How to Move Houses When You’re Pregnant

Moving houses and having a baby are 2 important moments in anyone's lives, but there is no reason why either of them should cause you stress - even if they’re done at the same time. At Rent-A-Store we help families move with ease every day so be sure to follow our tips below to ensure that you move to your new home with as little worry as possible! Before moving and packing, be sure to speak to your OBGYN to ensure that you’re not taking on too much and that your body and baby will be able to handle the stress of moving at this phase of your pregnancy.

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Plan, plan, plan

Once you find out that you’re pregnant and will be moving, the first thing we suggest doing is planning every step of the move as soon as possible. Consider sorting and packing items that you don’t need until you’ll be in your new place to get them out of the way. It will also be helpful to start sorting out wardrobes, cupboards and draws to pack or donate. You can also make a projected timeline based on the arrival of your baby and when you will be in your new space to have a clearer idea on when the master bedroom, nursery, bathroom and kitchen should be ready in the new home. Ideally, you’d want the main areas to be sorted before you move in so that you can relax as soon as possible. Essentially, the further ahead that you can plan at this stage of your pregnancy, the better!

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Get a ‘moving book’

Pregnancy brain is a real thing but there are some steps that you can take to ensure that nothing slips off your radar. Once you plan out the timings of the move and the moving company that will help, then get a dedicated notebook and pen specifically to jot down all of the information pertaining to the move. Write down important information like what items you specifically want in the main rooms to ensure that whoever is helping you set up the space, knows exactly what is needed when moving in. It is also handy to write down the details of your moving company, a main to-do list (like moving your mail to the new address, sorting out a forwarding address, letting neighbors know where you’re moving to and so on).

Your moving book will also come in handy when writing down important dates and information for the new home like whether you will be painting (you definitely don’t want to be there for at least 2-3 weeks after), if the place needs to be fumigated and to steer clear if there will be any building or renovations going on.

Store now, sort later

Renting a storage unit while moving is probably the biggest thing that you could do to help make your move easier. Whether your new home is bigger or smaller than where you currently are, getting a storage unit to place all of the “in-between” items that you're not too sure about can take a big weight off of your mind and help to keep you calm! Chances are that by now, you already know what you will be needing within the next few months and what you can do without for now. Does thinking about repacking and rearranging your bookshelf send you into a spin? Store it all for now!

Think of your storage unit as a space where you can leave the more stressful items for a time when you’re ready for them. Not sure where you’re going to pack your pre-pregnancy or out of season clothes just yet? Store now and sort out later! We suggest hiring a storage unit near your new home or even better, one that serves as a midpoint between the old place and the new one. It is also worthwhile to think about the size you need. If the unit is going to serve a midpoint for your move, then you might not need a very big space. At Rent-A-Store, we offer various sizes to suit your needs and what’s more, you can book the unit online, saving you some time to focus on the move!

Delegate rather than do

Delegating tasks is just as important as doing them! Just because you can't bend, pick up things or walk around too much doesn't mean that you can’t be part of the moving process. As a delegator, you will not only be in control but will be able to guide the move without feeling frazzled, plus your moving book will certainly come in handy at this stage! This also gives you time to plan out how you want the rooms to look and enables you to rest as much as possible before the baby arrives!

Trust us, you’ve got this! For more helpful moving advice or to book a storage unit near you, be sure to visit this page.