Moving day is noisy, unfamiliar and full of open doors. For adults it is tiring. For a four year old or a nervous cat it can be genuinely frightening. The good news is that almost all of the distress is avoidable with a bit of planning, and our crews see the difference immediately between households that have prepared and those that have not.
Preparing children in the weeks before
Tell them early, and tell them honestly
Children cope far better with news they have had time to absorb. Explain what is changing and, just as importantly, what is not: their toys are coming, the family is staying together, the dog is coming too.
Make the new home real
Visit if you can. Walk the route to the new school. Look at the park. If a visit is not possible, use photographs and let them choose which bedroom is theirs and what colour it will be. Ownership reduces anxiety more than reassurance does.
Involve them at their level
- Toddlers can put soft toys into a box you have labelled together.
- Primary age children can decorate their own boxes so they can spot them at the other end.
- Teenagers should pack their own room, on their own terms, with a deadline rather than supervision.
Handle school and friendships
Apply for a new school place as early as you can through your local authority, using the guidance on GOV.UK school admissions. Arrange a proper goodbye with friends and swap contact details for the parents, not just the children.
Preparing pets
Before the day
- Update the microchip details and the collar tag. By law, dogs and cats in England must be microchipped and the record kept current, as set out by the Government’s microchipping guidance.
- Register with a new vet and request your records be transferred.
- Bring the carrier or crate out weeks in advance and leave it open with a blanket inside, so it is furniture rather than a warning sign.
- Keep feeding times and walks unchanged for as long as possible.
- For anxious animals, speak to your vet. The RSPCA advice pages are a good general reference for settling pets into a new home.
On the day
The safest arrangement is for pets to be somewhere else entirely: a friend, a family member, a day at kennels or cattery. If that is not possible, choose one room, put a clear sign on the closed door, and tell the crew. That room is loaded last and unloaded first. Doors and gates propped open for loading are the single biggest risk on moving day.
A moving day plan that works
- Childcare off site if you can. A morning at grandparents’ or a friend’s house is worth more than any other preparation.
- Pack a day bag, not just a box. Snacks, drinks, nappies or spare clothes, a favourite toy, headphones, chargers and something to do.
- Nominate one adult per child or pet. Everyone else can focus on the move.
- Keep one safe room. Away from the front door and the loading route.
- Explain the crew. Introduce them. Strangers carrying the sofa out of the house is less alarming when a child knows who they are and why.
- Do not underestimate lunch. Hungry children and hungry adults make moving day harder than it needs to be.
If you would rather not be packing around a toddler in the days beforehand, our professional packing service removes that entire task from the household.
The first night in the new house
- Set up the children’s bedrooms first, before the lounge or kitchen. Familiar bedding, the same lamp, the same bedtime story.
- Keep the bedtime routine exactly as it was, even if the house is chaos.
- Keep cats indoors for at least two to three weeks, and always let them out before a meal so there is a reason to come back.
- Walk dogs on a lead around the new area until they have their bearings, and expect a few unsettled nights.
- Give it time. Regression in younger children, disrupted sleep and clinginess are all normal for a few weeks and usually pass without intervention.
Frequently asked questions
Should children be at the house on moving day?
For very young children, no, if you have an alternative. Older children often want to be involved and it can help them process the change, provided they have a defined job and somewhere quiet to retreat to.
How do I move a cat safely?
In a secure carrier, in the car with you rather than in the removal vehicle, with the carrier familiar beforehand. At the new house, set the cat up in one closed room with litter tray, food, water and a hiding place, and let them emerge in their own time.
What about fish, reptiles or small animals?
These need their own planning and usually travel with you rather than in the van. Speak to your vet or specialist supplier well ahead of the date, as tank and vivarium transport is temperature sensitive and cannot be improvised on the morning.
How long does it take for children to settle?
Most families report things feeling normal somewhere between four and eight weeks, once school routines and new friendships are established. Keeping mealtimes, bedtimes and weekend routines consistent shortens it considerably.
Can your crews work around a nap time?
Often yes. Tell us in advance and we will plan the loading order around it wherever the schedule allows.
Planning a family move?
Tell us who is in the household, including the four legged members, and we will build the day around them. Get your free quote or call 0151 343 1264.
