Packing Up a House With Kids Around

There’s nothing easy about packing up a house (and then setting everything up once you’ve moved). Toss a toddler into the equation and this family milestone can be doubly daunting. How will she cope as you box up her treasures? How do you keep her safe with all the action unfolding? Here are some survival tips when you’re packing to move with your family.

Give yourself plenty of lead time when you’re packing. While you obviously can’t box the things you use daily until right before the move, there’s plenty you can pack up while you’re preparing to move — like books, fine china and silverware, off-season clothing, and every knickknack you own.
Keep dangerous materials out of your child’s reach when you’re not around. It’s easy to get distracted when you’re packing, but make sure you keep an eye out for potential perils — a packing-tape dispenser has a sharp cutting edge, stacks of empty boxes can be easily toppled, and bubble wrap could be a choking hazard.
Let her help. Your little mover will be more than happy to put unbreakable items into boxes (she can throw in throw pillows) and stick colored dots on boxes (use them to designate which room in the new house each box will go).
Burn the midnight oil. Set aside a few evenings to pack up really delicate items after your tot has hit the sack. That’s also a good time to pack playthings you want to keep that you know she won’t miss for a while.
Save her stuff for last. Don’t pack up toys your toddler plays with often until a day or two before the family move. And when you do start filling her boxes, assure her over and over that everything you put inside will come back out at the new house. Hand her some markers and let her decorate the sides of the boxes “so the moving guys know they belong to her.”
Wait until the dark of night to toss out broken or outgrown toys. Maybe you’re thrilled to get rid of that one-legged doll, those ratty baby rattles or that super-noisy busy box, but toddlers are little pack rats. Chances are, though, unless it’s something she truly plays with (in which case you need to suck it up and bring it along), she won’t miss it — so now’s the time to toss anything you deem to be trash and pack up the house with a clear conscience.
Set aside the essentials. When you’re packing to move, it’s easy to forget the basics. So toss a few favorite toys and books, fresh pajamas and a change of clothing, and your child’s bedding into a suitcase. That way you’ll have these things at hand and you can start making your tot’s new room feel like home, sweet home soon after you arrive.