7 Tips for Moving House over Christmas & Winter

The thought of long dark evenings, cold blustery weather and stressful festive preparations can give anyone a chill, but what if you have a Christmas house move to prepare for too?

A house move in the thick of winter sounds like it could be chaos. At a time when many are thinking about putting up their Christmas tree, you’re simply wondering if you have enough time and space to buy presents and host family and friends.

There are many factors that can make a winter move seem difficult. But, with the right preparation, it can go smoothly. Beat the chaos with our tips to help make moving home over Christmas and the winter months that little bit easier.

1. Change of Address
Give family and friends your new address as quickly as possible to ensure Christmas cards and parcels are sent to the right home. After all, you don’t want mail piling up on your old doorstep. If you’re struggling to update everyone on your move, arrange a Royal Mail redirect. It’s also a good idea to leave behind a sheet of sticky labels with your new address on so that the new tenants or homeowners can forward anything else on. Don’t forget to inform your doctor’s surgery and dentist!

2. Prepare for bad weather
Snow is wonderful at Christmas… but not on moving day! While you may move on a dry and mild day, there are no weather miracles in winter. Strong winds, heavy rain, sleet or even snow, everything’s a possibility! Get a head start by preparing for all weather conditions.

• Grit your paths, steps and driveway to keep ice at bay
• Keep warm clothes and waterproofs within easy reach
• Hang on to old newspapers that can be laid out to prevent indoor slips and muddy feet marks

3. Beat the darkness
It gets dark much earlier in winter, so aim to be in your new home before the night draws in. If your scheduled move is due to go into the evening, take time beforehand to work out your lighting situation and replace any broken lightbulbs. There’s nothing worse than stumbling around in the dark, especially with fragile boxes!

4. Get to grips with your heating
Be sure to understand your new heating system before the big move in order to get some warmth flowing. In winter, you’ll certainly need it! Fiddling around with temperature gauges and trying to understand boiler manuals isn’t ideal on top of everything else you need to do on moving day. Not just this, but if you’re moving into a property relying on storage heaters, they’ll need to charge the night before you move. So, don’t risk a chilly first night in unless you have to!

5. Shops & Christmas Opening Times
If you’re moving over Christmas, finding your local shop isn’t the only thing to do. Remember that store opening times vary over this period, with some shops reducing their operating hours and others shutting down completely. It’s a good idea to find out store opening times in advance of your move to prepare for any last minute trips for your essentials.

6. Children and Pets
Moving house can be unsettling for children and pets, so make a plan of action with the aim of keeping them relaxed while the move takes place. Arranging for children and pets to be left with a friend or family member could be just the cure for ensuring they feel more at ease and less anxious as the move unfolds. It also means you can concentrate on moving day without the extra worry that your children or pets are safe and out of the way.

7. Book your Removal Company Early
On top of festive preparations, there’s no doubt that moving house over Christmas or during the winter months can be stressful. Help from a professional moving company can make the job easier, leaving you with less to worry about and more to look forward to once you get indoors!

It’s important to get your removal company booked early to ensure you can secure your moving date; availability over Christmas may be affected by reduced staff or opening times.

Yeates has been in business for more than 100 years. We are a local family firm with plenty of experience in dealing with customers’ needs over the winter period. To discuss your Christmas move just call 01275 877900 or email info@yeates.co.uk.