Pros and Cons of Moving During the Holiday Season

Moving is not an easy task. You have a ton of things to accomplish and consider. It doesn’t matter if you аre relocating across the street or the country; timing is everything. So here is an interesting suggestion: Why don’t you move during the holiday season? Generally, this is not something that professional removals will advise. However, it has many benefits. And let’s not forget that there are cases when your relocation is necessary, and you have no other option. That is why we decided to showcase the strong and weak points of moving during the holiday season and help you get the most out of this experience.

Pros of Relocating During the December Holiday Season

We promise, there are positives in house moving during the holidays. Some may sound silly at first, but the moment you start packing, you will appreciate them.

You Won’t Break the Bank

Summer, spring, and autumn are the busiest seasons for moving businesses. Relocating over the holidays could save you money if you have a limited budget. The need for professional moving services has largely decreased in December, so it will be fairly easy to find a company. On top of that, to boost sales, some businesses offer special deals and bundle packages.

Last-minute Relocations Are a Thing

The low need for removal services creates opportunities for you. Since businesses are not busy and their moving schedules are almost empty, you can easily organise a last-minute relocation. Usually, you would need to wait at least a couple of weeks to get a spot with the more reputable movers. However, Christmas is the dead season. It will give you the freedom to choose whichever company you want.

You Can Be Picky

Since the majority of movers have little to no bookings, you can be picky and choose the right house removal company you want to work with. On top of that, the removal consultants can spend more time planning with you. As a result, you can have a 5-star experience and expert advice, and you don’t have to compromise with your service selection.

You Don’t Have to Use Your Vacation Days

Nothing is more difficult than trying to relocate while juggling your workload. It is not always possible to take a few days off, and even if you are fortunate enough to have some paid time off, that is not how you had pictured using it. Thankfully, in most countries, the December Holidays are official holidays meaning you are not supposed to work on those dates. With that in mind, you will have plenty of time to organise everything and complete all tasks without spending even one of your paid vacation days.

There Is no School or Uni

And that is a big perk, as now you have extra helping hands. The more people you can involve, the faster you will pack and unpack. Thus, you will have more time to relax afterwards. You can even enlist some of your friends or relatives. The majority of them will be off work, so you might be able to entice them to help with the promise of a tasty home-cooked meal.

No Car Traffic

Generally, the traffic during the holiday weeks is scarce, there are fewer conjunctions, and it is pretty uncommon to encounter a closed road due to construction. You will be able to transport your belongings way faster. Some parking and toll rules are applicable only during work days and not on national holidays. So, free parking for everybody!

Do Some Good Deads This Holiday Season

This one isn’t directly connected to saving time or money, but rather, you will collect some sweet karma points. Usually, when packing, you sort your belongings and throw away anything you don’t want or need. Well, now you can make somebody smile by donating all those items. It is Christmas after all, embrace the spirit of giving and try to downsize your move as much as possible.

Have a Memorable Chrismas

If you absolutely do have to relocate during the holidays, use the time to create some unique memories. It is not every year that you get to celebrate Christmas on the road so get creative and adventurous. Decorate your car, make a tree from your moving boxes, and have a candle dinner on a blanket on the floor. Use the relocation as a teaching moment and show your kids that with the right attitude every situation can be a positive one.

Avoid the Crazyness

What is more stressful: to relocate during the holidays or to host the Christmas dinner? Be honest. When it comes to stress, the latter is way worse than the former. Use your house move as a cover-up and avoid the noisy relatives, drunk friends and piles of dishes. You can celebrate the holidays with the people you want, the way you want. If you do attend a gathering or a party, nobody will expect you to bring home-cooked dishes and sweets, and everybody will understand if you have to leave early. Now that is what we call a win.

Cons of Relocating During the Holidays

It is time to talk about the downsides of moving during Christmas. If we compare them to the positives, the negatives are less, so there is hope.

The Weather

There is no escape from this one. Winter in the UK and West Europe is quite cold and poses some serious problems when relocating. There are a couple of important rules you must follow, including: gearing up with warm clothes, wrapping your boxes in plastic to prevent snow from getting in, coveting your floors to protect them from water damage and so on. You can check our seasonal moving guide for more details and expert tips.

You Won’t Have a Traditional Christmas

Some people live for the decorations, Christmas trees, and big festivities. For them, it will be devastating to have to relocate during this time of the year as they will be preoccupied with packing, purchasing boxes and more packing. The only thing you can do is to be positive and start planning for the over-the-top party you can throw next year.

Double the Stress

On one hand, you will be anxious because you need to pack your whole life in a couple of boxes in record time. On the other – you will be freaking out because you can’t provide a normal holiday experience for your children, and you are missing out on important family gatherings. Some tough times lay ahead of you, and you need to make even harder decisions. Sometimes it is better to spend more money on services like packing and unpacking than skip quality time with your friends and family.

Professional Moving Advice

To make things a little bit easier, here are a couple of tips that can brighten your otherwise stressful relocation:

• Christmas in a box – Prepare a small artificial tree, ornaments and decorations. Pack them separately from your main moving load and take them with you. This way, if you have to celebrate in a hotel room, you can still create a celebratory atmosphere.
• Check the local event calendar – Many cities and communities set up Christmas markets, so gather some information on them. You can go out with your family and have a great holiday experience despite the tons of boxes piled up in your new home.
• Rely on your movers – If you work with a reputable removal company, you don’t have to worry about packing, loading, transportation and unpacking. It will cost you a little more, but you can leave the relocation to the professionals and instead go visit your extended family for the Holidays.

Final Thoughts

Sometimes you have to relocate, and unfortunately, it may overlap with the holiday season. So, all that is left for you is to buckle up, suck it up, and try to find joy in the small things. Planning ahead and being ready for the unexpected are essential components of a successful move wherever you go. Don’t panic, organise your time, find a reliable house moving company and leave everything to the professionals. You can still have an amazing holiday season, that you won’t forget for a long time.

Happy Moving!

Stephanie Cooper

Stephanie is a content marketing specialist for Top Removals for the past several years. She has extensive experience working with moving companies and knows her audience. Stephanie creates engaging and useful content helping the customers of Top Removals with their struggles and providing them with the most accurate insight.