When you are moving house it is hard enough as it is, but when the whole family is involved you can end up with a lot more stuff and a lot more people to think about. Here are five tips to turn to when you find yourself knee deep in toys and furniture.

1.    Notify everyone. Before your move you will need to get your change of address in place. It’s a good idea to change your address two weeks before you move. Notify businesses, banks, any insurance you might have, jobs and charities you may support. You can order new address labels as well. Register to vote and move over any utilities, cancelling your old ones.

2.    Consider child care or pet care for the day. If your little ones are very little, then consider asking someone to take care of them or hire a babysitter. It may just be easier to get everything done if they are out of the way completely. If you have children who are slightly older then you can get them to help a little bit. Use old toy boxes and get them to put all their things inside and tape them up for you. Get them to help with last-minute checks and tidy ups.

3.    Look into facilities in the new area. Things such as schools, child care, swimming lessons will come in handy when you relocate. Don’t forget to cancel any memberships you already have such as gyms, and remember to let your doctors know; get a new one set up before you move in case of any emergencies. It’s also a good idea to look into getting a resident’s parking permit in place if you don’t have off-street parking at your new property. You will want to get this organized before you move in to save any extra stress on the day.

4.    Re-confirm movers. You have probably already got your professional movers or a man with a van in place, but you will want to double check they are coming. Mention the specific time you expect them to be there and make sure you have everything packed up ready to go. For big removals and furniture removals it’s definitely best to keep the kids out of the way. Give them something to do while things get done, such as a colouring book, or leave the TV as the last thing to move and let them watch a DVD on the floor. You can put a duvet down for them; chances are they will find the new viewing quite exciting.

5.    Have kids’ essentials separately. Pack a couple of bags and label them clearly. Keep all your children’s items that they will need at the other end in there. Chances are they will be busy exploring their new home, but make sure you put in a few toys or DVDs to keep them busy while you are unpacking, and their night clothes and toothbrushes in case it has been a long day and they are tired. If possible, try to get to your new home early and get their bedrooms all set up so that if nothing else is done, at least you can put them to bed. Don’t forget to have your essentials within easy reach as well. Above all, make sure you are organized, have a moving checklist in place and don’t leave anything till the last minute. See your move as an exciting time and your kids will be less likely to pick up on your stress and won’t be too desperate for your attention on the day.