Moving--It's A Family Affair

By Julie DeLong, A-1 Freeman Moving Group 

Preschoolers

Toddlers and also preschoolers aren't a lot of help, however they are so incredibly entertained through unfilled cartons, rolls of tape, and also bubble wrap that you just do not care. Offer a four-year-old free rein with packing supplies and you could push through their stuff before they get uninterested and begin consuming the packing peanuts. Seriously, provide your youngest kids a carton a bit of tape and get to work. Inquire which playthings they want to give away to friends or share with other youngsters they do not know--it can be a minor item that helps them feel like they may have a bit of say in the process.

Elementary Age

If you have kids in this age range, they may be in the ideal spot--old enough to be very helpful, however, not so old that they've got strong sentiments. These are a few chores a third grader can certainly accomplish.

· Go through their stuff and determine what to keep.

· Put cartons together, organize packing materials, place color-coded labels on cartons.

· Put giveaway items in bags or boxes.

· Help empty closets and also drawers to get ready for the professional movers.

This is an excellent age group to mention giving gently used toys and games to charitable groups, and also to talk about the reasons you pick the ones you do. If the non-profit you select posesses a thrift retail outlet, bring your kids in and allow them to see what it looks like.

Middle School

Pre-teens and teens are hypothetically able to really pitching in, however it might take some ingenuity to make that occur. These children are departing from friends, sports activities, and school, and may be more interested in small-time sabotage than actually getting in the groove and sorting through the basement. If you wish to use bribery to get them agreeable, it is sort of a modest expense to give.

· Offer to permit them to select the color and household furniture for their new bedrooms.

· Obtain their input on what they'd really like to acquire in a new house. Certainly, they need to be practical, but inform them their views matter. Inquire about back yards (trees, playhouses, space for a putting green), basements, recreation rooms, as well as other things that may be on their wish lists. Whenever you evaluate houses on the internet, show them which you prefer along with what you do not--and explain the reasons why.

· Sell unwanted stuff and divide the earnings. Consider different selling sites to figure out which companies are the best. Most sites require that sellers be 18 years old, therefore you will have to set the profile up and handle the sale listings, however your teenagers can take the pictures, upload them, and write the information.

· Go the garage sale direction and let them arrange the tables and put price tags on things.

High School and College

These are the tricky years--it's tough to move at any age, but it is particularly tough for high schoolers. The great thing is that while they are fairly disappointed, they're old enough to perform a little hard work while they sulk. Here are some items your teens can carry out to pitch in.

· Help with disassembling pieces of furniture.

· Smile and allow them to embellish their bedrooms precisely like they want. They are moving out soon enough, and you can always paint over their choice.

· Head up in the attic space and bring things down--teenagers are much more nimble when compared with their mother and father (and most professional movers will never enter the attic space).

· Drive loads of items to the thrift shops or perhaps the dump. Buy their gas and junk food on the way.

· Arrange trips returning to see good friends or go on and plan for friends to come visit.

· Let them to sell their own things via the internet if they're over 18 years old and keep the proceeds.

· If you hold a yard sale, permit them to manage the cash and the online sales.

Be honest--if you have children in college, it is entirely probable that you've already transformed that bedroom into an exercise room or even an office. If your university students are home on a break prior to when you move, be sure they go through all their old bins of stuff--you'll still need to move them, however possibly they'll clear away enough to minimize on the quantity.

As the saying goes, “Many hands make light work.” We feel this applies perfectly to moving. Get the whole family involved and before you know it, you’ll be on your way to your new home. If you need help for any step of the way, give A-1 Freeman Moving Group in Atlanta a call!!