I think we can all agree that relocating during the holiday season isn’t ideal. But it’s not impossible, either. Back in 1991, my family moved from a farmhouse in southeastern Indiana to a ranch across the border in Ohio on Christmas Eve. We all ended up sleeping on the floor that first night but we were all moved in and all under one roof. The house was a great Christmas present that year and is a gift that keeps on giving to this day.
For those of you who are about to find yourselves in a similar situation, I’ve shared a list of tips from Melissa Case for Moving.com below to help make the move as easy as possible.
Get Organized: Case recommends going through every room in the house and parting with things you don’t need or use. You can donate them, post them to Freecycle or sell them on Craigslist. When packing, Case recommends keeping a few things that are meaningful for you at this time of the year and packing holiday decorations last, so you have access to things that give you comfort.
Don’t be Grinch-y: Case says that your kids likely aren’t going to understand the holidays are postponed because of your move, so plan ahead and have some presents for them to open no matter where you are in the moving process.
The “Big Meal”: Case says that if your family is big on tradition and gets together for a big meal each year, head to another family member’s house to eat and bring a dessert from a local bakery or bottle of wine. Wash dishes and relax, she says, and cook for everyone next year.
Leave It All Behind: Case says that you should consider packing your stuff into a container ahead of time and entrust it to your movers while you take a family vacation. Sure, traveling during the holidays can be expensive, but it could be good for your family to relax a little during such a stressful time.
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