Checklist for Moving Out of State with Kids

Moving can be an exciting endeavour, but it’s not without its challenges – especially when kids are involved. When it comes to moving out of state with kids, special considerations must be taken into account. Moving is hard for children, from dealing with the move itself and keeping the kids occupied to adjusting to a new school and making new friends. However, with careful planning, you can make the shifting experience seamless for your 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.

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. You have many options when shifting to a new place, from public to private schools. Research will help you obtain a greater understanding of your options and whether or not the local schools are 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. 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 books that talk about the relocating process.
Show your kids their new home. Hop on the computer, use a tablet, or jump in the car and go explore your new neighbourhood 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, but it can also help give your kids a sense of closure.
Begin the school transfer process. Roughly two months 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 the paperwork and records to transfer 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 they should be aware of.

1 Month Before Relocate

Find family-friendly activities. Before relocating day, do some research and family-friendly activities in your new community, such as social clubs, sports teams, summer camps, and outdoor attractions. Your kids can get involved in their new community in a wide range of ways.
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 ensure the documents get sent over.
Pack the essentials. At this time, you can start gathering all the essential items so you don’t forget them. This includes medical records, birth certificates, identification, etc. Also, make copies of everything and store them in a safe place that will be easily accessible when moving day rolls around.

2 Weeks Before Shifting

Host a goodbye party. Saying goodbye to a community that your young kids have spent a large portion of their lives in is never easy. To help ease the process, consider hosting a going-away party for your children. This will give them a proper way to say goodbye to their friends, family, and neighbours.
Arrange for child care on moving day. If you’re shifting with small children or babies, you’ll want to have your hands accessible on moving day. Give yourself a break by arranging for a babysitter. You’ll be glad 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 healthcare 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 full of all the essentials for your children. Some items to include in this bag include wipes and diapers, a first-aid kit, medications, pyjamas, clothing, high chairs, bouncy seats, pack ‘n play, stuffed animals, favourite 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. Ensure you include any important documents you set aside a month before, as well as cleaning supplies and extra trash bags. Finally, don’t forget to pack up all of your necessities.

Shifting 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, which is another option.
Come up with fun moving day activities. Devise a few activities to help keep your kids occupied and distracted during the move. These could be anything from colouring 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 you tackle your child’s room first. Having 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 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, you must 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 neighbourhood where they cannot go.
Meet the new neighbours. This is especially important if you’ve moved into a family-friendly neighbourhood. 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 will help ease the loneliness and unfamiliarity in the first weeks in a new community.

Final Thoughts

When moving out of state with kids, you must do everything possible to ease the transition. Significant changes like this are often especially hard on children, and following a moving checklist can help simplify the process for 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 hauling services and helpful resources and receive a free, no-obligation moving quote!