How to Prepare for your Post-Holiday Move

The holidays in Toledo are a time filled with warmth, friends, and family. There isn’t anything better than spending time enjoying our favorite meals and traditions with family and friends. If this is your last holiday season in your current house, you’re almost certainly feeling bittersweet emotions. Any Toledo moving company will share the same thing - moving can be a huge adjustment. But if you are moving right after the holidays are finished, the season of giving can quickly transform into a season of stress! Lucky for you, prepping for the holidays and your upcoming move can be easy if you take some time to prepare properly.

Get Organized

Taking the time to get organized now will save you immeasurable time and stress once your moving company gets to your house! Here are some tips to stay organized and on track this holiday season:

• Print off a calendar that will be used for only moving tasks. Mark off your move day. Next, count backwards from that day and create an outline of your major tasks and things to pack. Creating a timeline will give you a sense of accomplishment and keep you from getting behind in the hustle and bustle of December.
• If you’re ending up with lots of boxes from packages and online shopping, save them! Use them to pack your household goods. If these packages also have peanuts, paper, bubble wrap, or some other packing materials, keep them! They are great for providing more protection and support for your delicate décor pieces.
• Gather plenty of markets, boxes, tape, etc. With all your supplies on hand and kept together will allow you to be ready at a moments notice if you have the inspiration to pack something!

  

Decorations

Opening a dusty box and pulling out sentimental holiday decorations for the first time in almost a year is an exciting feeling. The holidays are officially here! Seeing our favorite decorations, ornaments, or keepsakes fills us with nostalgia and excitement for the coming season. But as you start decorating, now is the time to think about how you will put everything away later. Not to overlook seasonal festivities, but you want to get prepared more than in years-past for how you’ll pack your decorations back up. Your fragile ornaments, snowglobes, and keepsakes are probably packed into great storage boxes which sit in your basement or garage. But are they secure and ready for your move? Do not create additional work for yourself when the season is over. Getting a plan in place for how you will take down and then pack your décor will save you time and trouble when preparing for your move. Here are some general tips:

• When taking down your Christmas tree, have packing supplies ready. Carefully wrap your ornaments and fragile décor with tissue paper or unprinted newsprint before putting them into a dish pack.
• Garlands and wreaths pack neatly into wardrobe boxes!
• Menorahs and kinaras should be wrapped carefully with tissue or newsprint, and then placed into a book carton, or inside of a dish pack along with similar decorations.
• Wardrobe boxes are fantastic to pack artificial Christmas trees. Place two on top of each other for taller trees!

 

Holiday Meals

While the family snoozes away in tryptophan bliss, use this time to wash, dry, and pack your seasonal dishes and tableware. If you have special casserole dishes, china, or cutlery, washing them and immediately packing them away is a great use of your time. These things are only used 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 right after the holidays, you have probably already had your moving company come up with a quote, this may be based on time or weight depending on the details of your move. If you gave or received any bigger gifts that might affect your estimate, please reach out to your moving company right away. There could be extra special disassembly, services, or costs for increased/decreased weight or time than initially estimated. Some common gifts that need extra care are:

• Exercise bikes and treadmills - especially ones with video screens, these are hot holiday gifts! But, because of their size and servicing needed to secure the electronic components, you’ll need to notify your moving company if you added one of these!
• Game tables – ping-pong tables, pool tables, and poker tables can add weight or time to your move. If you get a slate pool table, it will require special service before it’s moved. It will also need refelting after the move.
• Lithium batteries- these days, hover boards, power tools, even cameras typically use lithium batteries. Even though moving companies usually have no problem moving these batteries with no concerns, you will want to check that the battery is properly disconnected and stored. And, FYI, lithium batteries cannot be packed into an air shipment, if you are moving overseas.

 

Bonus tip: If you’ve been given access to your new house before the holidays, you may have family and friends ship your gifts to your new house. That would keep your moving company from having 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’ll be happy you’ve preserved these memories and pictures to remember for many years. Planning a festive going away party can also be a wonderful send-off. Make sure to invite neighbors and friends you will not see much after you move for one last holiday shindig.

Contact Corrigan

Because we’re a family-owned and operated Toledo moving company, we know all about moving over the holidays! We pride ourselves on having the most knowledgeable and compassionate employees in the moving industry. Do not let yourself get overwhelmed this holiday season, and miss out on the magic and enjoyment of your final holiday in your current home.

Our expert relocation professionals are standing by to help you get through the season ahead. Contact us now to schedule your free, no-obligation, in-home or virtual moving estimate today!