Moving With Kids Means Plenty of Preparation

If you’re getting ready to move your family for the first time, there are many things that you should know about the process. Children, while highly adaptable, will benefit from lots of notice and compassion when talking about taking them away from the only home they’ve ever known.  Today, childcare advocate Mirella Alexis offers tips on how to help you make your move with your children and your budget in consideration.

Know your neighborhood.

Everyone knows that there’s nothing cheap about living anywhere in the Chicago area. But there are still neighborhoods that are fairly budget-friendly and great for children. Rent.com Recommends Logan Square, Irving Park, and Avondaleas top picks that won’t blow the bank.

Connect with friends.

You are not the only one leaving your home, and that means that you’re all leaving your social lives. Look ahead to ways to make new friends, such as joining an online parents group. If Chicago was originally your hometown, look for people that you went to high school with to see if anyone you know is still around. There are plenty of search engines online that allow you to seek out alumni based on your school, graduation date, and name.

Address anxiety.

Around 45 million Americans move every year. That doesn’t make it any easier for kids with anxiety. West Coast Self-Storage offers tips to help you here, including giving the child lots of heads up, allowing for mood swings, and maintaining your routines. Remember, your child doesn’t have any say in this major life decision, and that can give any child anxiety. Be prepared for pushback, but be firm and loving and how you address the situation.

Consider how it will affect your business.

If you’re moving not only your family but a business as well, you’ll need to look ahead at the ways that your new location might affect your operation. Even if you’re already running your business from home, you want to relocate your LLC and any other pertinent business identifiers to your new hometown/state. You can also reduce disruptions and downtimes by planning for the move as soon as possible, which might mean finding a co-working space, taking off, and color coding your boxes so that you know which are for home and which are for work.

Look at floor plans.

When your relocation comes on the heels of adding new family members, such as having a baby or adopting, now’s a great time to consider the type of home to buy. You’ll need bedrooms and bathrooms to accommodate everyone in your family. You might also consider the possibility of having a teen living at home throughout college or moving your parents or grandparents into your home with you. If you anticipate any of these potential life changes in the next several years, it makes sense to buy a larger home now since home prices tend to appreciate.

Reduce your moving expenses.

While there’s no getting around the fact that moving is going to cost money, there are ways that you can reduce your expenses. One of these is to purge your home of unnecessary belongings, such as clothing that’s too small. You can donate anything you don’t need or have a yard sale to help pay your moving expenses. You might also consider moving during the week to take advantage of non-weekend specials and discounts, which Transtar Moving says is actually less stressful anyway.

Moving with kids means you have to make many preparations before moving day is ever on the books. From getting to know your new neighborhood to addressing anxiety, moving your business, and reaching out to old and new friends for support, today’s tips are just a few ways to help you save money and reduce stress when moving with children.

Mirella Alexis is a childcare advocate and doula who helps families in those first few days and weeks after bringing home a baby. Contact Mirella today to learn more! 773.818.9713 or MirellaAlexis101@gmail.com.

Image via Pexels

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