Moving is a big undertaking for anyone. Preparing for a move as a single parent has its own complex challenges. In this post, we share our five top moving tips for single parents to help make your next move a little bit easier.

Plan Ahead

It may seem like obvious advice, but many people don’t actually sit down to plan a move in advance. Instead, you end up rushing around and writing tasks and information down in multiple places. Taking an hour or two to plan ahead can help make your moving day and the advanced preparations go smoothly. Start by making a list of all the tasks that need to be done. This might include:

• Each room that needs to be packed up.
• Trips to the recycling centre, dropping off donations, etc.
• Rooms that need to be cleaned.
• Booking the moving truck.
• Arranging a babysitter.

Once you have made a list of all your tasks, you can give each of them a due date to help you reach your goal. You can start by working backward from your moving date.

For example:

1 Week before Moving Day: Get started on packing and thoroughly clean the house.

2 Weeks before Moving Day: Book the babysitter to watch the kids on moving day.

3 Weeks before Moving Day: Schedule your move, book the moving truck and buy packing supplies.

Plan your tasks out in an order and timeline that works for you. If your schedule is more hectic around the time of your move, you might want to start planning further in advance. If you have lots of time on your hands or need to move on short notice, you’ll want to condense your schedule. Find a timeline that will work for you and stick to it.

Ask for Help

Once you have your list of tasks and timeline set out, you can reach out to your friends, family, and colleagues for assistance. Having your list will help you keep track of where you need the most support and give your friends and family a clear idea of how they can help. For example, your neighbour might not have time to help you pack up boxes, but they’d be happy to take your donation items to charity. Or maybe you have a friend who doesn’t own a car, but they would love to help declutter your house and pack boxes. You never know until you ask!

If you have a lot to do and not enough help, hiring professional movers is the best way to stay on schedule and make sure that you can settle in quickly with the kids. You’ll want that first day to be smooth, so you can even have your movers help set up your furniture, such as beds, to ensure everyone feels comfortable in the first day of living in your new home.

A professional moving company can also help pack up your belongings, so you don’t have to! Experienced professional movers will carefully pack up your home, room by room, and deliver them to your destination on your moving day. This leaves you free to take care of the kids, handle last-minute paperwork, and plan everything else that goes along with a move.

Involve the Kids

If your kids are old enough, have them help throughout the process. Moving can be a great time to help kids understand the value of donating goods to charity and being organized. Have them help sort their toys, books, clothes, and other belongings. They can even help pack up their own boxes. Try to make it fun for them by singing songs, creating challenges, or offering a fun reward at the end.

Make it Fun

Mindset can go a long way. Moving day will be a lot more fun if you mentally prepare and commit to having a positive experience. If you know moving will be a challenge for you, surround yourself with positive people. Make each task more fun by playing music or an entertaining podcast while you work. When your helpers come over, make it a social event by incorporating food and drink during the process, both as motivation to finish the task and to keep everyone nourished and happy.

After the move is complete, give yourself a break. Take your time unpacking and enjoy the process! You’ve successfully moved, and that is something that should be celebrated. Take the kids out to explore the new neighbourhood or enjoy some down time in your new home.

Edmonton’s Professional Movers

If you want to hire professional movers to pack up your home and take care of the transportation and delivery of your goods, please reach out to us! We offer free estimates, packing services, storage options, furniture setup, as well as local and long-distance moves. Get in touch today to see how we can make your move easier!