Moving With Kids and Pets: A Calm-Day Survival Guide

Moving is stressful enough — add little kids and anxious pets and moving day can feel like herding cats (sometimes literally). The trick is to plan for them before the boxes start moving. Here's how to keep everyone safe and calm.

Line up care for the big day

The single best thing you can do is have kids and pets somewhere else while the heavy lifting happens. A grandparent, a friend, a daycare day, or a pet sitter keeps them out of the path of dollies and open doors — and lets you focus. If that's not possible, set up one safe, closed-off room.

Pack a kid + pet essentials bag

• Kids: snacks, water, a tablet, favorite toys, a change of clothes, diapers/wipes.
• Pets: food, bowls, leash, litter, meds, and a familiar blanket or toy.
• Keep these with you — not packed on the truck where you can't reach them.

Keep one room “normal” until the end

Packing everything at once is what overwhelms little ones. With a two-week tote rental you can pack gradually and keep a child's room or a pet's space set up until the last day, so their world doesn't vanish overnight. Familiar routines = fewer meltdowns.

Safety first on moving day

• Keep exterior doors closed or supervised — pets bolt and toddlers wander.
• Stack and seal totes out of reach; lids stay on so curious hands stay out.
• Watch for trip hazards in walkways as you load.

Help them settle into the new place

Unpack the kids' rooms and the pet's gear first. A familiar bed, favorite toys, and the same food bowls in the new home go a long way toward making it feel safe. Give pets a quiet room to decompress before they explore the whole house.

Less chaos, by design

A move you can spread over two weeks — instead of cramming into one frantic weekend — is so much easier with kids and pets in the mix. We deliver reusable totes to your door and pick them up when you're done, so you can pack at a kid-friendly pace. Reserve your totes or check out our week-by-week moving checklist.