Moving During the Holidays: What You Need to Know

Happy Holidays!

We've arrived at the end of the year's festivities. Changes are in the air for some of us, including the possibility of relocating to a new apartment during this season. Whether you're moving for military reasons, a career move, or personal reasons, it doesn't always happen at the most opportune times. And, let's be honest, no one wants to pack or move during the holidays.

Surprisingly, more families relocate in the fall and winter than most people think. We understand how stressful moving during the holidays can be. However, we've learned a few things over the years, and we're going to look at how you can have a fantastic move this holiday season while still spending time with your family and friends.

Tips to Follow/Consider When Moving During the Holidays

If you plan your move correctly, there would be no reason to lose your festive enthusiasm. We've put together a list of things to do/consider when relocating during "the most delightful time of the year" to make your upcoming move as merry and pleasant as possible.

Plan as Early as Possible

Moving during the winter months consumes a significant amount of time during an already hectic season. Before you move, determine how much time you have and work backward on your calendar. Ensure you have at least three or four weeks to pack your stuff at your leisure or hire a moving company to assist you. Since the holidays are already hectic, rushing the procedure will just add to the stress.

Schedule a Packing Time to Avoid Burnout

Allow plenty of time to pack, especially if you're relocating around the holidays. Moving takes a lot of time in and of itself, and you'll be slowed down by other duties, not to mention exciting things you want to do. Schedule time to pack while you work on your calendar so the days don't fly by and you're knee-deep in moving boxes when you'd rather be celebrating with your family and friends.

You can start thinking about what rooms you can pack up for the holiday season after you've arranged your holiday calendar. Why not start packing closets and guest bedrooms first if you aren't planning on having visitors over?

Pack Some Holiday Decorations

Holiday decorations, storage items, and other non-essentials aren't considered until the packing process begins for many households. Thus, take a look around your house to see what you'll need over the holidays and what you can save for later.

Christmas decorations, gift wrap, and presents should all be packed separately in clearly labeled boxes. When the movers arrive at your new home, ask them to place these boxes in the main living room. This way, you'll be able to start unpacking your holiday goodies as soon as you get there. While you may not feel like unpacking every single item before New Year's, you could at the very least deck out some festive garland on your new stairwell.

Create Multiple Budget

For a one-bedroom apartment, a local move costs roughly $500, and if you have a larger family, those costs are likely to rise. It's difficult enough to stick to a budget over the holiday season, what with all of the gift-buying and travel costs. When you include in moving costs, such as boxes and movers, you'll likely need to start searching for additional methods to cut costs this season.

To avoid being caught off guard during the winter moving process, create two separate budgets for both Christmas spending and relocation.

Donate What You Don't Need

Purging stuff you don't need is always a good idea when you're moving. Moving during the holidays is a great opportunity to give your unwanted items to a local charity resale store. Although donating your belongings isn't the most thrilling part of moving, it's a good thing to do during the holiday season. You'll not only make your move easier, but you'll also be helping families in need.

Hire a Moving Company

Moving is difficult at any time of the year. It's even more difficult to plan during the holidays, so take the weight off and hire a moving company to do the job for you. Moving professionals can handle packing that would take you weeks in one or two days, and everything will be packed and kept in an orderly, thorough manner to avoid damage. Furthermore, if your moving company is accompanying you on the move, you won't have to be concerned about the protection of your valuables. This is one of the best methods to make a move at any time of the year, but it's especially effective during the holidays.

Timing is Important

When it comes to balancing a move to a new place with Christmas festivities, time is of the essence. Before you get too wrapped up in the phone number dialing and paperwork of your approaching move, we recommend doing your holiday shopping and mailing of cards in November or early December.

Use the opportunity to send cards to inform your friends and family of your relocation, and make sure to add your new address. You should also add your moving date so that friends and family know when you'll be ready to start receiving mail at your new address.

Consider the Weather

On moving day, though, you have no control over the weather. Be prepared for cold – sometimes freezing – temperatures if you're relocating to or from a colder part of the country during the winter months. The holiday season may usher in perilous winter weather conditions, from slippery roads to white-out blizzards, creating serious transportation issues. There are, thankfully, actions you can take to ensure that your winter relocation goes as well as possible.

To deal with difficult weather, make sure you have the right moving supplies and winter-ready clothing. Shovels, boots, hats, gloves, and salt may all be required. Keep an eye out for slick sidewalks and stairwells. Additionally, don't forget to have your new home's heat and electricity turned on before you arrive.

Pros of Moving During the Holidays

To avoid family drama

People often understand that moving logistics take up a lot of time for a few weeks, so you've got the perfect excuse to skip out on horrible dinners or boring parties. Schedule your move during the Christmas season if you can't tolerate going to family gatherings. We do not condone missing out on family reunions. But...we get it.

But honestly, if traveling during the holidays depresses you, the excitement and positive stress of a local move might make this year's Christmas season much more enjoyable.

Access off-season moving discounts

A busy season (typically late summer) and an off-season are common for movers. When it comes to obtaining a moving truck, if you can get out of your lease in mid-December, you won't have much competition. The moving company might be ecstatic to get the job.

Moving during the holidays allows you to save money on everything from hiring movers to renting storage units. Since your vehicle will be less expensive, you'll be able to tack on other services like packing assistance. Alternatively, you might put some of the money you've saved towards furnishing and decorating your new home.

Cons of Moving During the Holidays

It could lead to stress

The holiday season causes a lot of stress for many people. When you add in a major life event like moving (along with any other life changes that may be causing you to relocate), it's easy to feel overwhelmed by your responsibilities. Avoid burnout by keeping track of your time and asking for help when you need it.

Bad weather may cause delays

There's no way to plan every detail of your relocation. Weather, unfortunately, is one of those things that operate on its timetable. Make every effort to be adaptable in the face of any delays brought on by inclement weather. Also, try not to move until the very last minute so that you have some wiggle room in case your moving day has to be rescheduled.

It might affect your budget

Another disadvantage of moving around the holidays is that you're adding a large expense to a season when you may already be dealing with a lot of extra expenses. Make every effort to begin saving as soon as possible before your move (and the holidays). Examine strategies to cut back on your holiday spending in order to hire professional moving assistance and minimize your stress levels.

Conclusion

Allowing a move to ruin your vacation is not a good idea. If you follow these moving guidelines, you'll have a wonderful season, despite what could be a stressful time. Moving should never take precedence over spending time with family and having fun. So keep this in mind: Have a safe move, a beautiful holiday season, and a prosperous new year. Kindly contact us if you are planning to relocate during the approaching holiday season, and we will gladly assist you.