Sometimes you might find yourself having to move just as the holiday season ramps up. Whether it’s a student coming home from school at the end of the Fall semester, a new job, or when a house finally closes, it’s possible to be faced not only with making holiday plans but packing up and hauling your belongings to a new location. These are some ways to reduce the hassle of holiday moves.

Make Your Plans Early
You’ll quickly find out that you’re not the only person who needs to move during the holidays. This is one of the busiest times of the year for movers, so make your plans as soon as you know the move is on the horizon. Check schedules for rental trucks, storage units, and professional movers. It can be possible to squeeze in even on extremely busy days, but you might pay additional fees or run the risk of overbooked movers.
Since your family and friends are going to have their own demands on their time, make sure you have a daily and weekly checklist for anyone who is volunteering to help, so that you can keep from falling behind. Keep talking to your helpers to know if schedules are going to change. Have a plan ready for the move itself. If you can only get everyone for a couple of hours the day before New Year’s, try to make those two hours as efficient as possible.

Pack Early, Store Often
Even while you pull out ornaments for the tree, you should pack up anything you don’t need for the next while. It’s easy for clutter to accumulate in the stretch from Halloween to the New Year, so be diligent about packing. If there’s not enough room for your boxes, your decorations, and presents, then get a storage unit and take a trip there every day or so to clear out your house. Label everything clearly, on the side of the box.
Don’t forget that after presents are opened, they need to be put away and most of them packed for the move. Keep them near the top of your stacks of boxes, or the front of the storage unit, so they can be opened again once you’re in your new home.

Prepare for Weather
One major concern about the holiday season is the unpredictable weather. There is nothing worse than trying to unload an entire truck during a blizzard, or having to leave a new house open for a few hours in freezing temperatures. Keep your eye on the forecasts, and think ahead. Get salt for icy walks, a snow shovel, space heaters, and whatever else you will need to try to reduce weather hazards. It might also be a good idea to pay volunteers in warm tea, coffee, or cider rather than soda or beer.
Don’t forget to dress in layers, and if you have outdoor hiking or running gear, make use of it. You’re going to need to regulate your body temperature, and it can be dangerous to stand in freezing rain or snow wearing light clothes while you’re sweating from exertion. Try to avoid being too hot and then chilled, or vice versa.

Have Time for Celebrations
Perhaps the most important thing is to not let the move overwhelm your traditions. Even if you won’t be able to have a big family dinner or open presents exactly when you normally do, set aside time to celebrate the holidays. The move is a temporary thing, but memories of time with your loved ones will never go away.

Keep Gerber Moving & Storage in mind to help with your moving needs, no matter the time of year.