Managing a Move Over the Holidays

Moving is a chaotic experience on its own, but move over the holidays when you’re busy with holiday parties, gift buying, meal preparation and planning, and more adds a whole other level of stress. It’s certainly not ideal, but sometimes it has to be done, and you may find yourself unable to avoid moving during the holiday season.

There are ways to reduce your stress and get through both your move and the festive season while keeping a level head, though. Read our advice and use our tips to help you successfully juggle both of these events simultaneously.

Hire Professionals

From organizing services and move managers like NEATSPACES to movers, hiring professionals can help share the load and reduce your stress. It helps to know that some or part of your move is being managed by experienced people who know what they’re doing and how to handle any unforeseen circumstances.

Even if you have friends or family who don’t mind helping out with your move, they may be busy or have scheduling conflicts with so many gatherings and festivities at this time of year.

Take Your Time

During this time of year, calendars can fill up quickly. Hire your professional help early, and if you can’t hire professional move managers, be sure to take time to get organized early on. Make a list of what needs to be done — from finding boxes for your move to gift shopping for loved ones — and block off time to do it, and be sure to factor in a little extra time to give yourself breathing room.

Being prepared will allow you to still get some festive joy in rather than scrambling at the last minute looking for wrapping or packing paper and stuffing things into boxes.

Avoid Hosting if You Can

If you’re the person who usually hosts family events or holiday parties, it might be a good idea to pass those duties off this year. Even if you do it every year, party planning is a hectic and stressful process between decorating, shopping, food prep, and entertaining, and it’s not something you need to combine with the stress of moving.

While you can still lightly decorate your home to put you in the festive spirit, it will be easier to get and stay organized if you leave most of the decor packed away this year rather than pulling it all out for festivities and parties. The same goes for meal preparation. While you can still make a special dish, it’s better to be able to pack away rarely used cooking equipment early on rather than leaving it all out to cook a big meal while you’re trying to pack up your house.

Enjoy Yourself

While moving during this joyful time of year isn’t the perfect scenario, there are some benefits. The extra time off during the holidays allows for more time to pack or unpack and get settled in. You might not be able to celebrate exactly like you usually do, but remember that you’ll be able to get back on track next year. So, grab some eggnog and prepare to toast to the holiday season and your new home.