Moving can be a hectic time for the entire family, particularly parents who are responsible for not only the logistics and financial responsibility of the move, but also purging and packing. If you’re looking for ways to minimize your stress during a move, why not get your kids involved in the nitty-gritty of moving and let them help pack and purge? These strategies will help to encourage your little ones to be involved, and maybe even take a little stress off of you in the process!
1. Make Packing Fun
Make moving into activities that kids will love? For packing, let the little ones color and decorate moving boxes with markers, crayons, colored pencils, stickers, and other crafting supplies that you need to use anyway before the move! Have your children decorate boxes for each type of item, such as “dolls,” “clothes,” “shoes,” “stuffed animals,” etc. Another idea is to line up boxes and set a timer — whoever fills the boxes as neatly as possible first wins the game!
2. Give Incentives
Give your children incentives for letting some of their items go. Respect your kid’s desires to keep items that are important to them, but encourage them to donate or get rid of things that they no longer need, use, or like by offering replacements or promises for a more organized room. For example, if your daughter is struggling to part with 5 of her 30 stuffed animals, remind her that the less cluttered her new room is, the better she will feel, and she’ll be able to enjoy the toys she has more effectively. If you son is having a hard time parting with an old, worn out comforter, incentivize his decision to purge it by offering to let him pick out a new, cool comforter for his room that will be even better than the old one! If your children are working particularly hard to help move and purge, surprise them with a special treat such as a trip to the park or to get ice cream. This helps to encourage positive behavior.
3. Talk About Feelings
Moving can be an emotional time for everyone in the family, particularly children who are vulnerable to all of the changes going on around them. Be there as a listening ear, and inquire throughout the process about the kid’s feelings. Be sure to offer comfort and support when they’re in the process of packing and purging. It can be hard to let things go, including personal possessions. Kids will show more of an effort to help get things done if they know that their parents understand their feelings and have their backs.
4. Teach Your Children About Giving
Kids can seem very self-centered, but the truth is, most kids are very caring, and when shown how good it feels to give, they become invested in giving and helping. Talk to your kids about children who may be less fortunate than they are, and how they can help other kids by donating things they no longer use. Have your children make care boxes with their old toys, clothing, shoes, and games for children in need. Connect with local charity organizations or churches to donate their items. Your kids will soon realize that purging items never felt so good!