5 Tips to Help Your Kids Declutter Before a Move
As a parent, you know that decluttering and downsizing make a household move easier. However, your kids may be harder to convince.
Children can hang onto belongings, even if they don’t need them or want them anymore. This can make packing take longer, with more boxes.
Here are five things you can do to help your kids let go of things they don’t want.
1. Explain the Goals
Kids may need help understanding what happens during a move. Depending on their ages, they may need to learn what is happening or what to do.
For very young children, it can help to start introducing the idea of the move over a few weeks. Once they know what you plan to do, tasks like packing and decluttering may make more sense.
2. Sort at a Good Time
Parents may not get to choose the best time for packing their own stuff. But, it’s better to select an optimal moment to help kids decide what they want to keep.
Children often need routines, and the moving process can upset the schedule. Packing may seem like an extra chore with an uncertain conclusion.
When working on sorting, choose a time your child is easiest to work with. If they’re not hungry, tired, or overstimulated, they’ll have a better time making choices.
3. Help Kids Make Choices
Many parents dread asking their children to pick their toys, but it might not be as scary as it seems. It may not be necessary to eliminate much for kids who don’t have a ton of belongings and who keep their rooms tidy.
Parents need to give decision-making power to their children as much as possible. Even toddlers can express preferences for one toy over another.
A yard sale or selling on eBay could be a viable choice for kids who need to downsize significantly. Kids can be easily persuaded if they think they’ll get something out of it.
4. Keep Kids Involved in the Process
As the day of the move approaches, it’s easy for parents to decide that they need to thin out their kids’ belongings. This approach can be more efficient but could also lead to frustration and disappointment.
No one wants to feel like they could lose important possessions in the middle of the night. In addition, it can make children worry about what will happen after the move.
Instead, parents should involve their kids in all decisions related to their own belongings, especially when deciding what to cut.
5. Consider Short-Term Storage
Sometimes, parents need a third option that gives them an alternative between keeping everything and getting rid of it. Temporary storage could be a viable alternative, especially for people making a local move.
Paying a little money to push the decision down the road might give children enough time to feel comfortable making a decision.
A Family Move
Moving with kids is often tricky, especially if you need to persuade them to give up some of their stuff. For more tips about how you can have a stress-free moving experience, contact us today!
