Moving house is a stressful thing to do; it takes a lot of planning and coordination, which can be difficult. Add kids into the mix and it can be a nightmare!

Here are our top tips to help you move house with kids:

1. Get them involved before the move
It’s important to make the move as easy for your children as possible; some may be reluctant to leave the old house and memories, especially if they are leaving behind their friends. Get them involved by showing them the new house and the area you’ll be living in so they can get used to it.

2. Make plans to keep kids entertained on move day
Your children might want to help you move everything into the new house. In theory it’s a nice idea and it’s good to encourage them to help you, but in practice they’re more likely to get in the way and get tired after moving a few things. Ask friends or family members if they can stay at their house for the day to keep them entertained and out of the way. When you’re more settled in to the house they can help you move their belongings into their own bedroom so they get to have some input. If you can’t find anyone to look after the kids then try giving them small jobs to keep them busy. Or, just let them play in the back garden or somewhere else where you can keep an eye on them.

3. Pack an overnight bag with essentials
You might not have time to unpack everything on the day of the move so make sure you know where the essentials are and that they are easy to access. If you have hired a moving van then keep these essentials with you in the car. Pack an overnight bag for your children containing pyjamas, toiletries and their favourite books and teddies, for example. You probably won’t feel like cooking on the day of the move, so pack some snacks or easy to prepare meals for the whole family, and if all else fails, make sure you have the local takeaway menus handy.

4. Unpack kids stuff as soon as possible!
Although it’s tempting to put off unpacking and live out of boxes for a while, try to unpack the kids’ stuff as soon as possible so that they can adjust sooner, rather than later. It’ll be a tiring day (or week!) for you and the kids, but it’ll soon feel like home.