Moving your entire family can be very difficult. It causes a great deal of stress for the whole family. I remember moving to our new cardboard house being a big deal, but since we had such a great moving company, it became easier. They gave us tips on how to make moving fun and how to deal with the change. It’s important to make moving day a positive memory for you and your kids, so check out these tips on how to make a successful family move.

The key to a successful family road trip is keeping the kids happy in the car, the same goes for the big move. One of the most important things to remember is keeping the children involved in the moving process.

• Talk to them about the move, and let them know what to expect and what to look forward to in the new location.
• Encourage older kids to pack themselves. They can have their own boxes and suitcases they are responsible for. Give them color coded or fun stickers to stick on the boxes that belong in their own room.
• Give each child a back pack to fill with overnight items so that you don’t have to dig through boxes. Include their toothbrush, pj’s, favorite stuffed animal, favorite bedtime story, etc.
• Give them a disposable digital camera to take pictures of the move and send the pics to their old friends or post on facebook.

Another important aspect of moving is having entertainment to keep the children distracted during moving day. Now there are a couple of options here. On moving day itself, it might be a good idea to take the kids away from the move, so mom and pop are able to focus on moving. One option is The Angelina, a super cool luxury package at NorthStar Moving®. Keep your kids safe, happy, and entertained under the watchful eye of a nanny from Nanny Poppinz.

If hiring a nanny is not for you, try some of these fun ways to keep your kids entertained while moving.

• Have activities for the car ride / airplane. Come up with road games and possible surprise bags.
• Wrap things you were going to give your child anyway, and give it to them during the trip.
• Be sure to bring snacks and the overnight bags.
• Possibly bring along some sing along CDs or in car DVDs.

Once you’ve moved in, it’s important to let your child get used to living in the new environment.

• Wrap wishlist items that the children had, and put it in their closet for them to discover at the new home.
• Set up a play date for the old friends to come over for a sleep over. If you’re moving a great distance, help the kids stay in touch with the old friends with  Skype.
• Host a party in your neighborhood, and invite children of the same age as your own kids over. Sign your kids up for local sports to make friends.
• Get back into a routine as soon as you can.

Moving can be a huge task for any family. I remember when Sparkle, Zippy, and I were told about the big move, we were scared at first, but once we got more involved it became fun and exciting! Now I love moving, and Zippy has become a moving superhero (@movingpro)!  Got any tips from your family move? Leave it in the comments below. I’d love to hear about it!