RISMEDIA, December 10, 2009—While everyone else is dusting off Christmas ornaments and Hanukkah candles, are you stressing about your upcoming holiday season move? Moving and getting through the holidays can be challenging enough on their own–combined, they could be even worse.
Relocation.com offers these 10 tips to keep everyone smiling during your December move.
Baby, it’s cold outside! For most Americans (at least those of us not lucky enough to live in Southern California or the Gulf Coast) moving during the holidays means moving in cold weather.
-No matter where you’re moving to or from, don’t pack all your warm clothes away.
-Plan for winter weather by keeping a shovel handy for any last minute snow removal on either end of the move.
-Make sure you have your utilities–especially the heat–arranged in advance in your new home.
A blue Christmas? According to Relocation.com founder Sharon Asher, one of the hardest parts of moving close to the holidays can be the sadness of leaving behind holiday traditions that were associated with your old home. “Finding creative ways to migrate old traditions to your new home can help to ease the emotional difficulties associated with a holiday move, especially for families moving with children,” Asher says.
-As you pack, make sure holiday decorations will be easy to find. When you arrive in your new home, make putting them up one of your first unpacking tasks to make the rest of the moving process cheerier.
-If you’ll be on the road on the day of a holiday, consider planning a mid-move stop at a friend or family member’s home to spend the day celebrating.
-If you’ve moved away from loved ones, use technologies like Skype or Google Video and Voice Chat to keep in touch.
’Tis the season for crowded stores and holiday closures. Plan ahead so that your post-move holiday celebrations don’t get left on thin ice.
-Buy holiday presents before you leave and pack them with the rest of your things, or order gifts online to be delivered to your new house. This will also reassure kids that Santa definitely knows your new address.
-The closer your move is to the holidays, the crazier traffic on roads and in airports is likely to be. Keep this in mind as you’re planning your timeline, and adjust accordingly so you don’t end up doing a “Home Alone”-style airport sprint.
-Once you’ve arrived, take a walk in the winter wonderland and enjoy the hustle and bustle of the holiday season. There are likely to be many holiday-related community events that provide a perfect chance to get to know your new neighbors and hometown.
Last but not least, remember that the holidays are all about family. Moving can be stressful, but relocating as a family can also be a fun new adventure. And if you’re all working to pack, travel and unpack during the holiday season, at least you’ll be spending lots of quality time together.
For more information, visit www.relocation.com.
