A week or so ago, I received an email from a moving company, TSI, asking if a couple of articles they wrote would be appealing as guest posts.  In the past, my guest posts have only been from people I know (either IRL, or through the J-blogosphere), but I was intrigued by one of the titles they sent (this one, in fact!).  So, I did my due diligence (I checked out their site, and it seemed nice), and also they’ve been very pleasant via email.  I haven’t used their services, but they seem like a company that I would consider using.  I’m not getting any money for this or anything, I just thought that this post could be useful and/or interesting.  That’s my disclaimer. 

This guest post comes from Bhavna of TSI, a nationwide provider of moving and shipping services of all kinds.

Everything takes longer with kids- – especially moving. As a leader in moving and shipping for over 20 years, we’ve heard many horror stories, including kids packing away car keys, taking things out of boxes, or, in other words, giving you more work than you already have! Instead of trying to juggle your kids and your move, why not reduce some of your stress by following these tips:

1) Get Organized

You don’t realize how much stuff you have until you start packing.  Packing itself might not seem that stressful, but the thought of unpacking the millions of boxes scattered in your home is.

Here’s our tip: rather than throwing everything in boxes aimlessly, eliminate the stress of unpacking on the other side.  How?  Develop a category system for your boxes. You can label by room, item, or person, but label every box specifically (i.e. Living Room: candles, candle holders, and photo frames). This will ensure that if something is misplaced, if one of your kids is being naughty and moves things around, you will be able to spot it and get it back in the right box in no time!

2) Busy Busy is the Key!

When you’re moving with kids, not only do you have to worry about packing their things in addition to yours, but you have to worry about keeping them occupied during the move so that they don’t end up giving you more to do than you already have!

Keeping your kids busy on the day of your move is essential to ensuring it runs smoothly with minimal chaos. Have a baby-sitter, friend, or relative take your kids to the park, museum, or pool for the day. If you can’t find anybody, then leave them to their toys. Boxing up their favorite toys will leave them idle and in search of trouble.  Instead, pack a book bag full of toys and games to help keep them occupied while you do the grown up things.

If they want to participate in the move, you can assign important moving tasks, such as taping boxes, organizing boxes, bubble-wrapping furniture, cleaning, or anything else you can turn into a creative assignment. If none of these works, you can always tell them to pop the extra bubble wrap by jumping on it as hard as they can. That ought to keep them busy.

3) Pace Yourself

Your already busy schedule keeps you on your feet at all times, and moving adds a whole new list of things to do.  Plan ahead.  Give yourself several weeks to pack for your move, that way you are only packing a few boxes a day. This will decrease the amount of time you need away from your everyday responsibilities, including your kids. In other words, it’s not only about keeping your kids busy, but it’s about making yourself more available during your move.

About the Author: Bhavna works at Transit Systems, Inc. (TSI), a professional moving company offering moving and shipping services across the country. TSI specializes in small move assistance such as shipping furniture and other household items.

Related articles

• Guest Post: Moving Tips (lifeinthemarriedlane.com)
• The Art of the Move (eliainsider.com)