Considering a holiday move? Here’s what you need to know about the pros and cons of moving during a holiday. We’ll take you through factors that affect a holiday move, including travel times, prices, and weather conditions. You’ll also get some tips for getting settled, scheduling, and moving between Christmas and New Year’s specifically.
Table of Contents
Travel Times
One major downside of moving on a holiday is the increased traffic. There are some holidays that many people have off, including Thanksgiving Day, Christmas Day, New Year’s Day, Memorial Day, Independence Day, and Labor Day. These are some of the top traveling days and may come with traffic that slows you down.
If you’re traveling by car around these holidays, leave early. Keep in mind that traffic might also be bad a few days before or after the holiday. If possible, move on a weekday morning to help you avoid the worst of it.
Although it seems like a no-brainer, drive safe! These holidays have a higher risk of road accidents. Alternatively, if you’re traveling by plane, be prepared for long airport wait times.
On other holidays like St. Patrick’s Day and Valentine’s Day—for which fewer people travel—traffic may not be as bad. Still, you can minimize your chances of running into traffic on these days by moving in the middle of the morning. This way, you’ll avoid both commuter traffic and traffic from people with evening plans.
Cost of Moving
Another downside of holiday moves is that the cost of movers is often higher during the holidays as moving companies might be short-staffed. Book your movers early! Alternatively, if you’re moving yourself, reserve a truck well in advance of the holiday.
In addition, if something goes wrong with your movers or truck, finding another option on a holiday will be harder. Take the time to find movers you trust.
On the bright side, very few people move during the winter holidays. As a result, if you’re moving into an apartment around this time, you can sometimes get a better deal on rent.
Weather Conditions
Some holidays like Memorial Day and Labor Day often have ideal moving weather. On the flip side, holidays like Christmas and Independence Day can have weather that makes moving difficult.
If you’re moving during the winter months, be flexible. Weather conditions can complicate or delay your travel. These weather conditions can stop you from driving or cause flight cancellations that make your move harder.
In the winter, there’s also the chance that rain and snow will damage your belongings. Make sure to protect them! For example, you can seal cardboard boxes with plastic bags. In addition, you may get much less daylight during this period. Plan ahead so you can finish your move before dark.
Conversely, if you’re moving on a summer holiday such as Independence Day, start working early to avoid the heat. Hot weather might make physical exertion tougher. If you hire movers, have some cold water and snacks on hand. Heat can also damage items like electronics if you don’t pack them carefully.
Getting Settled
Depending on the holiday, services you need around the time of the move might be closed. For example, on federal holidays, businesses such as cable companies and banks will probably close. Plan ahead for these closures.
Also, if you have holiday-specific decorations or gifts, don’t let them get lost in the fray! Pack them somewhere easy to access so you’ll have them when you need them.
Lastly, a benefit of moving during the holidays is that people often reconnect with friends and family during these times. This gives you a great chance to give your loved ones your new address!
Scheduling
Luckily, you’re more likely to have time off work on these days, making it easy to spend your day moving. Your friends and family also might be more available to help you.
However, if you have a Thanksgiving dinner, a fireworks show, or a Valentine’s date, moving on a holiday can make the timing complicated. Plan ahead so you don’t miss any important events. You also shouldn’t expect to do a lot of hosting if you’re in the middle of a move.
Winter Holiday Moving Tips
There are some special considerations for moving during the period between Christmas and New Year’s. Some movers recommend moving right after Christmas. During that period, you’ll face very little competition, and moving companies might not be as short-staffed as they’d be on a holiday itself.
As a word of advice, if your winter move involves driving long distances, bring blankets, food, and water in your car just in case you get stuck on the road.
You might also want to have a shovel and a bag of salt readily accessible to help you move in. It can also be great to have a large tarp so you can cover your floors to spare them from snow, water, or salt. Lastly, if you hire movers, some hot chocolate can go a long way toward keeping everyone warm!
Looking to move soon?
Check out UniMovers and save 30-50% on your move as compared with traditional moving!
Conclusion
We’ve covered many considerations for moving over the holidays. To recap, some factors to think about are the impact of holidays on travel times, the cost of moving, and your ability to get settled in. Holidays might also come with inclement weather or scheduling complications. However, there are also some benefits of a holiday move.
You can benefit from being prepared, especially during the holidays. Look into hiring movers sooner rather than later; whether you’re moving a home or apartment, or even redecorating, planning ahead and hiring movers can save you stress and allow you to enjoy your holiday.
Sophie Pollack-Milgate has a day job as a bioethics research assistant. In her free time, she likes to read books critiquing psychiatry, complain about how either ice or heat are ruining her runs (depending on the season), and modify recipes beyond recognition.
