By Julie DeLong, A-1 Freeman Moving Group
One thing before we go into all the reasons to stay put through the New Year--while Covid is the bogeyman in the shadows, these points are evergreen--just this year, you might want to avoid travel and being around new people as much as possible.
Yes, moving companies do work during the holidays, but their teams also take time off. In the best of times, you must book your movers several weeks in advance; from late November through early January they are working with a smaller staff, just like everybody else. So, wait until everybody is back on the job to schedule your trek. If you are dead set on moving in late December, make sure to get it on your professional mover’s schedule sooner than later.
Families will travel over the holidays this year, no matter what the CDC says. But families who might ordinarily fly are opting to drive this year--airlines have severely curtailed flights, making flying anywhere a challenge. Driving means more time on the road and overnights on the road, so expect hotels to be booked. Hotels along interstates and busy highways are busier than you might think over the holidays anyway, which means the nightly rates skyrocket. Unless you've already locked in your booking, expect to pay a premium for rooms right by ice machines and elevators.
The way 2020 is going, there may well be hurricanes in the gulf and blizzards in the Midwest competing for the Weather Channel's attention. Snow and ice are always a threat during the winter months, and you need a Plan B in case a storm comes your way while you're in the middle of moving. During the holidays you're running on heightened emotions and adrenaline even when you're not moving, so why would you pile on the stress of a move? The last thing you need is for the stockings that you had planned to hang by your new chimney with care to be held up by a freak ice storm, so stay put, hang the stockings, and deal with the boxes later.
Finally, since this is your last Christmas in your old home, take the time to enjoy it. Decorate your house as usual, bake the cookies and the turkey, and do all the things that are your traditions. The holidays are rife with nostalgia, anyway, so don't sweep all those feelings under the rug just because you're moving. I wouldn't recommend wallowing in every single memory (this is where the tree fell off the roof of the car), but definitely give yourself and your family the space to stroll down memory lane as much as they like. Spend time with friends, hang your stockings, and when it's all over, pack up like you always do.
Here's a bonus--this is your chance to throw out all your ratty old decorations and dim bulb strands--you surely don't want to move that!
Bottom line? Moving and the holidays are stressful. Separate your stress by putting off your move until the last bit of tinsel goes and you've got another year of good memories behind you. When you are ready to make your next move, our professional movers are ready to help. Contact us today!
Request a free quote
