6 Things I Learned Moving Cross Country With Twins

Last updated on September 28th, 2021 at 01:58 pm

In the past decade my husband and I have lived in six states, spanning the country from California to New Hampshire. So packing a moving truck and venturing to new locations is old hat for us. Our nomadic lifestyle has given us great adventures while learning about different regions of the country. However, adding two toddlers to our cross country move was a new level of excitement and difficulty. Honestly it was a bit humbling as well. Should you find yourself moving cross country with your family take a deep breath and start the preparations early.

1. Begin the conversation in advance.

Teaching our nearly two year old girls to say “New Hampshire” was a fun way to get them thinking and talking about the move in a positive way. This was a big word for them and they were excited and proud to tell our friends about the big truck to New Hampshire. We found that books geared toward their attention span/reading interests guided the process and helped us think about it from their perspective. Boomer’s Big Day is from the dog’s perspective and really worked well for the initial introduction. Moving day was a very simple run down of the general process for moving and the girls requested this the last few days in the old house. I am convinced that front loading the positive parts of the move kept the girls from following suit when I broke down saying goodbye to their best friends.

2. Hire a babysitter

Use babysitters to give yourself time to pack without the “help” of your little ones. I was very spoiled for the first two years of parenthood. We had three amazing babysitters living on our block. Time with the babysitters gave me a chance to pack without my girls trying to unpack everything I packed, and it was a good way to savor the great friendship with quality babysitters. I actually let the babysitters choose their own hours and then worked in a different area while they were with the twins. My girls think of their babysitters as their best friends, so time with babysitters felt like a treat (not to mention the fact that I couldn’t ask for better role models for my girls).

3. Clear out!

For us the good resale shops were far away, my husband worked during prime garage sale hours, and we could only post so much online. Which meant that we did more hand me downs and donations than earning money for our items, but for us the headache wasn’t worth the possible payout. I also started cooking based on what was left in the kitchen, no need to buy olive oil in the last few weeks at a house when you can melt butter. It can be a disappointment to realize that kids have outgrown clothes you packed or that you bothered to pack the lotion that irritates your little ones’ eczema.

4. Pack with sleeping, baby proofing, and eating in mind

I walked into our new house and immediately panicked at the sight of stairs that opened directly into the kitchen, no railing or safety precautions to keep my climbers on the stairs, rather than traversing onto the top of the refrigerator. It wasn’t until we had the girls’ room baby proofed and the gate in constant use on the stairs that I started to relax and plan for the big picture. We didn’t get the girls’ high chairs unpacked immediately, but we had boxes and little chairs, so we let them eat a few meals at a makeshift table without their high-chairs. They loved the change in scenery and l dealt with a few extra spills until things were more organized.

5. Avoid long drives with young children if possible

We learned that my husband’s desire for efficient road trips and the needs of young children do not line up well during our 8 hour trek for Thanksgiving last year. Rather than turning a 37 hour drive into a week of hotels and driving, we decided to have the girls fly to grandma’s for a visit while dad drove the moving vehicle for the first 24 hours of the trip. Two long days in the car was manageable, but I think more would’ve left us with unhappy campers, adults included.

6. Improvise as needed

The first way we improvised was adjusting our expectations for the transition. Communicate with your family if screen-time limits or snacking options are changing to keep the sanity. We also learned that the bed is less important than the stuffed animals, blankets, books, and routines when it comes to getting little ones to sleep in a new place. We had gotten used to sleeping in new situations such as hotels and grandma’s house, so having a sleepover without their regular beds the first night was a good compromise for exhausted parents.

With thoughtful preparation and a positive attitude you can make moving cross counrty feel like an exciting new adventure rather than an overwhelming chore. Kids are eager to learn and explore, so let them take the lead a bit find the joy in the process. This move has reminded me a favorite quote, “Life is a journey, not a destination” (Ralph Waldo Emerson). Enjoy the learning opportunities for yourself and your kids in everything you do, including moving cross country.

Becca Heldreth is mother to 18 month old fraternal twin girls. She has a master’s degree in education and is currently able to teach from home. Her class of two toddler girls and one dog is quite an adventure. Lessons are certainly more focused on sharing and petting the dog gently than on factoring polynomials. Becca and her husband pass along their passion for the outdoors to their twins through trips to the bouldering room, hiking trails, and bike rides.