Helpful Tips for Moving with a Large Family

Moving is no easy task, and when you’re moving a large family, things get even more challenging. Here are some helpful tips I’ve learned from our various moves…

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Since the pandemic, I’ve noticed a lot of people in my city are moving – either in and around town, or out. We were going to make a move ourselves last summer. But then decided to postpone to see how the job market and economy recovered from these turbulent Covid years.

But with so many packing up for greener pastures (or bigger floorplans), I thought it might be helpful to share some tips. These are things I’ve learned from moving our large family within Las Vegas, as well as cross-country.

 

Helpful Tips for Moving with a Large Family

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Make a plan

Moving is a huge task. And the more stuff and people you have, the larger it gets. Breaking down everything you need to do into actionable steps will make the task more manageable.

When we needed to pack up our house, I made a list of each room to pack up. Then, I made a sub-list of the areas within each room. This meant that my bedroom list included my closet, bed, bookshelves, and nightstands. Planning things out like this helped me systematically move through the house on a timetable.

Gather moving materials

If you’re like me, you’ve been having a lot of things delivered these last two years. Start keeping sturdy boxes that can be used for packing if you know a move is on the horizon. This saves you money since you won’t need to buy them, and also gives you a chance to pack as you go.

Packing materials from packages, newspapers and circulars to wrap fragile items, tape, and markers should be gathered ahead of time to make packing up for your move easier. Try to find like sizes to make stacking easier.

Declutter before you pack

Take it from me, you want to do this before you haul everything across town, or the country. Be brutal as you declutter toys, clothes, books, and heavy items you will regret hauling up stairs at your new place.

If there are things you haven’t touched for 6 months, donate them or consider having a yard sale. The extra money can be used for anything that’s worn out that you might want to replace in your new location.

Enlist all the members of the family

When we were moving from our house to an apartment that was much smaller, we had to pack and donate a lot to make it work. I had just had a baby, so family members visited to meet our new little one and help mom wrap glassware and tape boxes.

Now that my children are a little older, they can help declutter and pack their own things, and also help with shared items, like the toys in the playroom and classroom books. Getting everyone involved during the packing phase will make it a family affair. This spreads out the work so no one feels overwhelmed. Unpacking is also something that they can help with.

Label and stack your boxes in order

What I mean is, always label thoroughly and stack your boxes in groups so you know what room they go in. This will make packing the truck and unloading the boxes more efficient and less frustrating. Has anyone else ever spent 2 months trying to find a spatula that was in the “Misc.” box that was still taped shut?

Grouping your boxes will help like items stay together so you’re not hauling them throughout a home you (or your helpers) may not know the layout of quite yet. Trust me, every little time/effort-saver matters when moving.

Hire movers

Hiring movers to help pack, haul, and unload your belongings can be a life saver. I wish I had known about Muscle Movers LLC Las Vegas, a well-reviewed company in my city, when we made our move after selling our house – with the youngest only 2 months old! It was hectic and exhausting, and we could have used experienced helpers to lighten the load with their expertise and efficiency.

Muscle Movers offers free quotes, secure storage facilities (great for longer moves), and can do the heavy lifting (piano owners rejoice!). They even do Las Vegas long distance moves, across the country or overseas. I can appreciate this, having hauled my kids and our belongings from Las Vegas to New York at one time – yikes!

Choosing quality movers can lighten your load and take some of the stress out of moving. I know that the next time we are uprooting our large family, we’re going to need help. Taking the time to research and plan now will make moving easier for us – and it will for you, too!

 

I hope you find these tips helpful when moving your own family. Planning ahead, packing smart, hiring professional movers, and decluttering before you go are all great ways to make your move an easier one.

 

What are some moving tips you can add from your own experience? I’d love to hear in the comments or on social media #thejourneyathome. We can all learn so much from each other!

 

Looking for more about decluttering and moving with a large family? Check out these helpful posts:

Road-tripping with 5 Kids: 10 Tips from the Trenches

How to Make the Most of a Small Space

Why Less Stuff Brings More Happiness

 

 

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