Moving With Kids, Pets, or Elderly Parents: How to Make It Easier for Everyone
Moving With Kids, Pets, or Elderly Parents: How to Make It Easier for Everyone
Moving is one of those life events that affects every member of a household differently. For adults, it’s a logistical challenge. For kids, it can be an exciting adventure or a scary disruption. For pets, it’s a day of confusing noise and chaos. For an elderly parent leaving a home they’ve lived in for decades, it can be one of the most emotional transitions of their life.
The logistics of a move are manageable. The human side of it — keeping everyone calm, safe, and cared for — is what this post is about.
Moving With Young Children
Should Kids Be at the House on Moving Day?
Honestly? It’s entirely up to you.
A lot of moving guides will tell you to send your kids to grandma’s and keep them far away from moving day. And if having them around is going to stress you out, that’s probably the right call. A calmer parent means a smoother move.
But at GoodGuys, we’ve ended more than a few moves playing baseball in a family’s new backyard with the kids. We love meeting the whole family. If your children are part of the day, we’re genuinely happy to have them around. Moving day doesn’t have to feel like a military operation — it can feel like a community event if that’s what your family wants.
That said, here are a few practical considerations:
Safety first. Moving involves heavy furniture, open doors, dollies, ramps, and crew members moving quickly through spaces. Young toddlers who can’t be supervised closely are a genuine safety concern — not because the crew won’t be careful, but because moving equipment and small children in the same space require real attention.
Efficiency matters too. Movers charge by the hour. If the crew is navigating around children in every room, it adds time and cost to your move. If having the kids there means the job takes an extra hour, that’s $150–$300 depending on crew size.
The sweet spot for most families: kids over 5 or 6 who can stay in a designated area or yard are usually fine. Toddlers and infants are better off with a family member or sitter for the day.
How to Help Kids Through a Move
Beyond moving day itself, the transition to a new home is a big deal for children. A few things that help:
Involve them early. Let kids help pack their own rooms, choose where things go in the new space, and feel some ownership over the process. Kids who feel included in the move tend to adjust faster than those who feel like it’s happening to them.
Keep their routine intact as much as possible. Same bedtime, same meals, same rituals. Stability in small things helps when big things are changing.
Set up their room first. When you arrive at the new home, prioritize unpacking the kids’ rooms. A familiar bed, familiar toys, and a space that feels like theirs makes the new house feel like home much faster.
Acknowledge the feelings. If a child is sad about leaving friends or a school, don’t minimize it. Validate it and make a plan — a goodbye party, a promise to visit, a playdate at the new house.
Moving With Pets
Moving Day Is Hard on Animals
Pets don’t understand what’s happening. They just know that strangers are in the house, furniture is disappearing, doors keep opening and closing, and their humans seem stressed. For dogs, this can mean anxious barking or escape attempts. For cats, it often means hiding somewhere impossible to find right when you need to leave.
Our honest recommendation: If it’s logistically possible, having pets somewhere else on moving day — a friend’s house, a dog daycare, a boarding facility — makes the day easier for everyone, including the pet. That said, if your pet is calm and you want them with you, we’re not going to tell you otherwise. We’ll work around them.
Tips for Pets on Moving Day
Designate a safe room. If your pet is staying at the house, set up one room that stays closed and off-limits to the crew — with food, water, a familiar blanket, and a note on the door. This keeps them safe and reduces their exposure to the chaos.
Don’t forget them in the final walkthrough. It sounds obvious, but in the rush of moving day, pets have been left behind. Make sure someone is specifically responsible for loading the pet at departure.
Keep familiar items accessible. Their bed, their favorite toy, their food and water bowls — pack these last and unpack them first at the new home. Familiar smells help animals settle faster.
Give them time to adjust. Cats especially can take days or weeks to feel comfortable in a new space. Keep them indoors initially and let them explore on their own terms. Dogs generally adjust faster but may need extra exercise and attention in the first week.
Moving Elderly Parents or Clients
This is the move that deserves the most care — and the one most moving companies are least equipped to handle well.
The Logistics Are Different
Moving an elderly parent or client often involves a different kind of planning than a standard household move:
Downsizing significantly — a lifetime of belongings going into a much smaller space requires more decisions and more time
Senior living facility requirements — independent living, assisted living, and memory care facilities all have their own move-in policies, elevator access rules, and restricted hours. GoodGuys has worked in senior living facilities across Atlanta at every level of care — independent living, assisted living, and memory care — and we know how to navigate each environment
Physical accessibility — items may need to be arranged specifically for mobility aids, walker paths, or fall prevention
Packing decisions — going through decades of accumulated belongings is emotionally exhausting and can’t be rushed
The Emotional Reality
Leaving a home where someone raised their family, celebrated holidays for forty years, and built a life is not just a logistical event. For some people, it’s a relief — a smaller, easier space, closer to family, less to maintain. For others, it’s a genuine grief. Often it’s both at the same time.
Early in our history, we were on a move with a sweet grandmother who thanked our crew at the end of the day for making her laugh all day long — because she had been sure she was going to cry. That move meant something to us. We went back that spring for family spaghetti night.
That’s what we mean when we talk about a people-first approach to moving. The job isn’t just carrying boxes. It’s being the kind of people that make a hard day feel a little lighter.
How GoodGuys Approaches Elderly Moves
Patience and clear communication. We explain what’s happening and when throughout the day. Nobody likes feeling like things are spinning out of control around them.
Extra care with sentimental items. A chipped mug that’s been in the family for fifty years matters more than a brand-new sofa. We treat it that way.
Moving at the client’s pace. We’re not in a rush. We move at the speed the day requires.
Briefed before we arrive. Every crew member comes to your move having just left a morning meeting with our founders where they’ve learned about your family member, their situation, and what matters most. We show up knowing the context, not just the address.
Practical Tips for Families Managing an Elderly Parent’s Move
Start the sorting process early — weeks or months early if possible. Going through a lifetime of belongings is emotionally and physically draining. Give it the time it deserves rather than compressing it into a weekend.
Let the parent lead as much as possible. Even when it’s slow, allowing an elderly parent to make decisions about their own belongings preserves dignity and reduces the feeling of loss of control.
Be realistic about what fits. Many families try to bring too much into a smaller space. Measure the new space and be honest about what will fit before moving day.
Have a family member present on moving day. Not to supervise the crew, but to be a familiar, comforting presence for the elderly parent throughout a day that can feel overwhelming.
Consider professional packing. For elderly clients, having a team handle the packing is often the most valuable service we offer. It removes the physical strain and keeps the process organized.
A Final Word on People-First Moving
At GoodGuys, we believe a move is about more than furniture. It’s about the people involved — the child who’s nervous about a new school, the dog who’s confused about where her bed went, the grandmother who’s been in her home for forty years.
We’re not a faceless national franchise. We’re a small, locally rooted team that gets briefed on your family before we ever knock on your door. We show up ready to work hard and treat your home — and everyone in it — with real care.
Some of our favorite moments from this job have nothing to do with boxes. They’re the backyard baseball games, the grandmothers who made us laugh, and the families who invited us back for dinner.
That’s the kind of moving company we’re building.
Frequently Asked Questions
Should I send my kids to a sitter on moving day?
It depends on your family. If having them around will stress you out, yes. If you’d rather have them be part of the day, we’re happy to have them there. We’ve ended moves playing baseball with families in their new backyard. Just keep toddlers in a safe area away from moving equipment.
What should I do with my dog or cat on moving day?
If possible, arrange for them to be somewhere else for the day — a friend’s house, daycare, or boarding. If they’re staying home, set up a closed safe room with food, water, and familiar items and keep them there throughout the move.
Does GoodGuys have experience moving into senior living facilities?
Yes — we’ve worked across the full spectrum of Atlanta senior living, including independent living, assisted living, and memory care facilities. We know the move-in policies and access requirements and come prepared.
How do you handle the emotional side of an elderly parent’s move?
With patience, humor where appropriate, and genuine care. We’re briefed on every client before we arrive. We’ve sat with families through hard days and celebrated with them through happy ones. We take the human side of this job as seriously as the physical side.
Can GoodGuys help with packing for an elderly parent’s move?
Yes — our full-service packing is one of the most valuable services we offer for elderly moves. We bring all materials and handle the entire process carefully and respectfully.
Moving with family — in every sense of the word? Get a free estimate from GoodGuys and tell us about your situation. We’ll show up ready to take care of everyone.