Moving can always be a little stressful. Whether you have been in a home a long time or a short while, going through all your items and packing can be the least favorite item on your moving list. At the holidays though, the idea of packing up a home can be very overwhelming. If you find yourself in relocation mode right now, I have a few tips to help make your move easier.
Get moving quotes and make reservations early. This is huge for cutting out stress. Holidays mean short staffs and reduced work time for many movers. To make sure equipment and drivers are available when you need help moving, place your reservation as early as possible. It may cost more to move on some days than others, so for best prices, discuss holiday peak times with your movers. If you need to receive your shipment before the holidays, ask about guaranteed transit or expedited services. Also spend some time looking for discounts, coupons, or specials your movers might have the in local papers. ,
Consider moving help alternatives. Rather than only looking into truck rentals, consider moving containers with storage options and flexible load and unload schedules, like a Pack Rat. This is convenient when you want to reduce the pressure to load or unload quickly. In fact, if you need a break before unloading the entire shipment, you can start with holiday decorations and necessities and save the rest for later. If your budget allows, you can get more help moving by hiring labor to do all the packing and loading or just some of it. Combining moving labor with a self-move is often a money saving alternative to full service movers. If you are coming across a lot of items in your home you don’t want to move, but need to get rid of, you can save time by hiring a junk removing company, as opposed to taking everything to a charity or dump yourself.
Purchase gifts online and have them shipped directly to your friends and family. With the clutter of moving boxes, it might be tough to add a slew of gifts to the chaos and traveling to relative’s homes might be out of the question. If so, consider purchasing gifts online and shipping them directly to a relative’s home or your new home – wherever you will be celebrating the holidays. Not only is this more convenient, it also means less moving boxes, which results in a money-saving opportunity. In most cases, the less you move, the less you pay.
Decorate with less. Although it is nice to have all of your decorations out for display, consider paring them down while in the midst of moving. Choose those decorations that hold the most tradition and meaning for your family, and pack the rest in moving boxes ready for the movers to ship to your new home. You could even consider doing “green” decorations, like with all evergreen boughs and wreaths, so that you an still decorate a lot, but none of it will need to be packed up and moved when the big day comes-it can be recycled into mulch by your town’s yard waste pick up.
Pack holiday essentials separately. Have everyone put their holiday “must haves” together in specially labeled boxes. Then load these boxes last. That way the decorations, fuzzy slippers, hot cocoa, cameras, holiday music and other special items are easy to locate right away on arrival. You won’t have to unload everything and dig through moving boxes to find just what you need. Wardrobe boxes are well suited for a small tree with trimming and traditional favorites. You can also have a huge decorating party with your family at your new house as you unpack all your holiday items.
Make it a fun family adventure. Incorporate your favorite traditions in new ways. Spend the day in your pajamas rather than unpacking clothing from the moving boxes. A tree in the corner of an otherwise empty room becomes even more special. Camp out in your new living room rather than moving the furniture in. It can wait until another day. Hang on to your traditions and maybe create some new ones. You may find that “different” can be special and memorable.
Moving over the holidays may not be the best scenario but it can be an opportunity to embrace change and adventure together as family. Making the most of a potentially stressful situation can make this holiday season your best one yet and if you have questions about moving to Pittsburgh, would like to browse the Pittsburgh MLS or take advantage of the Jim Dolanch Relocation Guide, simply contact me. I am here to help make sure your holiday move is successful.
Until next time,
Jim
