Straight From the Bottle

We're moving right now with a 17 month old.

1 parent entertains, the other packs. A few child-free days are a must.

You CAN pay people to pack your shit. We got a quote and it wasn't as bad as you'd think.

Packing: Let them help and see if that works. If not, get a babysitter to entertain them for a couple hours while you and Hal pack like maniacs!

Moving: Definitely bring in a babysitter. It'd be so much easier if you were both there to help the movers know where to put things and to just help manage the moving. The kids will be bored and distracted. Ideally you could send them to a friends or your mom's for the duration of the move? Just make sure they know what's going on first so they don't freak out when you are in a new house!

It won't be so bad. Just start early because stress ramps up as you get closer to a move. At least you are movin' on up! Congrats!

My vote is for involving them in the process. Archer is certainly old enough to pack some of his toys. You could also print up labels for them to stick on the boxes, like 'living room' and let them stick those on boxes for the living room. Or just get some cheap colored stickers and let them stick yellow on kitchen boxes, red on bathroom boxes, etc.

As for unpacking? Do the kids' rooms first. They need to see their stuff, adjust to new rooms, so on.

And call in the troops. Family. Friends. Hire a babysitter so that the kids can go to the park while you tackle setting up the kitchen cupboards. As you unpack the boxes, throw them into the backyard for the kids to play with. Look for your support system people and ask for help, even if it's just coming over with their own kid and entertaining everyone in the yard.  

I moved with my daughter was she was 2 weeks old, 21 months, and 2 yrs. Those last two moves I did as a single parent. And the move in the middle? That was her and I crashing with my brother for 3 months, sleeping in one bedroom while all our 'stuff' was in storage in another bedroom. I've been in one spot now for 2 1/2 yrs and everytime I think about moving, I smack myself up my own head. The next move we make would be into a camping trailer because we've sold everything and are going to drive across the country.

We just moved March 13th with a 6yo and 8yo. We started packing 2 months in advance so we wern't doing it last minute. Both kids were involved in packing. They got boxes and packed up all their stuff. They had tons of fun going through everything and getting rid of things they longer used or needed and were excited to donate them. I had them go through all toys, books and clothes before any went into boxes. Maybe Archer would enjoy doing that? Include him as much as you can. Sometimes kids feel 'forgotten' in the chaos of moving.

For Fable..it's going to be hard. She's probably going to be into everything, which will more then likely stress you out. Hire a sitter for her. Maybe you can exchange childcare with another Mom, so it's free. If you can't or don't want to hire a sitter, then it might be best to pack at nap time and bed time. Will she sit for a movie? Maybe pack while she watches her fav show. You would be surprised how much you can pack in 20 minutes.

Hope I helped! Good luck and CONGRATS!! :D

My suggestion is to pack their room last and unpack it first.  It's going to be a weird few days and if they have their little home base set up it helps.  

Also my normally calm as you please 2 year old was super clingy and anxious.  So I switched up the plan mid moving day and left my husband to deal with the stuff/movers and I took our son to the beach. unpacking/organizing was my job. I tried to make it as festive as I could to make sleeping in a new place less intimidating.  Played the kiddos favorite songs, had a favorite meal basically just loved him in every way I could think of. It was pretty manic but also ended up being a little bit fun having a good ole hard work adventure together.  

Just moved back in December with a 2 1/2 year old. I made sure to pack everything in the most organized and efficient way that I possibly could, so that I could get everything unpacked and put away quickly. This required a herculean effort on my part, as my natural inclination is just to chuck everything into a trash bag and call it a day.  

My husband and his friends moved everything, while I spent the day at the zoo/museum/mall with the babe. By the end of the day he was so exhausted that he crashed hard as soon as we got back to the new place. Then I got to unpack all night.

We've moved three times in 18 months- overseas and back with our son (now 4). The last time was an in town move this past January. Our second child was 5 months old. I had a month notice or less for all three moves. So yes, I have ADVICE and it really didn't suck as bad as other people made it out to be.

We did all of our own packing and unpacking all three times, but hired movers. This last time, I hired movers on an hourly basis, but limited it to up to 8 or 9 hours to keep the price within reason. I planned to only have them move the furniture and other heavy stuff. (The idea being that we would be able to move the small boxes, lamps, toys, etc. ourselves.) They ended up having time to spare after moving the furniture, so I sent them back to the old house to pack my kitchen. They did the whole room, no lie, in twenty minutes. It would have taken me 20 years. Then then helped unpack as much as they could.

Before the movers came, we took measurements of the new house and of our furniture. We sketched a little floor plan in Photoshop and I plotted out where all of the furniture would go in our new place. Such a time-saver, so I'm specially-challenged. It was awesome to discover ahead of time that certain sofas and tables that I thought would fit in a room definitely would not. Also equaled less time that the movers spent rearranging furniture at my bidding.

Also, YES, get help for the day. For the week, even. My dad flew in from out of state the week of our last move. It was great to have him watch the kids while my husband and I did our thing. We were able to knock out most of the unpacking before he had to go back home.

As for days leading up to the move, involve the kids as much as you can stand. Let them pack their own stuff. (Or for Fable, pretend to pack) When we were busy moving back to States from London, my son, then 2, found some markers and drew pictures all over the boxes. Not ideal since everything had to be pristine for shipping overseas, but he had fun and it kept him occupied for hours.

I could go on and on... but the last thing I want to say is best of luck! Just remember that no matter what, one way or another, it's all going to get there. It's a hassle and annoying, but do try to have fun and enjoy it.

We moved with a 3 yo and an 18mo, and I was 8 months pregnant.     Have the kids pack a couple boxes. Of toys, then send them off to play for a while w a babysitter.  Unless you can stand the movers not putting things where you really want them. ;-)  it seems daunting, but you will survive and the kids aren't as bad as the packing and unpacking of all the crap!

I've moved twice in two years with a 1 year old and then a 2 year old. The first move we paid guys to pack and move. I took our daughter away for the day while my husband stayed to supervise the movers.

The second time, we packed ourselves over a few weeks, leaving the kid-stuff til last. Then on the day of the move we hired a truck and asked three friends to come over and help. Of the five of us, one was always on kid duty at the park with my daughter, so she was never in the house. That worked out fine.

I am going to go out on a limb and say you are crazy if you think you can have them in the house at the same time as the move. Ask a friend to babysit for the day, or a few friends and trade off, or pay someone, or even send them to grandma's for the weekend. Kids + moving heavy, unbalanced furniture = disaster.

I would say send them to your parents' house for the day/weekend, if it's possible.  Things would probably be more efficient that way.

Might one set of grandparents want to take the kids for an overnight or weekend when you actually move? The logistics of moving (even with movers) will be much easier with the kids in loving hands off the scene. Otherwise, having the kids help pack their stuff a bit and unpacking their room first are good ideas.

(Love the picture of Archer at Kidspace!  I miss that place!)

When we moved across the country (OMFG, MY ADVICE: DON'T DO THAT), Ellie was 3 months and slept most of the time and Zoe was 3 and ... into everything, with a super short attention span.  So.  We put on really good music.  We gave her jobs to do, some real and some not:  pack every pillow she could find (in a box marked PILLOWS ZOE PACKED so that we knew there could be all kinds of things in there), pack all her stuffed animals, decorate the moving boxes with stickers and crayons, put all the bubble wrap into shopping bags,  lay out all the bubble wrap in a pile, pop every single bubble on one sheet of bubble wrap, etc.

Then, when things got down to the wire, we got a sitter.  And we packed A LOT at night.  And then we hired packers for a few hours to do the rest (we have A LOT of crap).

Oh and I second (third?) the idea of packing their stuff last and unpacking it first.  Having Zoe's room set up for her, mostly, on her first night in the house made everything so much easier.  Even if we slept on the floor!

I agree with a lot above. One of those people that said, "Moving with kids sucks"? Ask them to take the kids for a weekend and bust a move.

Mark boxes with "bedroom 1" "bedroom 2" "living room", etc. and make a map that you post on the door for the movers. We moved a lot--this helps.

Throw crap out. NOW. We've moved overseas and back--it opens your eyes. Give it to Goodwill or something and ask for receipts. Some places even pick up. I'm going through our dishes today because we finally got new. Can't wait to get rid of some of the crap we've accumulated over 14 years.

Buy beer and soda (hired movers may not be able to accept booze) and load the cooler. Lots of it. Make sure it's last on the truck and first off. I also made friends with our movers by pulling out popsicles--you'd be surprised how thrilled they were by a popsicle on a hot day. Sounds lame, but they loved me after that.

We moved in November to a rental house and then in the middle of February to a purchased house (in New England) with a 1 year old and a 3 year old.  And boy did it suck.  I spent several vacation days trying to pack everything - it's amazing how much shit you acquire, isn't it?  We wondered how the heck we'd managed to pack so much crap into our tiny house.  Luckily for us, both sets of grandparents live about an hour away, so for each move the boys spent the night with family which freed us up to do the heavy lifting - we didn't hire movers, so it was all us each time.  I don't have many good suggestions other than get someone else to watch the kids as much as possible, and to unpack and set up some of their space first - rotating some of those long-forgotten toys back to the front is a nice distraction for emptying a few boxes.  Good luck!

On moving day, I highly recommend getting the kids out of the house completely, preferably with a babysitter or a grandparent.  It's best to have both of you available to supervise and work with the movers.  I made it a priority to set up my daughter's room first, so that when she got home from day care that day, all of her stuff was there and familiar and we went through our usual bedtime routine.  

Good luck!  Moving does suck but having a great new place to live definitely unsucks.

I have never moved with a child, but if I was I would be getting a babysitter for moving day.  Even if the babysitter was just around to wrangle the kids in the house while you moved boxes, it would help so you didn't have to worry that they are safe.  Best of luck, and I would help if I wasn't on the other side of the country.

The last time we moved, I had a 14 month old and it was 5 days before my due date.  My mom was around supposedly to help with the 14 month old after I gave birth, but she was more of a pain than help.  I started packing months before as I knew I wasn't going to be mobile much longer.  The key was to be organized.  The screws/bolts to the crib were in a baggie in my purse so as soon as the crib was off the truck, hubby assembled it and baby had a spot to go.

We're moving again soon and I think I will be dropping them off at the babysitter just so I don't have to chase them around (They will be 3 and 2 when we move next).  The younger one is constantly looking for death and I need to be focused on moving on moving day.

There is no such thing as over-labeling.  I have a friend who not only labels the boxes BR1, BR2 or "kids things", but actually lists what's in the box on the label, and she has a "master sheet" to go by.  Very OCD, but comes in very handy.  Also label the doors on the new place so the movers know which one is BR1 and BR2.

Make sure you have drinks and snacks handy.  We had ice cold water and soda ready for the movers last time and they really appreciated that.

Aren't your parents in Socal?  Can you leave them with the 'rents for a day or two?

I've heard that it's good to set up the kids' rooms first so they feel settled.

"Because I don't like when things suck."

Man. You are just the best, you know that??

(I don't have kids yet. I'm sorry, I have no advice about how to move with kiddos. But I am looking very forward about how you will inevitably undertake this seemingly impossible task with finesse and style, so I can take notes!)

we paid $800 to have people pack up our stuff in NYC and move it upstate for us. it was heavenly, best money I have ever spent.  they move the boxes into the right rooms and then you unpack as your leisure.  

i recommend that, or packing up slowly over the course of a week or so and then sending your kids to a friend's or family members on the day of the move.

definitely have all the kids stuff ready to go and moved in first. that way you can set up their room, playroom, etc first and you wont have to dig in boxes to find toys, clothes and the like.

also, have a bag of essentials. toilet paper, snacks, disinfecting wipes, blankets, diapers, whatever it is you need on a day to day basis. the worst is not having what you need at that moment and trying to remember amidst the chaos where it would be packed in.

if you can, arrange for a friend to watch the kids too. i had my sister keep an eye on mine when we moved and it was a major sanity saver.

good luck!

Ah, thank you. The packing kids room last is a good call. My parents unfortunately will be OUT OF TOWN the weekend we move. Of course. It was a total timing fail as far as that's concerned. They come back Monday so will come up for a few days and help us settle but on moving day we're kind of on our own. I may have to draft some friends, sounds like. Ay yay yay.

And SO right about it being worth it. It's always a rough few days and then? It's like labor - you kind of forget the painful parts. :)

<i> It's always a rough few days and then? It's like labor - you kind of forget the painful parts. :) </i>

Yes! We moved from a house that I hated living in and that made me cry regularly for a year, to one that I love and adore. We were very torn about making the second move within 12 months because my husband's company had paid for our first move (a work relocation) but after that we were on our own. IT. WAS. WORTH. EVERY. PENNY.

Moving house is one of my least favourite things to do in the universe, but much, much worse than is being stuck in a space that makes you unhappy. No matter what you end up doing, I'm confident the move will be a positive.

We just recently moved and I have a 3 year old and an 11 month old.  The way we survived is I kept the boys busy.  I took them out to the park, then for dinner and ice cream, while my husband and the movers moved everything into our new home!  It was a great plan!  

Another thing you could do is get a babysitter or ask a family member to watch them for two days!  That would give you enough time to move and to set-up the house or at least their rooms.  Good luck!

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You have received some lengthy, but good advice. I'll just say, a box tunnel, it sure made them laugh!

we moved in august and my very wonderful friend hung out with gus while i packed and moved the world, it seemed. my biggest flaw was not preparing gus enough. the place he had lived and loved in for 5 yrs was magically gone. we dropped the ball and poor little guy had some wicked adjustment issues and panic attacks. transition- for some kids- is very difficult so while the packing and unpacking sucked with a kid (and the last time we moved gus was 5 months old as well- mucho easier) it was far more painful watching my kid cry every night for the home he came to love so much. it only lasted a few weeks but i just let the house settle with unopen boxes until i new his heart had relaxed. now he is happy as a clam! good luck to you guys!!!!!!

duct tape?

no? hmmm. ha. see if your parents will keep them the day of and the day after. truly. trust me on this.

kids will only be in everyone's way. and bec? movers charge by the hour. :)

also, because worse than moving with two small kids, is the following day when you still haven't found a darn thing and they want that exact darn thing in that exact moment and you have 999 boxes to choose from. and they all have really helpful labels on them like shoes. and you open the box labeled shoes, because you think, i'll throw all of this on the closet floor and get rid of a box. but instead of shoes it has kitchen spoons. and you can't yet find or get into your kitchen. ahem.

Definitely a babysitter on moving day, and I would recommend having their rooms completely ready to go when they get home. Beds in place, sheets on, night light in, clothes put away.  I think it makes bedtime go a lot easier that first night.  It also helps if it is in a similar layout as before, so it isn't so foreign.

I also wrote on every single box every specific thing in it, and which room it should go in, so the people helping us knew exactly what to do, and I knew exactly where the tv cables were at (very important!)

last summer I moved 700 miles away with three kids under 4.  My method was to A) pack a few boxes during nap times/after bedtimes when the kids weren't around, B) have my mom do all the rest of the packing while I watched the kids, C) have my husband and his friends load/unload the truck, D)have my mom unpack and  put everything away while I watch the kids.

basically, I recommend finding someone to either watch your kids while you do the work of packing/moving/unpacking, or find someone to do that work for you while you watch the kids.  And yes, doing their rooms last/first does make the transition easier for them.  Keeping them out of the way during the brunt of the work is good and all, but making sure they have a familiar, safe, fully settled place to call their own as soon as possible will go miles towards easing them into their new home.

Good luck - you'll do great!!

Growing up we moved, a LOT, like 11 schools from K-12, and since being married we have lived in 9 places. Our kids have moved, and moved (the life of students I suppose), but here are some tips from me, an expert on moving.

1. Definitely let the kids help pack, a bit, and for the hard stuff, don't be afraid to let them watch a movie while you are doing something breakable. Oh, and make sure you tell them YES, all of their stuff is coming with! Nothing to be left behind!

2. Moving day? let them see the new place, and be reassure that all of their things are coming with (my son was so afraid we weren't bringing his pillow to our new place, that we had to tell him multiple times, we get to keep ALL of our things...), and then see if there is a friend that can keep them occupied while the large furniture is packed and unloaded. It's far too dangerous and exciting, that they will surely be in the way, and the less stress for Mama and Dad the better.

3. Unpacking? Def do their rooms first, so they have a place of refuge amongst what will surely be chaos throughout the rest of the house. Then they can play while you unpack, and it will feel good to have at least a few rooms done!

4. Take your time, breathe, get your favorite fast food for dinner (and lunch and breakfast), and enjoy this transitory period to a bigger and better place!

Good luck!

Oh, and you are awesome. :)

Something that kept my then two year old busy during one of our moves was to give her crayons and let her "decorate" the boxes after I packed them.  She loved it. And all of our boxes looks so pretty with her colorful scribbles on them.  You just have to keep an eye on them to make sure they don't decide to "decorate" the walls too.  

When I was a kid we moved a lot, and I don't think my brother & I were holy terror's. What my parents did, that I remember, that seemed to work:

We each had one special box to pack, that we could fill up with things we wanted (that were ours) and once we found the box at the new place we got to unpack it and play with what was in it. It kept us from digging into the other boxes & gave us something to look forward to. Magically, there were always some (quiet) extras in the box, like coloring books & what have you.

We always took a break for "special" dinner (which typically was pizza on the living room floor, adventure style) but it gave us something to look forward to.

I think we went off w/ friends and family on the big days i.e. the actual move day, when we were younger. It kept my parents sane.

we moved when our twins were 2.5. i thought it would be a disaster but it was really no biggie. and we had 3 bedrooms, a garage and an attic full of crap and big furniture and you name it. the key for us was 1) purging prior to moving (which consisted of me freecycling and craigslisting as much as possible; 2) boxing everything into the wee hours starting about 5 days before the move; and 3) not doing anything with the boys room until the morning of the move; and last but most important, 4) setting up their room in the new house immediately so when they came home from preschool that afternoon, they were good to go. this kept their world pretty constant and unchaotic and they transitioned as if nothing were happening. maybe i just got lucky, but it worked like a charm!

Hire a sitter and do it all in one day.  We moved over two weeks and it was horrible.  Also I was still breastfeeding, so I had to stop every three hours.  I agree with pack them last set them up first.  

Super good luck!

My husband and I just moved in early March with our daughters, nearly 1 and nearly 3. On top of the craziness of moving both girls were sick and our youngest came down with croup the night before we moved. Sad truth is, moving with kids is stressful for everyone no matter what.

We just sucked it up, packed the U-Haul on our own, moved all in one day, asked some family to help lug boxes up the stairs to our new place and then spent the next few days of just me (my husband works odd full-time hours) unpacking everything. You'd be surprised how motivating kids are when it comes to packing though...you get that stuff out of the box and you put it where you want it to go, real quick or else it has become the next best play thing. =)

Pack as much of the kids' stuff as possible last and get them unpacked and settled as much as possible first. Otherwise just be prepared for a little "help" from them here and there and then just wait until after bed to do the stuff that you really, really don't want them in.

Good luck!

Packing:  it sucks but if you give them their own box and let them have free reign it seems to be ok.  

Moving:  definitely the babysitter, or grandparents take the kids to do something fun and come back later.  Even if it is just for 3 hours or so you will get so much done and won't be stressed about what Hal is screwing up in your absence.  Also when you finally get moving un pack the kids room and set that up as much as possible.  By some plastic cups and plates and the rest will all fall into place.  My Aunt watched my son for 4 hours and by the time he got back I wasn't nearly so stressed out cause I had all the cleaning done I wanted to do before he got home, so I wasn't all "don't touch the toilet I haven't cleaned the other peoples butts off of them yet", or something.

When I moved last year my son was 3, he is a worrier and was stressed about the move so I found the faster I could get his stuff unpacked the better.  I also went to the local dollar store and bought some fun activity stuff that was "new" and he just played all on his own.  Why is it that kids love those $1 toys?

Have fun.

well, it seems the best advices are said already...

I moved with two 3 year olds. I mostly kept them occupied at our friends house, but they helped packing and unpacking some of their own stuff...

I packed some boxes with the things we would be needing, like towels, some plates and some cups, coffe, soap, toiletpaper, coffee etc... and this box i took in my car, and carried into the house, and put in place at once... then I knew that the rest would come in place in time, but had no rush.

A month after I turned five my family moved across town and I had a blast helping to pack the boxes. It made me feel really special. That being said, if I were moving with kids, I'd hire a sitter. I'm not nearly as patient as my mother was.

xo and best of luck.

This is my forte.  I am an expert at nothing, but moving?  Nine times in ten years I've been married.  Eight of those moves with two small children.  

And next month we're doing it again, with three kiddos, one who was born 7 weeks ago.  

The best thing I do for my kids is set them up with a way fun weekend at grandma's (or a relative).  All kinds of cool stuff planned.  I have the men load and unload the truck, then my husband and I spend the following 24 hours unpacking like crazy.  

First thing I ALWAYS do is set up the kids' stuff.  Their rooms are unpacked and decorated before they ever get home, as well as their toys.  I cannot tell you what a difference this makes.  Because their personal space is just like it should be, just in a different house.  

Good luck.  I'll be commiserating with you in a few weeks.

We moved with a 1 year old and a 3 year old, what I did was involve my 3 year old with packing her stuff as much as I could. I would say things like pack your toys because they are coming to live with us in the new house, and she liked it. Then come moving dayS (it took 2 days). I asked my mom if she minded keeping them for the weekend, and my and the hubby knocked it out, ordered in, and just went unpacking crazy haha.

We're part of the frequent-movers-club. It's pretty elite, and you may not have heard of us.

Granted, we only have one chile, but we've moved so many times that I must be some kind of expert. She was 2 months, 18 months, 23 months, and barely three years old when we've moved. Sometimes across town, sometimes across state lines. AND we're gearing up to move on Memorial Day yet again with our 3.5-year-old and my 20-week-pregnant, fatty self.

ANYWAY. Hire a sitter. We've done it before without one, just packing when we could during the day with the majority of the work reserved for much-too-late at night when we were cranky, tired, irritable, etc. But the times we've had a sitter have made a huge difference in us being able to get straight down to business and knock it out. Oh, and to get our freak on one last time in each and every room of the house/condo/garage apartment we were vacating.

When the family I babysat quite a lot for (I was their almost-nanny, I like to say) was getting ready for a big move to another state, I was over there many evenings. Entertaining the two kids, attending to baths, diapers, and boo boos, helping with dinner, etc. There were two kids, 3.5 yrs and 1.5 yrs, and there was a fresh little bun in the oven too. Between two kids and being newly pregnant and having a busy husband (who was wrapping up details on the business he owns), the mom needed my help, and I was glad to give it!

If you can, I would hire a sitter, at least for a few hours here and there. The mom said many times that when I was there as kiddie-wrangler, she got so much more done. And I agree with an above poster, Archer is old enough to help out. Packing toys, folding his own bedding, folding towels, etc. Maybe even baby Fable could help, if big bro is setting the example.

Good luck! I know everything will turn out A-OK, and then you'll be in the pretty! shiny! new-to-you! house!

When people ask if they can help, have them watch the kids!  Preferably, have them take the kids OUT of your apt so you can have space and time to pack without little hands helping.  When you're on your own, you can give them some crayons and have them decorate the boxes that will hold their stuff - then they'll be easy to find and the aforementioned little hands will have something to do other than unpack everything you've just packed.

Two words: Duct tape.  (That's legal, right?)

My big thought is always about knowing yourself and your family. For us -- we like organization and structure. I would be showing the kids the new house (curb view) and the new street and and their new park before moving day. I would be explaining why we are making the change, why it is good, asking and answering questions along the way, and involving everyone in packing things that are important to them.

Of course, I am also someone who numbers and labels all of our moving boxes (so boxes go into the right rooms upon arrival, and I know nothing is missing). And I am someone who has help on moving day. For sure. Movers as well as someone to help with anything else, such as kids and animals. I like to be in control of furniture and box placement, and my husband likes to be involved in assessing the house structure -- so both of us need to be focused on the move, and we hire/ask for help with other things.

However, I know loads of people for whom this approach would be super stressful. They do best throwing things together at the last minute and making it all work as they go. Labeling boxes? Crazy! Arranging for help? Nuts! They roll through a move like it's no problem. I recognize that I do not roll that way, so I make arrangements before the day even starts regarding where dinner is coming from that night (eg, a kind friend). Planning allows me to relax and focus only on unexpected things. For other people, though, planning is stressful.

So...no one has the right advice for you. It's just about what works best for the six of you (if my memory is correct in that you have two dogs). How will Archer and Fable best say goodbye to your current place? Do they even need to do so? How will you and Hal stay sane?

One thought that is good for everyone, I think: Have a couple of 'OPEN FIRST' boxes. You never know how moving day will go, so be sure that everyone can sleep on clean sheets with pillows, brush teeth, have a bite for breakfast, and wipe any counters needed -- even before anything else is unpacked. And stay hydrated!

On a totally different note, as a vegan, I am super-excited about your upcoming 'Eat Well' section and videos! Neat-o!

Loved looking at your blog this is the first time I have been on here. Hope to look at it again.:)

We moved last December & our little boy was 17 months old. We had him stay with my husbands parents for the weekend so we could get moved and settled. It was hard not to see him for several days but we got a lot of work done. Good luck!

We had a big move this summer, O was six months, but she hasn't slept more than a couple hours during the day since maybe 2 months (except with her paternal grandparents, which I Just Don't Get). I had approximately 1.8 gazillion books, and tons of dusty china and linens that had been packed for years. We enlisted my mom, and the three of us took turns. It took one backbreaking, achy-tired, but surprisingly non-traumatizing and happy week. We set up the bedrooms first and shut the doors so the dust and mess wouldn't get in, and brought her home as late as we could.

I think this would work well for most moves with babies, provided they are in summer, or California, as the case maybe. Archer is old enough to enjoy helping, with both the moving and the being out with Fable. And it can probably be done without the third person, if there are fewer things to dust and wash. But never pass up an opportunity to get help while the kids are young enough to ensure you get it, right?

I packed what I could with children underfoot.  But on moving day itself I had the kids out of the house with my mom.  There is no way getting boxes and furniture into a truck can happen with kids underfoot.

Recruit a good babysitter who can take them somewhere, anywhere.

Being military, we've moved more times than I like to think about. With 4 kids, SOMEone is usually not happy about something or not wanting to help pack or some other third thing that I can't think of right now but they will. So I give them markers or crayons and let them draw on the boxes while I pack. Otherwise, I have everyone help pack boxes and gather up/pack their lovies/toys for the trip (we are typically moving pretty far, last time was NY to CA). I do a lot of packing after bedtime, while they're eating, or whenever I have a few minutes. It's a process. Or not. LOL And once? For an across-town move (and my husband was in Afghanistan, so I was just going to do whatever worked LOL), I just took all of our hanging clothes from the closets, drove them to the other place, and hung them up. Anything I could put in my truck and take myself went as is. No packing, less boxes to tape and untape. We had a week or so for the move, so I just made one trip every couple of days. The boxes and big stuff went in the UHaul on Official Moving Day and that was that.

You'll get it all done beautifully, I know!! :)

We moved last month with at the time a 17 month old and it sucked. I am preggo and was very sick, and couldn't lift a thing. My family lives thousands of miles away and so it sucked. The husband did most of the work while I took the baby to the park. At times we did hire a sitter to take E to the park while we packed. When we moved I had friends come over and take shifts with her. At one point during the move a close friend took her away for a couple of hours, thank you bestest friend ever.

No matter what it is really hard but once in the new place you will totally forget!

This is my second time moving in 3 months... with a toddler and being pregnant.  This time, I'm just shy of 9 months pregnant.  Yeah... (NEVER bid on a short sale... EVER!!!)  A few month ago, we didn't hire movers, and we don't plan to this time.  We are bribing friends with 6 packs of good beer.  I'm going to be the main child watcher and the only thing I'm doing is saving a new toy for moving day so he is distracted with that.  (Oh, and three months ago, the kiddo and I were both throwing up sick, it was awesome.)  Moving even with no kids and professional movers is not fun.  Moving just isn't fun period but the new house part is!!!  

I gave you no advice and totally suck.  Just be happy your aren't in my shoes?  :)

We just moved last month with our 2 yr old and 3 yr old. It really wasn't bad at all for us. With packing, I just did it at night or when the kids were napping or at preschool. My kids play independently pretty well so I would put them down with some toys in their room and spend 15 minutes packing a different room. I saved their room and the kitchen for last because eating out is the surest sign for my kids that life is about to change and we didn't want to mess them up before we had to.

I think what helped the most was that we drove by the new house and talked about it a lot so the adjustment went really well. They knew we were moving, they helped box up the stuff that wasn't breakable, and they were excited about the whole thing. We showed them the house, the nearest playground and library and grocery store and Target, all stuff that was familiar in the old house.

Honestly, don't sweat it. Do what you can in the time that you have and don't worry about the rest. Moving with kids is only a big deal if they sense that you're stressing the move (taken from my own childhood experience) but if you're excited and getting them excited too, it won't be a big deal at all.

I only have 1 baby but I moved overseas last year with my 8 mo old baby and then moved from CA to Fl when she was 13 mo and we`re moving this week (she`s 20 mo) again :) oh and we also have 2 yorkies..

Our family live in another country and we don`t have many friends.. so we did everything on our own.. but we got movers by the hour to help.. it`s a bit chaotic but once all the boxes are in the new house, relax and enjoy it!

I always pack one bag with the essentials (diaper changing stuff, clothes for the baby and us, toys, ipod with her fav cartoons, food, water, dog food).. try to take pictures, its fun looking at them later, put the dog on a safe gated place with water and food (it might try to run away and go back to his house), put together the baby room and the toys and enjoy your new house :)

you don`t need to unpack everything at once.. get to know your new home, take your time.. everything will be alright!

Oh boy. When Allison was 12 days old, my husband, the kids, and I moved from Washington D.C. to Michigan. Into my parents' house, because my husband didn't have a job in Michigan yet, so we didn't know where we'd be living. Yeah, it was terrific.

My advice: plan for it to cost about twice as much as you think it will. I know, I know...but you might be pleasantly surprised. There'll always be some random incredibly expensive thing that pops up. Once, when my husband and I were moving, the transmission on his car went out. Like, the day of the move. Murphy's Law.

If one or both of your parents can help, by all means, ask them to. Whether it's taking the kids to the park for an hour so that you don't have to worry about them or doing a quick kitchen-and-bathroom-cleaning to make sure you get your deposit back to running out to pick up dinner, parents are key.

Pack a couple of boxes with some of Archer's favorite stuff for him to unpack himself. Don't let him pack the box, though--if he's anything like Max, he'll want to play, not pack, and he'll lose his shit when it has to go in the box.

I did not find having Max helping me pack particularly helpful. He mostly wanted to sit in the boxes, take things out of them, and randomly move them to other boxes. Maybe Archer is better about following a game plan than Max, but...dude. STRESSFUL for Mama.

I would say that overall, your best bet is distracting and otherwise occupying them so you can get stuff done. Best of luck to you, and it'll be over soon.

Hah, just as I was typing that, you tweeted the thing about meditating during a parade. Wear 'em out and put 'em to bed, then caffeinate and bang it out.

We just moved in December with our daughters who are 1 and 4 years. A couple of things come to mind.

- First, try getting quotes from a couple local moving companies for packing. I found one from twitter referrals and they were not outrageous. I am so glad DH talked me into paying cause it was worth every penny!

- Self pack and move what you need to survive for at least a month in the new house. I mean the basics like enough to cook and eat meals, dress, wash, favorite toys, etc. I assumed I could get stuff unpacked faster then I thought. I spent a month cutting vegetables on kitchen towels because I couldn't find the cutting boards! Basically you want an emergency survival kit so you can make the new house seam normal till you can get to all your stuff.

- Be prepared for the post move meltdown. My oldest was so excited about the move. She loved the new house so I wasn't ready for a post move issue. Then she started seriously acting out. Getting upset at things that would never bother. Basically being seriously grumpy. I think it took a week or two before I realized it wasn't a stage... it was a reaction to change.

- Be prepared to slow life down after moving. That's how we dealt with 4y old reacting to change. Started doing less, going out less, spending more snuggle time, etc. Basically I think she needed time to recenter herself in the new space. (Probably not true for all kids... but definitely my oldest.)

Good Luck!

uh, farm those kids out - friends, relatives, whatever.

and get ready for the process to drag on and on and on.

we just moved in january with an 8 yr old, 5 yr old and 18 month old.

nightmare.

we basically ended up stashing boxes anywhere we could to get it over with.   4 months later we still unpack what-nots and what-have-yous when we need them.

You guys are AMAZING! So much good here. Thank you, thank you!

Unfortunately my parents will be out of town during the move but I fully intend to call on friends to come over and help me entertain.

I want the kids to be part of the move - Hal and I both agree it's for the best that they be around to fully understand what's happening but I will be unpacking their bedroom first (they still want to share a room) and I thank you for that advice.

I think the hardest part right now is being in limbo. Our bathroom looks like a toiletry explosion - stuff everywhere and Fable's at the age where she just wants to be involved in EVERYTHING. I made her a pile to play with but that only goes so far.

Anyway - THANK YOU! Your stories and advice = RULE.

We moved with three boys (youngest two months, middle 2, oldest 4).  Get all the help you can!!  I had my parents keep the kids busy while we moved and started unpacking.  Pack everything you'll need for the first couple days in one box.  Towels, soap, some disposable dishes,etc.  Cleaning supplies in one box or clean before you move in.  Set up kids rooms first so they have someplace to go that's familiar.  Then kitchen (command central).  We have moved 5 times in 5 yrs with 1, 2, then 3 kids.  Trust me.  

Recently done this...in the snow! Just know where the colouring book box and favourite puzzle/toys are and basically then one of you work in a room with the kidlets while the other actually does stuff! If you can get a babysitter...if you can't then hey, at least you're moving. Be happy...it'll just take you longer to unpack! x

Can't they go to grandma's on moving day?  I'd say everyone will be happier (and safer) if little people are not underfoot.

Also, pack your bedroom first, and then the living room, then their room, then the kitchen.  Keep their stuff and the eating stuff available as long as you can, and get a sitter for those last two parts.  They will be all over you while you try to pack their toys.

Don't have much new to offer on advice for the logistics of moving.  Preparing the kids for the fact they will live somewhere else is another challenge.  I read my 2 year old daughter a Berenstein Bear's book about moving so that she could get some idea of what was about to happen.  The morning the movers came (and packed us, we were lucky enough to be able to afford that), I told her it was moving day and she got out a box and started throwing her toys in it.  Definitely worthwhile reading to them about it....

two words: Grand Parents.

I am moving with 3 children (6, 3 and 1) When I moved last I had a 2 year old AHHH im freaking a little, I pack 2-5 boxes every few days, the pile of boxes gets higher, but the crap in the house stays the same. I haven gotten rid of more than 10 boxes or junk and broken shit

My advice, PURGE a lot, dont move stuff you havent seen or touched in 6 months. Get rid of whatever you can, and pack when the kids are asleep

Um, you kinda just FREAKED ME OUT!  We are moving back to Los Angeles in May with our (will be then) 20 month old. Oh well.  I am just gonna let her play with the boxes and paper and run like mad in the backyard.  It's the seven hour car ride back to LA that is really starting to scare me.

When we were little we helped pack or got sat in front of a video while mom packed. While we actually moved we were either at a friend's or we helped out a bit. We usually had family help us move though, so a cousin or aunt would tend to us.

A babysitter wouldn't be a bad idea though, do whatever makes you feel in control of the situation. If not having a babysitter makes you nervous, then get one for sure.

Our last move was with one two-year old.

Pack a suitcase of what you NEED as if you were going on vacation. Plan on living out of it for a few days. That way you know you have toothbrush and clothes for a while without having to do any digging.

Our kid had an empty box in his room to pack. He filled it up, we marked with his name, stacked it up in one place. We sometimes had to get back into them because he decided he needed something inside. But I think it helped that he was packing as we were packing.

Move day: babysitter or you don't do much. Our plan was that I was on the kid, not expected to help but I did when the kid wanted to. Husband (and AWESOME friends) were on the move.

Best advice: kids stuff is the last thing on the first truck load, first thing unloaded and set up. Let them have their normal as soon as you can. Then set up the stuff they is part of their normal life. For us it was the dining room table for eating and projects. Then the TV.

Designate a space for boxes in the new place that is not in the way and do your best at unpacking. Three years later, there's stuff still in boxes. But we've done a whole lot of living without that crap.

Better than a babysitter? Someone willing  to TAKE the kids elsewhere while you move. At least for a few hours. It gets stressful having to watch out for kids getting in the way of people with heavy boxes, going out propped-open doors and bugging you for food when you already have a million things to do.

Are there any posts here or on your other blog about the bummer period of your marriage? I would love to hear of it. In it myself. Seemingly hopelessly.

We just moved & I recommend taking the kiddos to the babysitter.  Far away from the moving site.  I pretty much did all the packing during naptime & after bedtime.  And then H. went to an aunt's for the day.  The next day my hubby watched the kid while I unpacked the super neccessary items.  Good luck and remember to stay hydrated & well fed.

We lived in SoCal for 2 years - all of our family & friends are on the east coast, so when our son was born, we were all alone.  On top of that, we moved up to Seattle when he was all of 5 weeks, my husband started a brand new job, we looked for a house and moved into a house from corporate housing a month after that.  HELLISH.  We look back now and wonder how we ever survived it.

My mom came and kept my daughter while we moved.  She took her to the park and the children's museum and wore her out so that first night in our new house (her first in a big girl bed) was smooth.  Our son was in my bell at the time.

When my sister-in-law moved a year ago, she kept her infant with her and we took her older girls for 2 days.  It was great to spend some time with them and their parents were able to get the new house set up so that they came home to rooms that were all ready to be slept in.  WAY less stress for the children.

Good luck.  The moving part is over quickly and the memories you make in the new house will last a lifetime!

we just moved a couple weeks ago.  Similar situation as you, in fact-we lived in a tiny little place and moved, finally (happy sigh), into a house.  With space.  And counter tops.  And a back yard.  Yay.  So I am so happy for you guys and your move.  You will LOVE it.  The house, not the move.  But as for us moving with kids (I have just turned 2 and 4 year olds), that was NOT fun.  We couldn't hire movers or packers or babysitters to watch the kids.  Trying to keep as much cash as possible to pay the rent.  It looks like a clothes/stuffed animal tornado swept through the bedrooms.  The kids have been neglected and yelled at, banished to the (wonderful) backyard, etc.  We have loads of unpacked boxed littering the basement.  It has not been easy.  So, my advice?  If you can afford it, hire someone to help you. Even if you just have a sitter for a chunk of hours to get things somewhat situated, then you and Hal could take turns bringing the kids away while you really unpack.  Cause let me tell you, waiting until nap time and then trying to cram a gazillion things in is like a chicken running around with no head.  (did I mention that my husband has also been out of town during all the unpacking?).  So, babysitter? YES!  Good luck.  You'll probably be unpacked before me!

I've moved twice with little(s). I don't know if it will be an option for you, but we found a way each time to move (at least) one room ahead of time. Visit your new (empty) home, explain to the kiddos what each space will be. Designate their special place(s). In each home we have had a play space.

Even if temporary we pick one bedroom that I go in early while daddy plays with the kiddos and I scrub top to bottom (only takes an hour or two). Then we as a crew pack 2 or 3 boxes of favorite toys. Bring a single piece of furniture that is meant for them (funny enough ours were bean bags that the boys loved). Those few boxes and the single piece of furniture along with a screen (be it laptop or television) went into that super clean room. A baby gate at the doorway. We were able to tell our boys (ages 3 and 4 at the time) that this was their fort. They LOVED having a room that they could claim as their own and just be allowed to play freely in. It gave my husband and I the freedom to work in the house as needed. With Archer being a little bit older/more mature perhaps you could borrow a set of walkie-talkies for him to use during that time as well? We used baby monitors to keep an ear on what was happening. They did amazingly well. Once they started to get a little bored we had some empty boxes and a few more of their toys to freshen things up a bit. Keep a cooler with snacks/juice at your dispensing needs handy too.

As far as packing your house, its a long hard process. I just would tackle the least used room and box it up. Next came least used cupboards and so on. Im kind of a freak and like to be able to know things like NOW. So each room got its own color sharpie marker. My bedroom purple, kids room blue, kitchen orange, etc. so that if I were looking for a specific box I could find it fast. Also, I wrote very quick sloppy descriptions of what was inside on each box. linens. Tupperware. That kind of thing.

Moving day we split shifted things. The movers came early in the morning and I took the kids to go do something fun. Movies or park or some such. Used up a few hours. This allowed them to get things from point A to point B without the help of little hands and my constant gasping or bossing. After I got back with the kids (establish meeting place new or old home) we had lunch and then Daddy took them to go do something equally as fun. I then was able to boss and sort to my satisfaction. We haven't ever hired movers as we have amazing family and friends that chip in and move us, and best yet tolerate my bossing.

Just a few more things:

Don't allow yourself to feel guilt about letting your kids have some screen time, I can tell you are the kind of parent who doesn't plop their offspring in front of the electronic babysitter on a regular basis. Perhaps even make it super special for the kiddos and allow them to rent a movie or two.

Take a radio and crank it up! Get the kids into it too. Have a dance party while you dance around the house putting things where you think you want them. Have picnics in the new house and the old. Eat on the floor. Put those mattresses on the floor and sleep that way for a single night. Its those memories that kids keep. I still remember them from my childhood.

Learn to love the boxes and be willing to live with them for a while! You don't have to unpack everything right away. Do what is comfortable for you. I spent a lot of extra hours skipping sleep and unpacking while the kids were in bed just so I didn't feel like they were on ignore.

Remember to say goodbye to the old house. You may feel like good riddance and its about time, or even the I'm just so over this. Just remember its the only place the kids know as home right now. Visit it empty and maybe even write a note welcoming the new tenants. It gives closure.

Celebrate everything about your new home, even the headaches. remember you are making a truly happy memory even though it feels soooo much like a huge chore.

Congrats!

Unfortunately, I think it's important to have them around for part of it at least. They need to see that their stuff is getting packed up, and that they are going to have a new room and their stuff will be there. If they have no idea, they are going to freak out.

My husband and I moved when my son was 16 months and I was 7 months pregnant.  Then we moved again when my son was 21 months and a newborn (3 months).  

Like someone else mentioned...try to be as organized as possible.  The more labeling, cleaning out and organizing now will make your unpacking so much easier!

I would let the kids help pack 1 or 2 boxes.  Then hire a babysitter to help watch them while you pack...it will ease the stress.

Good luck and congrats in your new home!!

I hate moving.  With or without kids.

I only let my kids who where 3.5 and almost 2 participate in packing their toys and books.  The rest I packed at night when they were sleeping.

I always had a big empty box with crayons inside for them to play it.  They LOVED it and stayed in there for what seemed like forever.  It was such a hit that we kept boxes for them to last 6 months!

Good luck.

Doing just about anything is more difficult with two small children!  If it were me, I'd send them to Grandma's for an overnight adventure.  Otherwise, we'd all just end up frustrated.

Good Luck!

Good luck with the move babe! I'm moving myself on May 15th with two kids who are 2 & 4.  The packing is already stressing me out and we are unfortunately moving because of divorce. Sold our condo and downsizing to an apartment, but excited to start life anew!

I'm working on packing things like my bedroom, bathroom & kitchen (non-essentials) while they are sleeping at nights.

I have friends who are going to take them while the actual move is going on and then I'm going to unpack their room first thing. They are moving from their own rooms into a room together and I've gotten a couple of cool things for the room to surprise them (new beds for both!)

Can't wait to see pictures of your new home! Sending you good moving vibes from New York City!

Hey it's! Kidspace! That place is rad. T'was jus there last two weeks too.

Can your parents/grandparents take them for a day or two (like others suggested)? That way, not only can you guys take care of the moving of the boxes and furniture, but you'll have a minute to unpack their room(s) a little and make them a little space for themselves where they can play and keep busy while you unpack the rest of the place.

If no one can take them, I vote for going to the park. Only one of you realllly needs to be there for movers. The movers are pretty self sufficient. You just need to be there to look out for your stuff and to tell them where to put the boxes when they get where they're going. Feeding them is also recommended (bagels, pizza, sodas, something. Drinks at minimum, snacks are better). Other than that, it's a lot of sitting around. So, one of you stays, the other takes the kids somewhere fun.

We just moved with a 2 1/2 year old and 7 month old - we had Nonni (grandmother) come over for the day and set them up with lots of toys, snacks, etc in what was an empty room in the new location.  Some stuff got moved in around them.  We had an air mattress for 2 1/2 year old to sleep and bouncer for 7 month old - and it worked pretty well.  It was a stressful weekend and I occasionally miss our old place because it was my 1st place - but the new place is so much better and perfect for my family so its all worth it.  Still unpacking almost two months later. ;)

That's not a bike, that's a trike. (I vote for hiring a babysitter)

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Advice, sorry not so much...

But I do have a couple of stories which you may find usefull.

The last time we moved was 5 yrs ago, my son had just turned 4.  We were on the third floor packing boxes ONE WEEK before our move and he was playing in the basement.  All of the sudden he's crying running in our room saying "mommy, I stuck something up my nose and it won't come out" .. he was clearly panick-stricken.  Long story short .. turned out he stuck a lego connector thingy up each notrils so far that we could not see them.  Ended up in an ambulance (for speed to the hospital because there was a choking risks should he sniff them up and they get lodged in his throat) heading down the highway to the Montreal Childrens.  A clever doctor, some numbing liquid and a very careful extraction and he was just fine.  But moral of the story: things get really distracting when you move, hire a sitter, swap off parents but kids get into the darn-dest things when we are too busy to notice.  

My friend had a similar experience last week, her husband away, she is home packing with a 3 and 6 yr old.  The 6 yr old comes running, "um mommy, Aiden is cutting carrots with my school scissors and there's blood everyone" .. sure enough, he'd given himself little razors cuts .. and he was indeed cutting up carrots.

Sarah

I don't have kids...but I have been the designated helper, for friends who are moving and need some help.

Ask a sitter, or an auntie or nana or pop-pop. Someone the kids love to see. They can keep the kids busy helping you (they can pack a box with their favorite toys, or something), and when it's better to let the movers do their thing, the helper can keep the kids out of harm's way and  you can direct the movers.

When you can't get a sitter, one of those outdoor kid corrals can help.  (I also believe that if you need to ask for help moving, people will be more than happy to play with the kids when they find out it means not having to help move a sleeper sofa.)

Good luck. I bet it won't suck - a new house? That's so exciting!!!