Moving can be a stressful endeavor. With organizing, packing, loading, and hauling, there is a lot to keep track of during a move. Moving an entire family with little ones and pets can add to the chaos. So we are bringing you tips to make sure your pets and kids are safe and calm during a move. These tips will help you with moving safety for pets and kids.
Before the Move: Tips for Kids
Depending on how far away you are moving, kids can be difficult to get excited about a move. If you’re moving across state lines or to a new city, your kids might be upset with you about leaving their school and friends behind. If you’re facing challenges getting your kids excited about a big move, talk them openly with an optimistic attitude and answer their questions.
There are a few other helpful ways you can talk to your kids about a move:
- Show them pictures of the new house (if they haven’t seen it before) and let them pick out a bedroom or talk about where they are going to set up their toys
- Talk about your new city; show them pictures of the area, their new school and fun things you can do there
- Let them know their friends are important. Host a going away party with their close friends before a move or put together a contact book with friends phone numbers, emails and addresses
Before the Move: Tips for Pets
For most of us, pets are a member of the family so making sure your pets are healthy and ready for a move is important. If you’re moving a long distance and will be travelling by plane or car, be sure to check if there are travel restrictions.
A few things to keep in mind:
- Most airlines have fees for transporting pets so do your research ahead of time. You can also look into companies that will ship your pets to you if you don’t want to put them on a plane.
- If your dog or cat is known to get sick or panic during car rides (and you have a long one ahead of you) visit your vet to talk about medications and stress relief options.
- If you don’t have a portable kennel or crate, purchase one ahead of the move or borrow one from a friend. While it makes car transport more practical, it also helps with packing up your home and unpacking in a new one, if you can put your pets safely into a crate.
Moving Day: Tips for Kids
While packing, create a box for the kiddos and label it “FOR KIDS” or “KIDS BOX” so you do not pack it up with everything else. Put things inside like toys, snacks, children’s medicines, and extra clothing in there for the day and next morning. This way, you’ll know where to go to feed a hungry kid or find a toy to play with.
If you have movers coming to the house, or even if you are packing a moving truck yourself, you’ll want to make sure your kids are safe and out of the way.
- Pick a room, like a playroom or bedroom, where the kids can be away from all of the commotion.
- Make sure the kids have a game, or access to a movie or something to keep their attention
- If movers are at the house, mark the door and let them know that they do not need to go into the room for anything
- If you have a long car ride ahead of you, then it is even more important to have games and activities ready. If your kids are readers, bring books into the car, have age appropriate music available, and let them sleep if they get tired.
Moving Day: Tips for Pets
Just as you keep your kiddos out of the way on moving day, you should do the same with your pets. If you have a crate, that is an easy way to put your pets safely out of the way of movers. You can also put your dog outside if you have a fenced in yard. Just make sure your pet has plenty of food, water, toys and shelter during the move.
If you have a drive ahead of you:
- Take breaks throughout the drive to give your four legged friends a chance to streth their legs, go to the bathroom and eat.
- Secure your pet before you start to drive! There is nothing scarier than having an anxious or wild pup trying to climb into the front seat, or out of the window while your cruising on the freeway. Just as you buckle up your kids and get them settled in, get your animals settled in too.
There you have it! This has been our feature on moving safety for pets and kids. Take these steps to ensure that your move will be less stressful for your loved ones. While moves can be chaotic, they don’t have to be and doing the right planning is a great way to prevent the madness.
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