Tips for preparing your family and pets for the moving process

Moving can be one of the more stressful undertakings you will experience. This is true even more so for little ones and pets who don’t understand why their world is changing. These stresses can be alleviated with a bit of pre-planning and preparation. How pets and children can be prepared for the moving process is a common dilemma for most people contemplating a move. We have compiled a few tips and suggestions for keeping everyone involved and adding an element of excitement and fun to the process which will go a long way in helping you achieve a move that is as stress-free as possible for you and your entire family.

The importance of timing

Try to select a date that works for everyone. Moving on your child’s birthday or the day before an important business meeting, for example, will only add to the day’s stresses. This is the perfect starting point for including the whole family. Even if your child is not old enough to speak, they do pick up on how everyone is feeling, so having a roundtable discussion with all family members on finding a suitable date that works for everyone will ensure that no added stress or upset is experienced on the day you decide to move. It also reaffirms the message that you are all in this together and gives older children a chance to prepare themselves if they fully understand when the move is happening.

Sharing the plan

All too often people will deal with the formalities and details themselves and only share the “important” information with the rest of the family. When considering how pets and children are prepared for the moving process, consider how it would impact you if you were unsure of exactly how and when things were going to progress. It would be pretty stressful, right? A great idea for families with children of reading age is to create a wall calendar with key activities. For example, “pack Lily’s toys” could be assigned to a certain day so Lily can count down and see when her toys will be placed in boxes. It would also be a great tool for interacting with your children and pointing out what is happening tomorrow or in the next few days, ensuring there are no surprises for anyone. Mark your moving day with exclamations or stars to indicate it is the goal you are all working towards.

Communicating with pets

As you will have gathered by now, communication is one of the most important tools for alleviating any stress for your children, but how do you communicate with your pet? Pets sense when change is afoot and can become quite nervous or clingy in the lead-up to major events. Simply packing an overnight case can cause upset in your pet as they know it means you are going for longer than usual, so imagine what seeing the whole house being packed up would look like! Try to keep your routine with your pets as uninterrupted as possible. Walk times, meal times, and even the amount of time you spend with your pet are all indicators to them if something is off. Lavishing extra affection or becoming impatient with them, when you would not normally do these things, will only add to their fear that something is wrong. If your pet is exceptionally nervous, consult your vet to get tips and ideas on how to alleviate their stress as much as possible.

Packing with feelings in mind

How can pets and children be prepared for the moving process if their favourite toy or item has been taken from them weeks before they actually move? In an ideal world, you would pack each room in its entirety but in the minds of children and pets, there is comfort in knowing that they still physically have certain things in their possession, not hidden away in an inaccessible box. It is recommended to pack any water or feed bowls just before leaving. If possible, simply keep them with your pet instead of packing them to show your pet that they belong wherever those bowls are. Involving your child in the packing of their belongings will help them to understand their things are not disappearing and also will give your child the opportunity to pick a few items to keep with them during the move itself.

Moving day

The day has finally arrived on your countdown calendar. This is when you collect the few remaining belongings that have not been packed yet and start your journey to your new home. It may be a few streets away or on the other side of the globe but because you have looked at how pets and children are prepared for the moving process and taken their stressors into account, it should be a day of excitement for everyone. Keep the buzz happening with questions about what your child is going to do first on arrival or which box they think you should open first and try to avoid transferring any of your own stress or frustrations should everything not go exactly to plan such as a delayed flight or heavy traffic. Moving day is the day you have all worked towards because it’s a fun and exciting day and if you keep that train of thought you will find it will be less stressful for you as well.

The big unpack

First things first, place your pet’s bowls in “their” spot so your pet knows this is where they belong. Try to select a quiet spot out of the way but close enough that they can see you. Just as you did while packing, involve your children in the process. It may take a little longer than if you just did it yourself, but children love to be included and it will help them understand this is now home as they see all the items that disappeared being placed in their new location. You may not have the time to include your child in the entire process but even if it is only for their bedroom, it will have a big impact on how positive your child feels about your new home.

Your new home

To keep the positivity flowing, involve your children and pets on exploratory walks around your new neighbourhood so they also can experience and discover all the new sights, smells, and sounds in the security of your presence. Familiarise your child with where their school is, the local shops, the bus station and any other places they will be interacting with surrounding your new home. A great way to help with this is to set up a treasure map of sorts that your child will need to follow from a certain point to the next with “home” being the location of the treasure. The whole family, including your pets, can participate as your child learns to navigate and importantly, learns how to find their way home from various locations in the area.

Ultimately patience, communication, routine and keeping a positive attitude are the key considerations for understanding how pets and children can be prepared for the moving process. Enlisting a professional company such as Adlam Transport will also go a long way to helping you have the time to help your children and pets adjust without any added stress about the safe handling of your belongings.