We all know moving isn’t exactly a walk in the park, especially when you’re a single parent who has to watch over your kids while making sure packing gets done. That is why most single mommies or daddies prefer to hire moving companies to do the job.
Interstate moving can be scary, even for those who don’t have kids. Raising these tiny beautiful creatures can be both challenging and rewarding, but definitely not for the faint-hearted. Nonetheless, a lot of single moms and dads have moved to a new address and lived to tell the tale (together with some tips and tricks). Below are seven helpful tips to make local or interstate moving easier and smoother for you as a single parent:
7 Easy Tips For Single Parents Relocate With Moving Companies
1. Do advance planning.
The secret to a successful move, especially when you raise your kids alone, is to do advance planning. Most of the time, house owners take around three months or more to search for a reliable moving company in the area, pack their things, and prepare their new home. Since moving can bring about unexpected happenings, it isn’t a bad idea to allocate an ample amount of time to sort things out before the actual moving date. (not to mention that the paperwork you need to take care of when transferring to a new school district is no joke).
2. Don’t bring all your things to the new address.
Although most interstate moving companies cater to moves of different sizes, it is still advisable to start decluttering your former house to lessen the stuff that you need to move to the new one. Take note that there are things that cost more when transported than bought.
On top of that, the moving house quote you’re given will be more affordable if you have fewer items to bring on your move. If you think you need all of them, you need to give the furniture moving company a heads up so they can prepare more than one truck for all the items. However, if you have some that you can leave, you can set up a yard sale to make extra bucks out of your discarded items or contact your local charity organization to donate them.
3. Have open communication.
Your kids are more aware and sensitive than you imagine. You need to let them know that you’re moving as soon as you decide to reside in a new town or city. This will avoid the possibility of them knowing about it before you get the chance to fill them in. Discuss the matter openly with your children and give them a chance to share what they think or feel about it.
At first, they can be fearful, resistant, or apprehensive about your decision to move but the choice to frame the situation in an optimistic and beneficial way is in your hands. Being open, positive, and honest at this point will help your kids accept it and even be elated about the pending move.
4. Involve your kids.
In times when major things happen, it is important for your kids to feel like they are somehow in control of the changes that are happening. You can give this to them by involving them in the entire moving process. How can you effectively do this? The best way is to ask for their opinion or suggestions on some things and give them tasks (appropriate for their age) that is connected to the move.
5. Save enough amount of money.
Moving local or interstate is a huge cause of financial worry for everyone — whether you’re a single parent or not. Since you will be given a quote for moving your furniture and other household items (which isn’t going to be pretty cheap), we highly suggest sticking to your budget and cut back on some unnecessary shopping and ordering online. You need to do this even if you’re not solely relying on a single-source income. You will need the extra bucks when you hire a man with a van or even professional removalists to help you move.
6. Get help from professional moving companies.
The list of things to do and responsibilities never end when you’re an adult, much more if you’re a single parent. DIY moving can be hard to fit in your schedule when you’re juggling work, house tasks, and 24/7 parenting altogether. But why do you even have to do that when you can hire furniture removalists or a man with a van instead (although, it’s safer if you choose the former)?
If you don’t know where to find one, the best way to find someone is to Google “movers near me” to get geo-targeted results. Prioritize finding a company that owns a huge truck to fit all your belongings in one ride.
7. Contact your support system to help you before the moving date.
Hiring professional packers on top of the moving truck cost can be out of budget for you. We get it. Hired help is not so cheap so you might want to save it for tasks that you really can’t do on your own. Before the moving date, it is important to reach out to your circle of support and ask anyone who is free and willing for help.
They can be your mom, dad, friends, close neighbor, literally anyone who can be of help. While they may not pack the entire house for you, they can still offer aid by watching out for your kids when you run your errands, make dinner when you’re too tired to do it for them, and simply offer a hug when you need it
Conclusion
Moving, in general, is a huge task. The stress and hardship it brings doubles when you are a single parent raising kids alone. That is why most single moms and dads don’t move around much as this task requires a lot of time, money, effort, and patience. Good thing movers are a thing right now. Find reliable ones by Googling “furniture removalists near me” for local ones or ‘movers in Dubai’ for international ones, for example. It works like a charm all the time.
