Moving Is Not For Kids — Hire a Babysitter!
The act of moving has different stages, some easy and others not-so-easy. Packing and planning aren’t so bad, and you can even have the kids around while doing it. They can help! Give them a roll of tape, some light materials that need packing, a few boxes, and they will be occupied for hours. If you are lucky, they might even get a few items packed correctly.
But when it comes to the move itself, it’s a good idea to find someone to watch your children. Moving in and out with heavy boxes is not something to be done while little ones are running and moving about. Do yourself a favor and hire a babysitter during any big move.
It’s not only the kids who can trip you up while moving. If you have a dog or cat or rabbit, consider having someone watch them as well. There are simply too many horror stories of people moving with children and pets around. While it’s true most movers try to be gentle and careful about where they step while moving you out and in, it’s challenging to watch out for a running or playing child while you’re holding a 100-pound dresser.
“Rather than pay to have them babysat, I’ll just keep them in the car.”
No, please never do this. Even with a window cracked this is a dangerous situation. On top of the danger, realistically thinking, how long are your kids and pets going to sit in a vehicle before they start losing their minds? This is not a practical option.
Save Money by Moving the Right Way
Unless you have a loving family member or a charitable friend who will watch your loved ones for free, it will cost some money to house your children and pets. However, the cost of getting the little ones out of the way will likely be much less than if they’re running around the house while movers are coming in and out. Nothing slows workers down more than stopping to speak with children or moving a pet out of the way.
You can save money by thinking ahead a bit and planning for care. You can also save something worth more than money: your mental health. Imagine the stress involved with constantly keeping an eye out for kids and pets. Pay for care up front and save big in the end!
Reasons to Get Child and Pet Care
You still may be thinking, “My children are well-behaved, they can sit in the living room and watch television; we can keep the dog in the kennel, so we should be okay.”
It’s risky, but it could work out. It could also not work out — and is it really worth that chance? Also, it’s more than simply getting the kids and pets out of the way. What about their well-being?
Consider the following:
Regardless of how well-planned your move is, there’s always an element of stress involved, and there will always be those outlying events that can take place — an unforeseen power outage, the moving truck breaks down, a storm pops up…These can surely test anyone’s character and truly induce some major stress.
Involving kids and pets in any of these scenarios does two things:
- It further stresses the parents and movers.
- It exposes kids and pets to undo anxiety (when your pets and/or children witness you stressed, the same feeling comes over them — sometimes even heavier).
On the other side of this, if your children are taken care of by someone else, someone you and they trust, they can have some semblance of their normal schedule. They can eat, sleep, play, do all the things they usually do during the day.
Think about this way: The less your children’s schedules have to change, the safer and more confident they will feel. There are plenty of stressors in life, even for little kids, so why add to it? Beyond keeping your kids from a potentially stressful and physically dangerous environment, you can enjoy walking them through your new place once everything has been transferred over.
Preparing for the Big Move
All this isn’t to say moving has to be a high-stress, dangerous activity. It really doesn’t. If you can get your kids and pets out of the way, chances are — even in the event of an unforeseen storm or a monkeywrench thrown into your plans — your move will go smoothly.
Here are a few tips to help ensure a seamless move:
1. Find the Right People to Help You
No matter how small the move, it’s always worth asking for help — if for nothing else, some moral support. It’s best to begin feeling out your friends on helping you weeks prior to the move, and consider asking more people than you actually need. Chances are some will “have something come up.”
Be sure to provide snacks and drinks. Maybe throw a little pizza party once the move has been made. Anything to entice a few volunteers and provide something to look forward to.
2. Dress Appropriately
Look at your move like it’s a workout, and dress accordingly. Baggy, loose clothing is easy to snag and tear, which can lead to injury. Along these same lines, open-toed shoes are a big no-no, for obvious reasons.
If you’re prone to pulling muscles and/or if you have some tight spots (back, knees, etc.), stretch before you start moving boxes and furniture. You might want to wear a back brace as well. It doesn’t matter how you look, so feel free to overprepare rather than under-prepare.
3. Don’t Lift Heavy Objects Alone
Try and keep all your packed boxes as light as possible, and when it comes to lifting heavy objects, get help! It might be faster to lift it yourself, and even if you’re capable, it’s not worth the risk of injury.
If you can weigh your boxes, don’t go over 40 pounds per box, and remember to take short breaks between each trip. Not only will these breaks give you a chance to catch your breath, but they’ll also allow your muscles to relax for a minute before they’re tasked again. Always keep in mind that you’re going for the long haul, so don’t wear yourself out too quickly.
When it comes to moving big pieces, such as beds, couches, and dressers, break them down as much as possible first. Take the legs off the couch, and remove all the hoses from the washing machine. These won’t reduce much weight, but they will make the transfer from the house to the truck much easier. There’s nothing worse than working your way down the stairs with a big couch and the leg getting caught on something, causing you to hold the heavy object longer than necessary while someone tries to locate the issue and dislodge the snag.
If you truly want to make things easy on yourself and experience a seamless move, hire us! T-N-T Moving Systems can do all the heavy (and light) lifting for you while you relax with the kids and pets. This isn’t always a possibility for everyone, but it is one way to ensure your move goes off without a hitch.
