The Best Tips for Moving During the Holidays
We all know moving house can be stressful, in fact, will be stressful. Whether you’ve moved before or just noticed the extremely hassled look on a colleague’s face, moving can be very daunting. There is just so much to do, so many people to tell, so much post to forward and so much stuff to pack!
There are very few things that could make moving more stressful than it already is, but moving at Christmastime is one of them. Christmas is a highly prized time of year and part of its joy is the time out you take to spend at home with your family and friends, all gathering around a fireplace perhaps or watching your favourite Christmas film. So many Christmas traditions are centred around the home and the weeks leading up to Christmas are usually spent making the home spic and span, putting the tree up, displaying Christmas cards, getting the posh silverware out and, of course, putting tinsel absolutely everywhere! By mid-December many of the homes in Britain will have been transformed into festive wonderlands, a place for the family to gather and relax.
Just imagine trying to move house successfully whilst preparing everything for Christmas at the same time – what a nightmare! For those of you who don’t have to imagine we have some tips and tricks to try and help you through this box-filled festive season.
1) Re-prioritise: You may have to adjust your house moving mantra somewhat. Try and make a list of the things you will need for the month after you move in; when moving at Christmas time this list will be a bit different than otherwise. By identifying what objects, bits of furniture, decorations, kitchen goods etc. you will definitely need, you can then pack with your needs in mind. When you pack you can group your essentials into the same boxes. Though it might not make initial sense to separate your essentials from their normal counterparts, you will appreciate it once you’ve moved. When you arrive in your new home with a matter of days until Christmas you will definitely appreciate being able to unpack just your Christmas essentials.
2) Narrow down your rooms: With Christmas approaching and boxes everywhere it’s important to still achieve that sense of space and feeling of home for the Christmas period, and it is possible, even with most of your belongings still in boxes. The trick is to focus on just a couple of rooms, which rooms will depend which ones are most inherent to your Christmas celebrations. For some this will be the living room and the kitchen, for others maybe a bedroom or dining room. Whichever it is choose one or two rooms to focus on, unpack that room until you’re happy with it. Then store the rest of the boxes or unplaced furniture in the rooms you’re less likely to use. That way you will always have at least one space to relax in over Christmas.
3) Ask for help: This may seem obvious but moving at Christmas is one time when you really can justify asking for a bit of help. Any move can always use a few helping box-lifting hands, but especially when you have the added pressure of Christmas looming. Maybe you could persuade a few of your friends to come over and help you pack while you provide seasonal refreshments.
4) Flex your traditions: Lastly, and maybe most importantly, you’re going to have to be prepared to be flexible. No matter how prepared you are, how many all-nighters you pull and how many friends you rope in to help, this Christmas will not be the same as previous ones and any strict traditions you have may have to compromise slightly. The house won’t be as tidy as you like and the oven won’t behave as you’re used to. This doesn’t mean you can’t enjoy this Christmas as much as others, though. Implement the above tips and tricks and maybe warn the kids that a few things might change and your festive season should be just as jolly.
