tips – Living in Plaid

Moving is hard! Especially when you have kids. It’s not only challenging to manage and organize, it’s also takes emotional toll. We are in the process of moving from Vermont to Texas, with a 2 year old and a 9 week old! We’re only a little crazy.

So I started this particular post almost 2 years ago when we moved to Texas, but life got crazy & I never finished it. Oops! Here we are 2 years later mid-move from Texas to North Carolina, with our now 4 year old, 2 year old, and Baby Girl due in October. If that doesn’t tell you how hectic moving with kids is, I don’t know what will.

We have been in our house on Fort Bragg for about a week now, and things are finally feeling settled. It took about 6 weeks from the time we left our house in Texas to getting our house on Bragg. Yikes! We spent that time bouncing around from hotels, to my in-laws, and even some time with Michael’s brother’s family. We are so grateful for our family’s support during this crazy time.

Here are my top tips for moving with kids.

Make a binder. Keep all receipts, hotel confirmations, moving paperwork (government or DITY), any personal/military paperwork you’ll need (orders, housing, birth certificates, pet’s vet records, etc). You can also keep any packing organization you’ve used (color coded rooms, etc) in this folder. It feels a little over the top, but future you will thank you for keeping everything available and organized.Medical Records. This goes along with #1, but make sure you have immunization records, recent physicals, etc for all of your kids, especially if you’re moving near the beginning of school. Trying to arrange new patient appointments quickly after a move can be a huge added stress. (Trust me on this one. 😅 There’s nothing worse than realizing your kid needs some shots before school starts, but the next available appointment isn’t until a month later.)Prepare for ALL of the emotions (adults and kiddos alike!). Mallory at ditymama.com has the awesome blog post specifically about supporting kids emotionally through the PCS process. If you want more specific strategies, hop on over to my business website to get a Personalized Parenting Plan where we can create a custom plan for your family.Minimize. I love the book Cozy Minimalist Home by Myquillyn Smith, and have been working to apply the principles to all of our living spaces. Having less, more purposeful, things makes moving all of those things much easier. Doing 2 cross country moves in as many years made us really think ‘Is this worth hauling halfway across the country?!’ and if the answer wasn’t a resounding ‘YES!’ we chucked (or donated) it.Breathe. This can be a stressful process. Making time to do the things that center you can make all of the difference. That could be journaling, yoga, meditation, running, making pinboards on Pinterest of your dream home, whatever works for you.

I hope these tips help your move to go smoothly. There will be things beyond your control, but by keeping these 5 things in mind, you can make the process a little bit easier.

Between my 2 boys, I’ve had births and recoveries on both ends of the spectrum. Ted’s birth was traumatic and recovery was slow. Jr’s was smooth sailing, and recovery has been lightning fast! While some of these tips won’t be necessary if you have an easier birthing experience, they are applicable to all mamas postpartum.

• Invest in support garments! Bao Bei makes great bloomers (undies) and leggings to give support to your core. This will not only help you to not feel like your stomach is all over the place, but also help your muscles to recover.

• Ice pads will help reduce swelling and provide relief. Frida Mom makes some premade ones or you can make your own! Instructions below.

• A comfy robe/pjs are a must. You’ll be up at all hours of the day and night, so having something easy to throw on is very helpful. I basically live in my Milkmaid Goods robe until 8am (when we take Ted to daycare) everyday, and longer on weekends.

• Don’t forget about yourself! Ask for help to take a shower, take a nap, or get out of the house. It is SO easy to slip into putting the kids first 100% of the time, but you can’t pour from an empty cup. This is so important to keep in mind always, not just in the 4th trimester.

• Set up diapering stations in the main areas of your home. Depending on the size/layout of your home, the nursery may not be a convenient place to change diapers during the day. We have a basket with diapers and wipes in our living room, bedroom, and nursery. Our bedroom & nursery are on the second floor of our house, and I don’t want to do the stairs every time I need to change a diaper. I also don’t want to wake Ted up in the middle of the night, so we have one next to Junior’s bassinet.

• If you’re breastfeeding, it is also helpful to have some breastfeeding essentials (lanolin, snacks, breast pads, Haakaa pump) in the main rooms of the house.

• Find your tribe! After those first few weeks of chaos, things will start to feel a little more routine. This is the time to reach out, either in person or online, to other mamas who can support you. Maybe you find a Mommy & Me fitness class, made friends in your prenatal class, or you interact with others on social media, whatever works for you. It is so easy to feel overwhelmed and alone, even if you don’t have postpartum depression.

Last, but most importantly, give yourself grace! You just grew a human being! You are amazing! Did you keep yourself alive and happy? Great! Did you keep your baby alive and happy? Perfect! Anything else is extra. Laundry? Extra. Dishes? Extra.

How to make your own ice pads

You need: high absorbency pads aloe vera gel witch hazel optional: essential oil

1. Carefully unwrap pads and flatten them out

2. Slowly pour 2-3 Tbs of witch hazel all over pad, letting it absorb in.

3. Add a few drops of essential oil, then spread an even layer of aloe vera gel.

4. Rewrap in the packaging, then put in a gallon ziplock bag.

5. When bag is full, place in your freezer.

These can be made as far in advance as you like.

Tag: tips

Moving Tips

Postpartum Recovery Must-Haves

How to make your own ice pads