Keeping your kids safe in the chaos of moving




Moving day brings with it a variety of potential dangers. Even though your children won’t be doing any of the heavy lifting, they can still get injured on moving day. Some of the potential moving days are dangerous:

• Open doorways that young kids can crawl out of or fall down flights of steps
• Stacks of boxes which can fall on children
• Moving equipment like lifts, dollies, and hand trucks
• Sharp or dangerous tools like box cutters
• Cleaning supplies left out in the open
• Tripping hazards from loose items and pieces of furniture

To avoid any injuries on moving day, follow these tips to keep your kids safe.

Talk to your kids before the movers come
Sit down with your kids and let them know what to expect on moving day. Tell them that it will probably be a bit crazy with people going in and out of the home with heavy boxes. Emphasize how important it is for them to let the movers do their job without interruption.

Stay with your young kids at all times
Even if it is just to go tell one of the movers something for a minute, don’t leave young kids unattended on moving day. They will likely follow you out of the room and could come in a head-on collision with a hand truck loaded with heavy boxes. To make sure your kids are always monitored, take turns watching over them. Or, hire a babysitter or have a neighbor watch your kids on moving day.

Set up a safe room
Designate one room for your kids to stay in during the move. Empty all contents from this room before the movers come, with the exception of a few toys or activities for your kids to occupy themselves.

Put a first aid kit in the essentials box
In case any scratches or cuts occur, have a first aid kit handy in your essentials box, which will get put on the moving truck last and taken off first.

Pack the car the night before
One mistake that a lot of families make when moving is waiting until moving day to pack the car. Then they realize that they have too much stuff and it won’t fit well in the car. This can be a recipe for injuries when small items stacked high in the car come toppling over, or inhibit visibility so accidents are more likely. Pack the car the night before (and don’t over-stuff it!) so you can put any items which don’t fit on the moving truck.