Moving is always a stressful time. Whether it’s making sure that you give yourself enough time to prepare, or simply the process of lifting and moving a bunch of heavy boxes and furniture, it can be a lot. When you compound this with the busy holiday season, it can get even worse. Luckily, we’ve compiled 5 moving tips for making moving during the holiday season as stress free as possible.
1. Planning Early
The holiday season is an extremely busy time of year. Whether you’re preparing to host a large Thanksgiving party, or doing lots of holiday shopping, there can be little time for additional stressors and responsibilities. This is why it’s important to start planning your move earlier than for, let’s say, a summer move. Make sure you mark your calendar early and often as things come up so that you know exactly how much time you have to commit to thinking, planning, and executing your move.
2. Creating Multiple Budgets
Moving at any time of the year can be expensive, but your wallet might be more stretched than usual during the holiday season. Holiday gifting expenses can quickly add up! Creating a separate budget for holiday shopping and expenses as well as moving expenses early in the process can help save you money in the long run. If you’re not sure how much your move might be, talking with one of our moving consultants can help you get a better idea of how much everything can cost!
3. Preparing for Harsh Weather
If you’re planning to move around Chicago during the holiday season, there’s a good chance you’ll encounter some harsh weather during your move. Preparing your items for possible inclement weather situations is very important. A snowstorm during the holidays isn’t as nice when you’re trying to haul heavy furniture up a couple flights of stairs and it’s getting your boxes wet. Make sure all your items are covered, and that objects that may get damaged by water are wrapped up. If you need to leave some items in storage while the weather clears up, that is also an option. Also be sure to check the weather forecast as often as you can because Chicago weather can change at the drop of a hat!
4. Making Sure Your Utilities are Squared Away
The worst thing that can happen is that you spend all day moving in heavy boxes and furniture in the biting cold only to find out that your heating and electricity aren’t working. It’s vital that you make sure that all your utilities are up and running before you start to move all your objects in. We’ve had these situations happen before, and they’re never fun. Nobody wants to spend their first night in their new house or apartment fighting off uncontrollable temperatures. Make sure you call your utility providers and make sure everything is squared away before you move.
5. Donating
During moving, you’ll oftentimes find yourself going through clothes, old toys, and even appliances and deciding that you don’t need them anymore. Lots of people throw away old things, but the holidays are a great time to consider donating these items to a local charity or shelter. Who knows; maybe someone could have a good use for that old TV and set of action figures?
How Elite can Help
Those are just a few of the main things to think about when it comes to moving during the holiday season. If you’re still not sure about how to best go about it, Elite can help! Our expert movers are highly experienced in all aspects of moving, packing, and storage. We’ll make sure you have one less thing to stress over during the holiday season. If you’re considering a moving company, consider Elite!