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If you’re going to be moving during the Thanksgiving holiday this year, you may be thinking about how it’s a bad time to do it. Sure, it can be challenging to pick up your life and relocate to another home while the rest of the country is settling down to relax with friends and family. But if you take time to plan for your move and Thanksgiving festivities, then you can minimize your stress and set yourself up for a smooth move. TNT Moving Systems has some tips for how you can do just that!

 

Tips for a Smooth Thanksgiving Move
Whether you are moving across the country or to the other side of town, you will have a lot of seasonal distractions to deal with as you navigate your relocation. Here are some practical tips to keep in mind so to prepare for your relocation with minimal surprises:

Stay Safe
While residential property crime occurs at a lower rate than it used to, the holidays are still a more popular time for burglaries than any other time of the year. In fact, the FBI states that about 400,000 burglaries occur in the U.S. during the months of November and December. With that in mind, you will want to take precautions to prevent a break-in as you transition into the next chapter of your life during the Thanksgiving season.

Your first step should be to install a quality security system into your new home; ideally, you can do this before you arrive, but you at least will want to take care of it shortly after moving in. There are many smart home security systems that can be installed DIY, but if you opt for a system that requires professional installation, you will want to coordinate with the security system provider three or four weeks before your relocation to set up a day and time for installation.

 

Make a Budget
It’s no secret that there are supply chain problems in this country. This has pushed many consumers to purchase Christmas gifts earlier than usual this year to ensure they can give their packages to loved ones on December 25th.

If you are already purchasing Christmas gifts, you will need to pay special attention to strategizing your budget for moving. Plus, you will need to consider any travel expenses you will be incurring over Thanksgiving. And moving comes with various costs, whether it’s professional moving services, moving supplies, setting up utilities in your new home, or any other expenses. Now is the time to figure out how to tighten your belt a little bit!

If possible, look to schedule professional movers to help you during the week, as weekdays tend to bring lower rates than weekends. Also, try to move a few days prior to Thanksgiving so that you can ensure that your movers are working with a full staff. However, if this is not possible, you can still get moved; you just might have to allow for a little more patience!

Something else you can do to trim your moving budget is to find low-cost moving supplies. For example, you can often find moving boxes at places like liquor stores, Craigslist, business offices, and other establishments that regularly recycle cardboard. Additionally, see if you can find some old towels, blankets, and newspapers to use for packing your belongings instead of having to pay for bubble wrap.

 

Check the Timing
Professional movers have responsibilities during the holidays, just like you do, which means that they can be quite busy during Thanksgiving. If you are wanting to work with a reliable moving company like TNT, you will need to book our services as soon as you can. Know that if you choose to relocate during Thanksgiving weekend, the rates could be higher than if you move before or after the weekend.

If you are executing a DIY relocation, you will want to factor in local traffic wherever you are traveling. Black Friday is one of the biggest shopping events of the year across virtually all industries. This means that the highways will be crowded with shoppers and travelers taking advantage of brick-and-mortar retail specials. Furthermore, Thanksgiving Day is one of the least convenient times to travel long distances because heavy traffic is almost guaranteed.

 

Declutter Like a Pro
Planning a move is an excellent opportunity to declutter your belongings. For one, you have to declutter so that you can efficiently pack for your relocation. Decluttering can also do wonders for helping you to simplify your life and reduce stress. Take advantage of this opportunity to make your relocation and life in your new home less complicated by purging and organizing your belongings.

Go through everything you have in your closets, garage, kitchen, and all other spaces. Separate each of your items into one of four piles: keep, sell, donate, or trash. For the items you want to keep, consider getting a headstart on your move by neatly packing them into boxes for the moving trucks. For the stuff that you are not ready to get rid of, but are not ready to take to your new home, find a safe and secure, temperature-controlled storage facility near your new home.

When it comes to unwanted, gently-used items, consider selling them to earn funds for your moving budget. If you want to get the most for your time and effort, look to online marketplaces. Facebook Marketplace, eBay, and Craigslist remain some of the best overall platforms for selling a wide range of used products. If you are trying to get rid of clothing, you might try to sell on Poshmark or ThredUp. And for tech devices, a destination like Decluttr can painlessly connect you with interested buyers.

If you would like to benefit your community, or simply don’t have the time and energy to list all of your belongings online, then consider donating your items to a local charity. Organizations like Habitat for Humanity offer free pickup for furniture, as long as the pieces are not severely damaged. And nonprofits like Salvation Army and Goodwill are always open to receive drop-offs of almost any type of household item you can think of.

 

Strategize the Packing
Whether you are still planning to host Thanksgiving this year or simply don’t want to miss out on having a festive living environment, be sure to pack up some of your fall decorations so that you can easily access them when you first arrive in your new home. While you’re at it, throw some of your Christmas decor in there! You can ask your movers to put your decoration boxes in the living room when they get to your new home so that you can unpack your festive belongings first. If it’s too stressful to include all your decorations, keep it simple by packing one box of your most treasured decor.

As you pack the rest of your belongings, be sure to pack a box of essential items that you will need during the first few days in your new place. This includes any kitchen utensils or tools necessary for cooking and eating meals, as well as your mattress and bedding. If you are moving with kids, you will want to make sure their bedrooms have whatever they need to sleep and play comfortably as you unpack the rest of the house. And of course, you may want to unpack your TV and other tech devices so that your family can stay entertained during the transition.
Moreover, when packing, organize all of your items by room and clearly label each box so that you know where everything goes when you arrive at your new home. This will make it much easier and quicker to unpack, and it will allow you to organize efficiently as you set up your new home.

 

Consider the Weather
There is no way to control the weather on the day you are scheduled to move—particularly if you are moving in or out of the midwest, northeast, or other frigid areas of the country. You should prepare accordingly for relocating during Thanksgiving. You could run into icy highways, blizzards, or any number of other winter conditions during your relocation. And these issues tend to happen frequently during the holiday season.

Still yet, you can have a successful move while keeping everyone safe during the process as long as you take precautions. For example, make sure that you have any winter clothing and accessories necessary to stay warm during cold weather. You will need the appropriate moving supplies as well, especially if you will be doing everything yourself.

Some common items to keep handy include coats, thermal pants, winter hats, boots, gloves, shovels, and salt. Invest in some waterproof plastic bins to store these items. Also, make sure the heat and electricity are working in your new home before you get there; you may want to double-check with the utility companies prior to your move. And as you are moving items in and out of the moving truck, take care not to slip on pavement, stairs, or sidewalks.

 

Plan for Your Family
Lastly, if you have children, you will want to make sure you help them smoothly transition during this period. Obviously, Thanksgiving falls in the middle of the school year and you will need to ensure any essential school records and other documents are transferred to your child’s new school before they start. This includes their report cards, transcripts, immunization records, and anything else your child’s new school requires for them to attend.

Your child’s old school will likely provide you with all of the information you will need to know on how to smoothly transfer all of the required documents. But you have to consider the schools are typically closed during Thanksgiving, so be sure to contact the schools before Thanksgiving break!

 

Hosting a Post-Move Thanksgiving
There’s no getting around the fact that Thanksgiving is not an ideal time to move homes. Chances are you have more than one event or activity planned to celebrate the holiday, not to mention normal life obligations that take up a lot of your time. But sometimes, you don’t get to choose when you move!

Nonetheless, you can still host Thanksgiving in your new home this year. Consider these simple tips that will help you plan for an enriching time with family and friends after your relocation:

 

Pack Your Thanksgiving Stuff
When you are relocating during Thanksgiving, you will want to ensure that all of your kitchen items are packed together. Even if it requires more than one box, make sure that you organize all of your knives, forks, spoons, plates, serving platters, gravy boats, cups, table cloths, and anything else you will need for hosting a spectacular Thanksgiving dinner. And if you have children, you will want to make sure they stay entertained during the festivities, which means you should pack their favorite toys, games, and books for them to enjoy as you get settled in and prepare for your party.

You might consider packing your fragile kitchen items separately and wrapping them in bubble wrap, packing paper, and any other materials that can protect them from getting broken or damaged. All of your boxes and bins with Thanksgiving items should be labeled as such so that it is clear what they are when you arrive at your new home. Simply tell the movers where you want them to be placed in your new home, and they will know to use extra care when handling them.

 

Unpack What You Will Need
This might sound like the simplest tip here, but it can be one of the most difficult to pull off! You will likely be motivated to unpack as many things as you can so that you can organize your new home quickly after arriving. But if you are hosting Thanksgiving, you may want to narrow your focus to that single event.

Only unpack the items you will need for the dinner and other activities your family and friends will be enjoying on Thanksgiving. Once everything is set up, you can unpack and arrange other areas of your home if you have extra time. And of course, you can always use paper cups, plates, and other disposable supplies if you want to simplify your responsibilities!

 

Plan Your Menu in Advance
Finally, the better you plan your Thanksgiving meal, the less stressful it will be to prepare it. Despite what people expect from you, consider your situation this year and be realistic with what you can do without becoming overwhelmed. For example, if you don’t feel like cooking an entire Thanksgiving meal by yourself, consider arranging a potluck dinner where everyone brings an item. Or, you could even order takeout or dine at a local restaurant.

Along with considering your move-in date, remember that you will probably be exhausted from the relocation process, and preparing a whole Thanksgiving dinner could steal all the joy away from what is meant to be a special time.

Talk with your relatives to get their opinions so that you can come up with a good compromise between balancing family traditions and maintaining a low-stress dinner. Research the restaurants in your area, as many serve traditional Thanksgiving entrees, sides, and desserts. You’ll want to place your order several weeks in advance to make sure the restaurant can accommodate your group.

 

Conclusion
Yes, you’re going to have a busy holiday season. But the more you plan and strategize your move, the less stressful and enjoyable your Thanksgiving holiday will be. Consider the tips above as you prepare for the next chapter in your life. Above all, remember to enjoy the time together with your friends and family, and don’t hesitate to reach out to TNT moving systems if you need professional services to help with your relocation!