Tips for Planning a Holiday Move
Planning a move during the holidays, known as the busiest times of the year, can’t be helped sometimes. The key to any successful move is having a plan, and in this case, having one adapted to colder weather and busier streets. Follow our guide to a clean, quick, and festive holiday move.
Plan Ahead
Any move requires planning, but during the holiday season it’s amped up, as more of it is needed with family visits and get-togethers, office parties, and Christmas shopping–there’s a ton going on. Well before you begin packing that first box, sit down with your calendar/schedule and plan out everything you can—the parties, the move, as much as possible.
Carefully organize and balance each element of your holiday commitments first then turn your thoughts toward the big move. Begin by jotting down everything that needs to happen first: booking movers, buying supplies, packing, etc. and earmark the ones that you can do ahead of the holiday rush.
Get Rid of Stuff
One way to lighten the load is to downsize as much as possible before packing. It might take some time, but by going through clothes, items in the basement and garage, and boxes of stuff in the attic, you can donate what you don’t want or need to charities, especially those more active during the holidays who might even come pick items up from you. Clothing drives, toy drives, even food drives are great ways to help someone in your community who is less fortunate while also making your move easier.
Announce Your New Address With Your Christmas Card
If ever there were a year to start sending out Christmas cards, this is the time. Christmas cards are an easy way to say happy holidays and announce your new address at the same time. Send the cards from your new home with your updated contact information and check this off your to-do list.
Schedule Your Utilities
Though we haven’t necessarily had extremely frigid winters in the Carolinas these past few years, it still definitely gets cold enough to turn on the heat, and if you are moving during the colder months you will want to make sure your heat is on at your new place. Do this by contacting your new utility provider (or the same if you are not moving far) and asking them to turn on your electricity the day before you are scheduled to move into your new place.
Keep Your Delivery Boxes
There is an upside to moving during the holidays: all the gifts you order from Amazon, Walmart, Target, etc. come in boxes and these boxes are exactly what you need for packing! So, any time you make an order and a new box arrives, keep it intact and start using it to box up your goods. Every package delivered to your door is one less you have to buy (assuming, of course, the packages you are buying are for others, not yourself; if you are buying for yourself, and you are able to send packages to your new home, you might want to do that so you won’t have to move them later).
Shirk Hosting Gatherings by Asking Someone Else
Holiday parties are what help make the season so fun, but there won’t be much excitement if you are hosting while in the midst of a move. Consider asking one of your friends or family members if they wouldn’t mind taking over hosting this year. Spending time with loved ones is important and a great way to alleviate stress, so don’t skip the parties–but don’t host them either.
Strategic Packing
Usually, holiday decorations are some of the first to go into the moving truck, but in this case, you want to save them for last when loading so they are the first to be unloaded. Decorating your home is a great way to establish normalcy and create memories with your family, even your pets.
Now, you might want to go ahead and stow away the bigger, more complicated items. If, during the holidays, you tend to dress your house up like Clark Griswold in “Christmas Vacation,” consider scaling it back this year and save the big show for next Christmas when you are fully moved in and comfortable living in your new home.
Get an Early Start
Schedules are always tight during the holidays, so it’s a good idea to get an early start. Packing can take days, even weeks depending on the size of your house and how much stuff you have. And since you most likely won’t have as much free time as you normally would, think about getting an even earlier start than you typically would. You know something unexpected is going to happen that will slow you down, so get to packing a few weeks early. Set aside those things you need every day and get to boxing up the rest. This is the way toward a stress-free move!
Mind the Weather
Getting back to the cold weather again for a moment, be sure and keep your winter clothing accessible. The weather can drastically change within a few days, and you do not want to have to rummage through boxes you have already packed to find something to keep you warm. Keep out some gloves, a hat, and a scarf–the items you might not be using now, but might be thankful for later.
When packing your clothing, keep them free from moisture by packing them in plastic bins rather than boxes. You could also wrap the boxes in plastic bags if you don’t feel like buying bins, but either way is a great idea for keeping anything fabric fresh and dry. Also, for furniture, wrap them with blankets and sheets to help shield them from the rain or snow–you know snow, that white stuff we see around here every four or five years.
Once you are packed and you have done everything you need to for the move and you’ve labeled each box so they tell of their contents and where they go, there is only one more thing to do: move! And your best bet is to let T-N-T Moving Systems take the stress out of that moving day for you. Our professional movers will load the truck and transfer your items, each to the proper room with care. Check out some of our Google reviews–
- “Smooth and timely process throughout! Greatly helped that you could deliver next day after pick up.”
- “Punctual; Friendly and efficient; completed the move in the estimated time. No damage to furniture”
- “Great customer service, prompt arrival of movers, diligence in getting cube packed. Would hire again!”
- “It was simple and easy. The guys did an excellent job moving everything and communicated effectively.”
Call and schedule your movers today! 704-523-1455