Nobody looks forward to the physical act of moving from one place to another. Even if you’re moving to a new locale you’re excited about, or you’ve finally purchased your dream home, the idea of packing up all of your belongings and moving them somewhere new isn’t very appealing to most people.
Moving during the holidays can make everything even more stressful and potentially frustrating. What should be a relaxing time spent with friends, family, and loved ones can quickly turn into a nightmare when you’re moving during the busiest season of the year.
However, there are some things you can do to make moving easier. Moving may not be the best way to spend the holidays, but if you do it right, it won’t take up all of your time and energy this season.
Start Packing Early
Packing up your belongings for a move isn’t the most exciting task. For many people, packing is when any anxiety they have about making a move comes to the forefront. The problem is that the longer you wait to pack, the more stress you’ll likely feel.
That moving-related stress is likely to increase around the holiday season as well. The longer you put off packing, the more you’re going to have to do when holiday parties, gift shopping, and family events come around.
Instead of waiting until the day before moving day, start packing weeks ahead of time. From summer clothing to pieces of cooking equipment you don’t often use, there are a lot of things that can get packed up early without being missed.
Give yourself a break this holiday season and do your packing early. You’ll put less stress on yourself and have more time for the things you really want to do.
For some people, packing an hour per day can be an effective way to manage a move.
Schedule Movers
Not everybody that moves within the same city or even across the country hires movers. If you’re thinking that making the move on your own might be more than you can handle, though, scheduling movers is often an efficient option.
Waiting too long before the holiday season can present some major issues for people looking to move this time of year. Along with busy moving schedules, you have to realize that moving companies tend to slow down since employees want time off as well.
If you do get movers on short notice around the holidays, you can expect to pay a premium for their services. Look to schedule movers at least 30 days ahead of time to avoid scheduling snags and paying a fortune for their services.
Don’t Forget To Celebrate
A lot of adults are happy to skip the holidays completely to get into their new home when they’re not expected to be working on a regular schedule. Kids aren’t likely to feel the same way about moving.
If you have children, make sure you take some time to actually celebrate the holidays, even if you do have a tight schedule. The moving boxes can always wait another day, and you can always order take-out or visit a family member’s home instead of unpacking the kitchen.
Celebrating the holidays can also help you unwind and enjoy yourself after a potentially stressful move.
Moving during the holidays may not be the ideal situation, but if you’re like a lot of people, it’s the time you have available to do it. Moving shouldn’t ruin your holiday season for you and your family, though.
Just make sure you make plenty of time to celebrate and always have a game plan.