Tips for Organizing an Easier Long-Distance Move as a Single Parent
Moving across a long distance is never an easy prospect. It gets harder, though, if you’re moving yourself and your kids as a single parent. However, when you’re organizing your move, there are some planning tips that will make it easier on your whole family.
Find Something for the Kids to Do
One of the best moves you’ll make for your own sanity is to find something for your kids to do on moving day. Kids running around, digging through packed boxes, and exploring the new place often put them underfoot and even in danger, so do what you can to get them out of the way. This tends to be easier when you’re leaving than when you are arriving, but finding someone for your kids to stay with for a day or two or even having an activity that can keep them out of the way while you are loading and unloading will help you all to get through the big day more easily.
Hire a Moving Company
While you could do all the packing, loading, driving, unloading, and unpacking by yourself, you don’t have to. Instead, hire a moving company like Eagle Moving LLC if you’re trying to move alone with kids. A good moving company will take care of the heavy lifting on moving day, allowing you to focus more on your kids and on your trip to your new home. Simply knowing that someone else will be able to drive the truck while you take the kids in the car is a good way to feel more comfortable with the whole process of moving.
Take Care of What You Can Ahead of Time
It’s also a good idea to make sure that you have your new house as move-in ready as possible when you arrive. Having the utilities turned on is something that most people think about doing ahead of time, but making sure that your internet and television services are also up and running on day one can save you some headaches when your children get to the house. This not only gives your kids something to do, but it takes something off your plate while you are unpacking.
Find a Way to Celebrate
Finally, make sure that you do something with the kids to celebrate your move. Have a pizza and movie night or go out for ice cream. Giving them something to look forward to is a good step, as it will keep them motivated to do any other tasks that need to get done on moving day. Though a move can be tough, preparing something special for the end of the day can make things seem a little better.
Moving on your own with kids is tough, but you can do it with the right planning. Do what you can ahead of time, hire movers to help you, and make sure that you have something for the kids to do while moving. If you can do that, you’ll be more than ready to celebrate completing your move once everything is in your new home.
By Anita Ginsburg
Anita is a freelance writer from Denver, CO. She studied at Colorado State University, and now writes articles about health, business, family and finance. A mother of two, she enjoys traveling with her family whenever she isn’t writing. You can follow her on Twitter @anitaginsburg.
I loved how you mentioned that they can make sure that your belongings are insured! My sister was telling me last night about how she and her husband are planning on moving to a new house in a couple of weeks, and they were wondering if they should look into hiring a moving company to help them. I’ll make sure to pass this information along to them so that they can know the benefits of hiring a moving company!