Moving during the holidays

The holidays are right around the corner and if you are concerned about your upcoming move interfering with family tradition, worry no more! Moving during the holidays doesn’t have to break the bank or ruin the holiday spirit. There is no doubt that this big transition during a significant time of the year can and will alter business as usual, but it does not mean you can’t have fun and enjoy this time with family and friends. Read our helpful tips for moving during the holidays to better prepare for your big holiday move.

• Get help from professional movers

As with any other move, planning in advance is highly advised. Planning an entire move during the holidays can be especially stressful. Shopping for presents, attending school functions and work parties, all while planning for your upcoming move is daunting, to say the least. With so much already on your mind, hiring professional movers to coordinate and plan your move can alleviate a lot of the stress and worry, giving you more time to experience more of the joy the holidays bring. Lock in a date with the movers of your choice well in advance to ensure availability. Holidays tend to get busy for the moving industry as most are off on holiday breaks from school and work. Enlisting the help of professional movers does not relieve you from all moving responsibilities. There are minor, but equally important details you will still have to tend to.

• Sort and purge

Whether or not you hired full service movers to do all of the packing, you will still have to sort and purge each room to avoid taking all of the unnecessary objects to your new home. You will save money and much needed time it will take the movers to pack. Go through every room sorting items to keep, sell or donate. Engage everybody to help with this process, especially your kids. Make it fun and festive with small breaks to enjoy family time.

• Moving with children?

Moving can be an especially stressful time for your children, especially young ones. They are not going to understand the changes in your holiday routine due to moving. Try to keep some of your family traditions going as much as possible. Be sure to plan ahead and have some presents for them to open, no matter where you are in the moving process. Moving with children during the holidays also has its benefits. They will be off from school and won’t have to miss any classes. If they are changing schools, be sure to have handy all of their school and immunization records, as you will need them soon after the move.

• Holiday Season = Inclement Weather

As a general rule of thumb, be sure to keep an eye on the weather well in advance to your move day. This will give you an idea of what to expect and better prepare. The holiday season brings all kinds of mud, snow and slush. You don’t want the movers to track all of this dirt and debris into your house, even if you are moving out. Protect your carpets and floors by covering them with plastic drop cloths. Keep the sidewalks and driveway clear. Keeping your sidewalks shoveled when movers are carrying heavy boxes and furniture in or out of your house is especially critical.

• Holiday spirit

Putting up traditional holiday decorations as soon as you move may be a difficult task to achieve. Pick a few special holiday decorations to unpack as soon as you arrive. Stockings and lights, for example, are a quick and easy way to help create a joyous, holiday environment. If possible, transport these items yourself for an easier, quicker access at your destination. Take time to enjoy the holidays and don’t stress over unpacking your entire home. You’ll have plenty of time to unpack after.