Did you know that moving is considered one of life’s most stressful events? It’s grouped in the same category as death and divorce. A friend told me that as I was preparing to move from Brooklyn to Connecticut—where I’ve now been for about two weeks. At the time I thought it seemed a little dramatic. But after having gone through it, I know that it’s true. If I wasn’t a new mom, I don’t think I would have felt as overwhelmed during this transition. But taking care of a one-year-old when you’re unpacking boxes, dealing with a flooded basement, and relearning what it means to live in the suburbs (i.e. driving miles to the grocery store when you’re used to simply going to the deli around the corner), is not easy. To help anyone else about to make a big move—whether it’s within the city or to somewhere completely different—here are a few tips.
1. Pack the baby’s room last. Children can definitely sense when there is change afoot—as in when boxes start accumulating in the apartment and stuff starts disappearing off the shelves. I figured I should keep my son’s room as close to its original state as I could for as long as possible so that he would feel at home…or, rather, so he wouldn’t have difficulty sleeping. In the past, even changing the position of his mobile has made him so excited it’s hard for him to take a nap. I had my husband pack his room the day we left so that our son’s last night in the apartment felt the same as it always did.
2. Consider spending the night(s) between moves at a hotel or a family member or friend’s home. Whether you’re moving within the city or to another state, it’s a good idea to think about spending one or two nights with your child somewhere else during the transition. It’s not always easy to move seamlessly from one home to another, and often things don’t go according to plan. In our case, the movers were hours late arriving at our new place, which by then was past his bedtime. I also chose to spend the night before the movers came away from the apartment since it was becoming so crowded with boxes—not at all baby-friendly!
3. Pack a suitcase for you and baby as if you’re going on vacation. Even with the best labeling system on earth, you’re still going to have trouble finding your child’s bedtime books or the extra pack of diapers you packed when you first arrive at your new place–especially if, as in my case, your child is fussy and you’re stressed! To make your life a lot easier, pack a suitcase with enough supplies for the week, as if you’re on vacation. This will ensure you have everything you need for yourself and your child in one place without having to rummage through boxes.
4. Make sure your child’s new room has touches that remind him of his old room. My son had trouble sleeping in our new home the first night or two. It wasn’t until his room was all set up that I felt at ease. The extra space meant we could make lots of additions to his nursery, but we still tried to make it feel like his room at our old place. The day we hung up his mobile—a week after we moved in—he had a gigantic smile on his face.
