At Grace, we know that December is one of the most popular times of the year to move house but try telling family and friends you are moving at Christmas and they’ll think you have rocks in your head.
Yet December can actually be a great time to move. The kids are on school holidays so you don’t have to cram your day around school pick up and drop off, plus many places of businesses start winding down so there’s a good chance your boss will give you a few days off.
While there is definitely an added pressure at this time of year, thanks to the large number of social gatherings, moving in December can be done and better yet, it can actually be a stress-free experience, here’s how:
Book early
Given this is a busy time of year, be sure to book in your removalist as early as possible so you can get the dates and times that best suit you. Also, if you know you are going to need a tradesperson to do a few urgent repairs or a locksmith to change the locks, it’s best to book them as soon as you have your moving date locked in. You don’t want to have to pay extra to get someone to do work on Christmas Eve just because you forgot to make a booking.
Don’t forget the essentials
According to realestate.com.au, “It’s easy, in the excitement and effort of securing your new home, to forget the time it takes to organise gas, water, power, etc. So be sure to give yourself plenty of time pre-Christmas shutdowns to ensure you don’t spend the holidays by candlelight!”
Pack right
Despite your best intentions, it is likely to take weeks to fully unpack in your new house. That’s why it’s a good idea to label your boxes and keep the ones you’ll use first separate from the rest.
Swimwear, beach towels, Christmas gifts and decorations, barbecue equipment, are all must-haves items over the festive season so make sure they are easy to find.
Shop online
When time is short, online shopping can be a saving grace. Buy your gifts online, request that they be wrapped and get them delivered to your new house. While you’re there, think about buying your groceries online to avoid driving around finding a parking spot, searching aisles of an unfamiliar supermarket and then lining up to pay for it all.
Call in some help
Christmas is the time for giving so ask some friends to pitch in their time as a special gift to you. This way you get to catch up with them for the holidays and you get an extra pair of hands.
At the same time, call in the professionals. Most reputable moving companies like Grace offer a range of services including packing, unpacking and even a valet service, meaning you can concentrate on shopping and wrapping presents while our valet team make the beds, organise the linen press and sort out your kitchen cupboards.
Lastly, the festive season only comes around once a year so don’t forget to enjoy it.
