Planning a stress-free move with your child – 7 points to consider

With a finger on the pulse, you definitely don’t spend your whole life in the same place. Everyone has had good, but also bad experiences when moving house during their academic years. But after starting a family, things look very different, especially when children are involved. People feel differently about saying goodbye to familiar surroundings, friends and habits. It is the same with children, who are more sensitive depending on their age. You can stay for a good three months, as long as the notice of termination usually lasts, Plan your move stress-free and make the most of the situation. You will soon find out which points have to be observed.

Plan your move – organize it yourself or hire a moving company

According to statistics 29% of Germans move more than twice within 10 years, 25% only once in the same period and a quarter do not move at all. It is undisputed that moving to another apartment or city is exhausting and stressful for every member of the family. Whether you organize all the furniture, boxes and cardboard boxes yourself from the old to the new home or hire a moving company to do so, depends on many different factors and the two variants have advantages and disadvantages. However, the decision should be thought through carefully. Basically, the greatest effort arises when the distance between the old and new apartment is large. For a distance of up to 500 km, a moving service offers delivery of all furniture and moving boxes on the same day of collection, which in some cases saves those willing to move. If you stay in the same city despite moving, you can easily drive your property, one car charge at a time, into your new home. Many other details should also be considered:

• Is a suitable vehicle available – station wagon, transporter or truck in which there is enough space for the large pieces of furniture?
• Are there enough helpers who will also help with carrying the heavy parts?
• Don’t forget that the apartment should be cleaned thoroughly after moving! If necessary, take care of the bulky waste disposal and repaint the walls.

Planning and organizing your move – need support?

Trusted moving companies also offer the following services that make moving a lot easier:

• Delivery of moving boxes
• Helpers for packing, dismantling and assembling the furniture, carrying and delivering the boxes
• Provision of no-parking signs for the trolley
• Furniture lift or container for international removals
• Bulky waste disposal, cleaning of the apartment and painting work

Planning a move – What costs will you have to face?

When moving, it is often difficult to calculate the possible costs that you may have to face. The selection of the right vehicle alone can turn out to be problematic, as can reducing moving items to the actual volume unit. If the vehicle is too big, you often invest more than necessary – if the vehicle is too small, the kitchen may not fit in or you have to drive more often, which is noticeable in higher fuel costs or renting another vehicle. A self-organized move can be cheaper than with a moving company, but it is much more work-intensive – strong nerves, a little organizational talent and a lot of free time will certainly be in demand. Since those wishing to move often have to pay attention to their finances, some companies try to provide a more precise overview of the costs that arise. Forms are available to customers on the website that record the entire household and thus enable an offer to be made without prior notice and viewing. With a live moving cost calculator function, such as from Movinga, the Calculate moving costs. In telephone consultations, you receive personal tips and tricks for every household in order to save costs. Often you can save quite a bit by choosing the right moving day.

Plan a stress-free move – for the sake of the child

Moving to a new city or to a neighboring district is often an emotional burden for adults who are naturally more sensitive. And although children are considered to be particularly adaptable, a change of school or location has an impact on the emotional state. A recent study examined the effects of frequent changes of location in childhood and found that there is a connection with the low well-being of people in adulthood. The results of the research were published in the Journals of Personality and Social Psychology (June 2010 edition). 7,108 people between the ages of 20 and 75 took part and were asked again after 10 years. After all, moving around frequently in childhood can actually lead to long-term health problems, but the risk is particularly high with introverted personalities who are less self-indulgent and generally difficult to socialize. If your child is shy about the world other than the family, child psychologists recommend paying close attention to the emotional aspect of the move rather than concentrating on packing and unpacking.

Plan the move and talk to the child about it

The children’s reactions can be varied and sometimes even surprising to their parents. Depending on their age, there are a few things to consider so that the offspring can quickly get used to the new home and feel comfortable there. Talk to each other and discuss the upcoming move as early as possible, as well as topics related to the future new home. Note that children cannot have long conversations and they subconsciously change the subject after a few minutes. They do this unintentionally, so be patient. For example, try to continue the discussion the next day.

Plan a stress-free move and Prepare children for change

Up to about six years of age, toddlers have the strongest attachment to their parents and are therefore the most adaptable. The presence of their parents is usually enough to make them feel protected and safe. School-age children need a certain amount of time to get used to the new school, the new residential area and the surrounding area in general. Plan a visit to the new school or kindergarten before school starts. Planning your move during the summer vacation would therefore be a great advantage, advise psychologists.

Our tip: Include children in planning the move 

Stress mainly occurs when you don’t understand what is happening around you. When confronted with a fait accompli, children feel no different than adults – emotionally draining. Involve your children in the relocation process and make them feel needed at all times. After all, the move is their business too, so you should take an active part in it and not just stand aside. You can pack your own belongings, e.g. toys, under your supervision. After moving into the new apartment, start furnishing and designing the children’s room and let the children help out – for example, choose the wall color. Refrain from buying new furniture for the child’s room, as it takes some getting used to as something unknown, like moving house. Too many new things at this point would only complicate the settling-in process. Small gestures and given affection delight children and are just the right way to get a child’s heart. Take your time and make an effort to create a feeling of familiarity and security for your child in the new home, instead of investing all your efforts in organizing the move.

The key to a happy new home is stress-free moving