me once we arrived at our new place.  They had all their toys and belongings at the new house, so they would feel comfortable and right at home.  I also coordinated my boxes by room (kitchen, bathroom, our room, laundry, etc) this helped me once I started unpacking at the new house.  All fragile items were in one box (or a few depending on how many you have) so this way they didn’t get at the new house.  All fragile items were in one box (or a few depending on how many you have) so this way they didn’t get mixed up in regular day to day stuff and break. 

            Tip #2:

Pack a backpack full of goodies: Since you’re busy moving around, you may not be able to “entertain” your kids for a while.  So I decided to pack what I like to call a “bag of tricks”.  A backpack or a small plastic tote are ideal ways to carry things for your little ones.   It’s a great place to keep snacks, water bottles, toys, books, crayons, and other things your kids like to play with and keep busy.  My son loves stickers, so I put some in there and it would keep him busy for a while.  Since most of their stuff is packed away, this “bag of tricks” really helped me and them during this process. 

            Tip #3:

Enjoy the process.  I struggle with this still today.  I am not the type of person to take my time and leave things around in boxes.  For me that is not enjoyable AT ALL.  I like things in their place and organized so that I can start my day fresh.  So as my husband explained to me, “enjoy putting things away, don’t look at it like a task”.  So I started doing that.  Once I changed my attitude so did everything else.  Now after one week our place is falling into place with everything in the correct place.  If you are like me with very little help (Maid/Nanny/Butler didn’t show up to work, HA) Remember you are only one person and you can take as much time as you need.  Like I mentioned before this is not me once I get started on something, good luck stopping me. However, I did need to sit back and enjoy the process as much as possible and it’s been kind of fun since changing my view on things (thanks Hubby). 

            Tip #4:

Take breaks with your kids.  This has been super challenging for me.  I like to take breaks, I’m all for it actually but when I see the mess screaming my name it’s hard.  Don’t worry mamas it will be there for you in an hour! 🙂 In this hour I go play outside with my kids and take a moment to enjoy our new place.  To see them happy and excited is my joy, so I have to sit back and soak it all up. 

            Tip #5

Introduce your kids to their new house.  This can also be a difficult time for your little ones.  My son who grew up in our old house, that was really all he knew.  Now he is being introduced to something new.  It’s not easy for them either.  Make it fun for them and explain to them that this is their new house.  My son was afraid to take a bath at our new place, now he has no problem.  IT takes time, but how they react all falls on us.  Have them color or draw a picture of their new house and how they feel and hang it up in their room.  These little things can really go a long way. 

            So there are my five tips for Moving Day (With Toddlers).  It’s a tough job but it’s also very rewarding once your finished.  I know that this week I feel so accomplished, I didn’t realize just how much work I did over the last week.  Take your time, soak up this new journey in your life and try to keep positive spirits.  Our kids are relying on us for that reinforcement. 

            Thanks for stopping by to successful mommy advice.  Remember to share my blog so together we can continue to strive for mommy success!

 

xoxo,

Reina