Checklist for Moving Out of State with Kids

Checklist for Moving Out of State with Kids

Moving can be an exciting endeavor, but it’s not without its challenges – especially when kids are involved. When it comes to moving out of state with kids, there are special considerations that must be taken into account. From dealing with the move itself and keeping the kids occupied to adjusting at a new school and making new friends, moving is hard on children. However, with careful planning you can make the moving experience a seamless transition for you kids and ultimately bring the entire family closer.

Our checklist for moving out of state with kids will help you research schools, arrange child care for moving day, plan for settling down in your new home, and more! Keep reading for everything you should do leading up to your big move and beyond.

2 Months Before the Move

• Research new schools. If you have school-age children, now is a great time to start researching the schools in your new community. From public schools to private schools, you have many options to choose from when moving to a new place. Research will help you obtain a greater understanding of your options and whether or not the local schools is suitable for your child.
• Talk to your kids. Discussing the move early with your kids will help put them at ease during the transition and ensure that everyone is on the same page. Give them an estimated time frame, listen, and answer any questions that come up. This also gives them plenty of time to tell their friends and try to keep in touch. For very young kids, consider reading them children’s book that talk about the moving process.
• Show your kids their new home. Hop on the computer, use a tablet, or jump in the car and go explore your new neighborhood with your kids. Try to find a new park, activity, or even a museum in the community that can help increase their excitement about the move.
• Draft up a family bucket list. Before you find yourself knee deep in moving chaos, draft up a family bucket list for everything you’d like to complete before moving. Not only can this be an exciting venture for the whole family, it can also help give your kids a sense of closure.
• Begin the school transfer process. Roughly two months out from your moving day, notify your child’s school about the move. That way, you and the school officials have plenty of time to get all of paperwork and records in order for transferring your child to their new school. During this time, make sure that you also let the new school know about any special needs or issues that they should be aware of.

1 Month Before the Move

• Find family-friendly activities. Before moving day, do some research and family-friendly activities in your new community such as social clubs, sports teams, summer camps, and outdoor attractions. There are a wide range of ways that your kids can get involved in their new community.
• Confirm that all paperwork has been received. Check with your child’s new school to verify that they received all the required paperwork from the previous school. If not, follow up with the old school and make sure that the documents get sent over.
• Pack the essentials. At this time, you can start gathering all of the essential items so that you don’t forget them. This includes medical records, birth certificates, identification, etc. Also, be sure to make copies of everything and store them in a safe place that will be easily accessible when moving day rolls around.

2 Weeks Before the Move

• Host a goodbye party. Saying goodbye to a community that your young kids have spent a large portion of their life in is never easy. To help ease the process, think about hosting a going away party for your children. This will give them a proper way to say goodbye to their friends, family members, and neighbors.
• Arrange for child care on moving day. If you’re moving with small children or babies, you’ll want to have your hands free on moving day. Give yourself a break by arranging for a babysitter. You’ll be glad that you did this in advance, instead of scrambling to find someone to watch your kids the day before you move.
• Forward medical records. Inform your child’s current health care providers of your upcoming move. If you haven’t already found a new doctor, ask for referrals from your current doctor. Once you decide, coordinate to have all the records sent over and schedule appointments.

1 Day Before the Move

• Pack a “first night” bag for the kids. The day before the big move, make sure that you prepare a “first night” bag for your children full of all the essentials. Some items to include in this bag include wipes and diapers, a first-aid kit, medications, pajamas, clothing, high chairs, bouncy seats, pack ‘n play, stuffed animals, favorite toys, bags for dirty diapers, formula, snacks, juice, bottles, sippy cups, extra pacifiers, blankets, bath items, strollers, car seats, and anything else they may need on moving day and the day after. Make sure that you also include any important documents you set aside a month before, along with cleaning supplies and extra trash bags. Finally, don’t forget to pack up all of your own necessities.

Moving Day

• Keep the kids in one part of the house. If you couldn’t secure child care for moving day, you’ll want to keep your kids in one contained area. For toddlers, consider placing them in a pack ‘n play during the move or partitioning off a child-proof area of the house is another option.
• Come up with fun moving day activities. To help keep your kids occupied and distracted during the move, come up with a few moving day activities. These could be anything from coloring books, to card games, to new books, or even iPad games.

After the Move

• Unpack their room first. When the time comes to unpack, make sure that you tackle your child’s room first. Having all of their familiar items set up will help make them feel more comfortable, safe, and at home in the new space.
• Show the kids around the new house. Make sure that you give your kids a full tour of the new house to help them become familiar. This will also make them feel much more comfortable and ease the transition.
• Establish ground rules. If you’re moving with school-age children, it’s crucial that you establish ground rules once you’re moved in. These could include curfews, bike safety, rules about using the pool, or areas of the home or neighborhood that they’re not allowed to go.
• Meet the new neighbors. This is especially important if you’ve moved into a family-friendly neighborhood. Odds are that some of your neighbors have kids that around the same age as yours. Make a point to introduce yourself and your children, as having friends and playmates nearby with help ease the loneliness and unfamiliarity in the first weeks in a new community.

Final Thoughts

When it comes to moving out of state with kids, it is absolutely crucial that you do everything in your power to ease the transition. Big change like this are often especially hard on children and following a moving checklist can help to simplify the process for both you and your kids.

Three Movers is a full service moving company with over 20 years of experience in providing quality moving services near you at affordable prices. Contact us today to learn more about our wide range of moving services and helpful resources, as well as receive a free, no-obligation moving quote!

moving out of state with child checklist