Preparing for your Post-Holiday Move

The holidays in Auburn Hills are a time filled with family, friends, and warmth. There is nothing better than enjoying cherished meals and traditions with family and friends. If this will be your final holiday season in your current home, then you are likely feeling bittersweet. Every Auburn Hills moving company will share the same thing - moving will be a huge adjustment. But if you’re moving just after the holidays are finished, the season of giving may quickly become the season of stress! Luckily, prepping for the holidays and your upcoming move can be easy peasy if you take some time to properly prepare.

Get Organized

Being organized now will save you a tremendous amount of time and stress when your moving company arrives! Here are some tips to get you organized and on track this holiday season:

• Print a calendar that you will use for only tasks related to the move. Highlight your move day. Counting backwards from that day, create a rough outline of all your move-related tasks and what you need to pack. Making a timeline gives you a sense of accomplishment and will keep you from getting lost in the hectic flurry of December.
• If you are receiving a lot of boxes from online shopping and packages, keep them! Use these boxes to pack your household goods. If your boxes come with peanuts, paper, bubble wrap, or other padding, save them! These materials will give even more protection and padding for your fragile décor pieces.
• Have plenty of markets, boxes, tape, etc. When you have all your materials handy and kept together will allow you to be ready at a moments notice if you have the inspiration to pack your things!

  

Decorations

Opening that dusty box and pulling a sentimental holiday decoration out for the first time in a year is an exhilarating feeling. It’s official, the holidays are here! Unpacking our favorite keepsakes, decorations, or ornaments fill us with nostalgia and excitement for the season ahead. But as you start decorating, now is the time to think about how you will put everything away later. Not to skip over the festivities of the holiday season, but you want to prepare more than in other years on how you will repack your decorations. Your breakable keepsakes, ornaments, and snowglobes are typically packed into wonderful storage boxes sitting in your garage or attic. But are they packed and ready for moving? Don’t create additional work for yourself at the end of the season. Having a plan in place for how you’ll take down and then carefully pack your décor will save you time and headaches when preparing for your move. Here are some general tips:

• Have packing supplies ready when taking down your Christmas tree. Carefully wrap your ornaments and breakable décor with tissue paper or unprinted newsprint before putting them into a dish pack.
• Garlands and wreaths pack great into wardrobe boxes!
• Menorahs and kinaras should be wrapped with tissue paper or newsprint, and then placed into a book carton, or inside of a dish pack with similar pieces of décor.
• Wardrobe boxes are perfect for packing artificial Christmas trees. Place two on top of each other for taller trees!

 

Holiday Meals

While the family snoozes in tryptophan bliss, use that time to wash and pack your seasonal dishes and servingware. If you have special sets of china, casserole dishes or cutlery, immediately packing them after washing is a great use of your time. Because those items are used only once a year, just pack them properly for moving right off the bat!

Gifts

There are some things to ponder when thinking about any new gift purchases. If you are moving near the holidays, you have already had your moving company provide a quote, this could be based on time or weight depending on your move. If you gave or received any bigger gifts that might impact your quote, be sure to contact your moving company as soon as possible. There could be extra special disassembly, services, or costs for the different weight or time than your initial estimate. Some common gifts that require extra care are:

• Exercise bikes and treadmills - especially ones with video screens, these are popular holiday gifts! But, as a result of their size and servicing needed to secure the electronic components, you will need to contact your moving company if you have received one of these!
• Game tables – poker tables, ping-pong tables and pool tables will add weight and time to your move. If you get a slate pool table, that will need special service before being moved. It will also need refelting after the move.
• Lithium batteries- these days, cameras, hover boards, and power tools often use lithium batteries. Even though moving companies can typically move these batteries without issues, you’ll want to ensure the battery is properly disconnected from the item and charger. Lithium batteries cannot be packed into an air shipment, if you’re moving internationally.

 

Bonus tip: If you’ve been given access to your new place before the holidays, you could consider having family and friends ship your gifts to your new home. That would keep your moving company from needing to handle them, removing the need to update your quote.

Get nostalgic

While your current home is still decorated for the holidays, make sure to enjoy festive treats, all your favorite holiday traditions, and don’t forget to take pictures. You will be thankful you have these photos and memories to cherish for many years. Having a festive farewell party can also be a wonderful send-off. Make sure to invite neighbors and loved ones you won’t might not see much after you move for one final holiday fest.

Contact Corrigan

As a family-owned and operated Auburn Hills moving company, we know a lot about moving over the holidays! We pride ourselves on having the most compassionate and professional employees in the business. Do not let yourself get overwhelmed this holiday season, and miss out on enjoying the magic of your last holiday in your current home.

Our professional relocation experts are here to help you survive the season ahead. Contact us now to schedule your free, no-obligation, in-home or virtual moving quote today!