Making Your Holiday Move Easier
So you’ve purchased a home during the off-season. Maybe you got a great deal, or maybe you needed to move for work; now you’re faced with the logistics of moving during the holidays. It’s almost like such things are exactly why real estate isn’t often bought and sold around this time of year…
We’re not judging, mind you. We’re sure you have your reasons. What we are here to do, though, is help you navigate through the added stress of moving during the holidays, which are stressful enough on their own.
Speaking of which, so is moving in general. That’s why it’s important to be organized and use some of the same techniques you’d use any other time of the year. The only difference is, maybe this year you can actually look forward to the in-laws visiting so you can put them to work!
Don’t procrastinate.
Seriously. Moving is never a last-minute job, even under ideal circumstances. You may know a few people who pulled it off at the last second, but they’ll probably tell you they’d never do it again (or they’re a college student who could fit everything they own into the back of a pickup truck).
Start early and be organized about it. This would be important for any move, but it’s doubly so now. You’ve got office holiday parties and Christmas pageants to go to in between all your moving, so you’ve precious little time to waste as it is. Get a list together, and prioritize efficiency. Pack up the things you don’t use much first, and save the everyday items for last.
Color-code your boxes.
Again, this is the way to have a hassle-free moving experience no matter what time of the year you move, but you don’t want to hit any snags here. There are a couple of ways you can go about color-coding, but the easiest way to do it is by room, and then further categorize boxes by type. In other words, while the boxes containing Tupperware and pots and pans should each bear the color designating them as kitchen items, they should also have a separate designation for what exactly the boxes contain.
Get creative and get your friends and family into the holiday spirit.
We’re being dead serious. Tell your family you don’t want anything for the holidays except a helping hand with your move (you’ll soon find out who among them really loves you). It’s easy to write a check and it’s easy to give someone a nice Keurig coffeemaker, but putting in some manual labor is truly an example of giving in the holiday spirit.
You might try a sort of holiday moving party, or doing the heavy lifting yourself beforehand and asking friends and family to help you with the last bit – so instead of a housewarming party, it might be a holiday/housewarming/organizing party. Don’t be cheap about it, either; offer good food and booze and you’d be surprised at how many people might find it fun to help you set up your new home and then have a long party afterwards!
And, on the plus side, if you tell the in-laws you’re moving over the holidays, they just might stay away this year!
For more perspectives on the practical aspects of being a homeowner over the holodays, check back with us each week as we post new blogs and be sure to sign up for our Priority Access List for advance listings and market updates. We’ll see you next week, and in the meantime, don’t forget that you can also keep up with us on Facebook and Twitter!
– Get It Right Solutions