Moving home with children
You finally have a date for your move, but you’ve still got to live your life outside of the move. With moving day looming large on the horizon, there's so much to do and each day ticks by and brings it closer.
Yet, a question keeps popping up as you try and go about life and preparations: "I’ve young children, what should I do?"
Simple, but effective
One dead simple thing you can do is let them feel a part of the decision process. Let them pick their new bedroom - and have some say in how it gets redecorated. For the truly fearless, give them free reign to express themselves.
Beware, though, if you have teenagers, the full black room is not always easy on the eye or nerves (or repainting when they've changed their mind). But it can help them feel better about the move.
For the younger children, simply choosing a new exciting mural for the wall or a new duvet cover can make something daunting and scary suddenly feel like a terrific adventure.
Likewise with very young children, get them involved by packing their favourite toys into a box and decorating it with coloured pens. The guys on move day can make sure it takes pride of place in their new bedroom, again, all part of the big adventure.
Preparation
Preparation, as in all things, is key. There are some simple, practical things that you can do in the run up to the move to ease your children’s - and your - anxieties and make things that little bit easier and less stressful.
Involve the children
It can be scary for children leaving their comfortable surroundings that they have lived happily in for years. It may be the only home they've known, and leaving that can be scary for them. But by letting them be involved in many aspects of the move, you can ease some of their fears and anxieties about moving - and maybe even make it an exciting adventure for them - helping the whole family have a better move.
What about moving day?
Whilst not always practical, if you can, it’s best to have the children stay with friends or relatives on moving day - or if it is term time, move while they're at school for the day. Although it’s still a home, once the movers are on site, your home becomes a workplace. And, of course, with that does come some additional dangers for young ones. Whatever the weather and regardless of how busy the road is, doors will need to be wedged open and doors within the house will constantly be opening and closing, little fingers can get trapped and the inquisitive can make for the open door out into the road.
The removal men will be busy pretty much from the moment they arrive until the moment they leave you in your new home; the last thing anybody wants is for anybody to get hurt whilst your move takes place.
If you don't have somewhere for the children to stay on moving day, the next best option would be to have a person whose only job on moving day is to watch and entertain them at your home. It’s important they remain in one room and the removal men are able to get on with their work free from additional worries of little folk running around in front of them.
No matter how well prepared you are there, will be lots of questions from the men about where items are going in the new place, and other things along the way. Once you arrive at the new place, you’ll need to be on hand to help guide where you want furniture positioned in your new rooms. It’s rare that every piece goes in exactly the place you visualised; last minute tweaking tends to be the norm.
Once the removal men have left
If your children have been away while the move was being performed, before you introduce them to their new home make sure any hazards are minimised - especially if you have toddlers. If you use gates, make sure they're installed before the children arrive, if possible.
If you can, have the children come back right towards the end of your belongings being moved into your new home. You can bet that you’ll be tired, but the lion’s share of the physical work should then have been done and the children can come along and join in the excitement and unpacking.
Getting settled on moving night
A takeaway pizza and perhaps a glass of wine (for the adults, of course) is often the best end to the moving day, leaving you - and the kids - raring to get on with the unpacking the following morning.
Removal quote appointment booking service
Bradshaw Moving Services can help your move go smoothly. Contact us for a free, no obligation quote, or by calling 0116 289 9011 (Leicester), 0115 965 6555 (Nottingham), or 01283 243001 (Derby & Burton) and speak with one of our removals specialists.
How are our appointments carried out
In the current times you might prefer that we don't visit your house in person to carry out a survey. This is fully understandable and we can just as easily undertake the survey by video call, using whatever method you're comfortable with, usually FaceTime or WhatsApp.
See what our customers think of us...
They treated our possessions with utmost care
Why did you choose to get a quote from us and where did you get our contact details?
Flyer posted through our door and high score / positive Google reviews. Also you offered a full pack and move service.
How would you rate the way we dealt with your initial enquiry?
8/10
How would you rate the survey that we carried out?
10/10
Why did you choose to move/store with us?
Pam from your Leicester team was extremely helpful and even though it was short notice she managed to fit us in through a cancellation, and quickly produced a full pack quote.
How would you rate your move team?
10/10
Would you like to tell us anything about your move team?
Our team were Kemp, Josh and Marcus for a full pack service and all 3 of them were fantastic. They were really polite and respectful towards us, checking in regularly and making sure they knew exactly what they needed to do. They treated our possessions with utmost care, and our items were packed quickly and efficiently. They made sure that everything was labelled properly and were very careful when moving items, especially big / fragile things. They all worked extremely hard and overall we were thoroughly impressed.
How would you rate our communication?
8/10
How can we improve our service?
N/A
How likely are you to recommend us to your friends / family?
10/10
Our move across 2 days and 180 miles was seamless.
Why did you choose to get a quote from us and where did you get our contact details?
Honestly cannot remember
How would you rate the way we dealt with your initial enquiry?
9/10
How would you rate the survey that we carried out?
9/10
Why did you choose to move/store with us?
Mark listened to us and quoted accordingly
How would you rate your move team?
10/10
Would you like to tell us anything about your move team?
The 4 guys were all excellent
How would you rate our communication?
9/10
How can we improve our service?
You are doing fine as you are.
How likely are you to recommend us to your friends / family?
9/10
Is there anything else you would like to tell us about your move?
The highest praise I can give the removal team is that our move across 2 days and 180 miles was seamless. The guys were excellent.
I didn't get other quotes after our phone conversation
Why did you choose to get a quote from us and where did you get our contact details?
I had your card (through the door?) / you moved us to France many years ago
How would you rate the way we dealt with your initial enquiry?
10/10
How would you rate the survey that we carried out?
10/10
Why did you choose to move/store with us?
Big effort you made to find us an appropriate date and I didn't get other quotes after our phone conversation
How would you rate your move team?
10/10
Would you like to tell us anything about your move team?
Easy going / efficient / friendly / obliging / nice people ... a pleasure to meet them all
How would you rate our communication?
10/10
How can we improve our service?
I wouldn't know how to answer this
How likely are you to recommend us to your friends / family?
10/10
Is there anything else you would like to tell us about your move?
It took the sting out of the anxiety involved ... especially after the calls you made on my behalf from Leicester to Stafford which resulted In getting a cancelled booking, allowing me to move before the big stamp duty deadline which the rest of my chain were trying to beat. As the truck pulled into the drive of my daughter's house, the phone rang to confirm the exchange of contracts on the house ... tight timing!
Excellent team who took the strain out of a stressful day
Why did you choose to get a quote from us and where did you get our contact details?
You were local to me and I also received a card through my door, which was very useful to have. I checked your reviews and they were positive.
How would you rate the way we dealt with your initial enquiry?
10/10
How would you rate the survey that we carried out?
10/10
Why did you choose to move/store with us?
Positive reviews and you were available on the date I required, even at short notice.
How would you rate your move team?
10/10
Would you like to tell us anything about your move team?
Josh, Kemp and Marcus arrived early, which is always a positive. They were all very pleasant, hard working and professional. Nothing was too much trouble. Well presented in the Britannia Bradshaw uniform. Excellent team who took the strain out of a stressful day. I've never used professional removals before and it was great just to sit back, safe in the knowledge that the team were doing a excellent job.
How would you rate our communication?
10/10
How can we improve our service?
I can't think of anything.
How likely are you to recommend us to your friends / family?
10/10
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