Packing Strategies for Holiday Moves

Despite what many may think, the holidays are not a bad time to move. Demand is low, so movers are typically flexible and often charge less. Nonetheless, there are challenges involved with moving this time of year. To ensure the process remains bright, merry and on track, in this blog, we’ll share our packing strategies for holiday moves, explaining the best ways to get your household boxed up and ready in time for Christmas.

Create A Timeline

Moving during the holiday season can be hectic. Between work, logistics, family commitments, and festivities, your schedule will likely be packed. Careful planning is the only way to keep the process humming along and ensure nothing gets overlooked. 

As soon as you’ve made the decision to relocate, sit down and sketch out your timeline. List all your moving tasks and holiday duties. Decide which work and family events (parties, recitals, pageants, etc.) you can afford to miss and which you can’t. That way, if preparations take longer than expected, you’ll know where you can make extra time in your schedule.

Start Early

Depending on the size and contents of your household, packing could take several weeks. To avoid scrambling at the last minute, begin as soon as you can. Most experts recommend:

• Setting aside a few hours a day to pack, so the process doesn’t become overwhelming
• Packing non-essential items first, to avoid disrupting your daily routine
• Storing items from the same room together in the same box, to simplify unpacking

Garages, storage rooms, and basements should be your first priority. Save the rooms you use most often (bedroom, kitchen, bathroom) for last.

Purchase Moving Supplies

After booking your move, stocking up on moving supplies should be your next priority. Moving supplies don’t just make your items easier to stack and carry. They provide critical protection against bumps, jolts, and vibrations that could damage your belongings. You’ll need:

• Moving Boxes
• Packing Tape
• Packing Paper, Packing Peanuts, and Bubble Wrap
• Moving Blankets
• Stretch Wrap
• Markers

Many homeowners purchase bankers boxes instead of professional moving boxes, assuming all cardboard boxes are all the same. This is a common misunderstanding. Moving boxes are made from multiple layers of corrugated cardboard. The inner layer is fluted to provide additional cushioning, while the outer layers provide durability, ensuring the box doesn’t rip or tear during the journey.

Moving boxes can be purchased at your local hardware store or through your moving company, a great source for high-quality moving supplies. In addition to regular moving boxes, there are a number of specialty boxes you might want to consider purchasing as well.

• Wardrobe boxes let you transport clothing on hangers, to prevent wrinkles. 
• Dish and glassware boxes have slots for holding plates and cups. 
• Flat panel TV boxes are designed for flat screen televisions
• Telescoping boxes make it easy to protect fragile items, such as artwork and mirrors.

If you order presents online, save the boxes they come in. They’re perfect for small and medium-sized items. You can also find free boxes at your local liquor store. Because they’re made to hold heavy, delicate items, liquor boxes are ideal for moving. Retailers are another good source, especially during the holidays. Most deliveries arrive in the morning, so you’ll have to get there early, but you should be able to find boxes in every size you need.

Declutter

Shipping costs are based on weight and volume. Simply put, the less stuff you bring, the less your mover will charge you. Decluttering also simplifies the moving process. Loading and unloading the truck takes less time, and unpacking is a lot faster.

Before you start packing, go through your belongings and decide what you need and what can be left behind. Homeowners are often surprised at how many unused items they own ‒ clothing, books, board games, kitchen appliances, etc. If you’re having a hard time making up your mind, the standard rule of thumb is that if you haven’t used something in more than a year, you probably don’t need it.

Unwanted items don’t have to be thrown out. There are a number of charities such as Goodwill and the Salvation Army who would be happy to accept them. Or, if you're interested in earning a little extra cash to cover your moving expenses, consider holding a garage sale instead.

There are also several websites where people share and sell personal items, such as Freecycle and Facebook Marketplace. Most are free to use and can quickly connect you with people in your community searching for clothes, furniture, appliances, and all other types of household items.

Pay Attention to Proper Packing Techniques

Hasty packing increases the risk of damage. Following safe packing strategies may take a little longer, but it’s the best way to ensure your belongings arrive in one piece. Experts recommend:

• Sealing the bottom of the box with two strips of packing tape. 
• Cushioning each box with a layer of packing paper, packing peanuts, or bubble wrap.
• Using small boxes for heavy items and large boxes for light ones.
• Wrapping fragile items in packing paper or bubble wrap.
• Placing heavy items at the bottom of the box and delicate ones on top.
• Filling empty space with packing material, to prevent items from shifting.
• Writing the destination (bedroom, living room, garage, etc.), contents, and handling instructions (e.g. “THIS END UP,” “FRAGILE”) on each side of the box.

If you’re running short of packing material, consider using towels, sheets, socks, and t-shirts instead. They’re not only great at absorbing impact, but repurposing them as packing material also reduces the number of boxes you need to buy.

Prepare for Weather

Rain, snow, and ice are common features of holiday moves. While damp weather isn’t a serious obstacle for an experienced moving crew, it can damage your belongings. To protect them, add a layer of plastic lining to each box before packing. Plastic sheeting is readily available online. You can also purchase it at hardware stores or by contacting your moving company. 

Wrapping each box in plastic stretch wrap is another solution, though it complicates the unpacking process. Plastic bins offer the same level of protection, but are more expensive and harder to dispose of than cardboard. Remember that weather can be unpredictable this time of year. Storms can swoop in with little notice. Besides making sure your belongings are ready, you’ll need to be flexible in case conditions take a turn for the worse.

Create an Overnight Bag

Setting up your house takes a while. Since you won’t be able to get everything unpacked on your first night, bring a suitcase with clothes and toiletries along with you. That way, after bringing everything inside, you won’t have to spend more time digging through boxes for your pajamas, toothbrush, and anything else you might need. Instead, you can relax and unwind as soon as the moving truck has been unloaded.

Pack Holiday Decorations Separately

Most of the time, holiday decorations are one of the last things you need to unpack when moving into a new home. But during holiday moves, they’re one of the first. Place them into their own containers and ask your movers to set them aside when you arrive. Once you’ve finished unpacking and setting up the other rooms of your new home, you’ll likely want to start decorating.

Decorating is especially important for families with children. Moving is particularly hard on them. Maintaining your traditional holiday routines is not only comforting, but helps ease the transition into their new home. Depending on the size of your house and your moving date, you might not have time to put up all your decorations. In these cases, it’s best to focus on a few key items (tree, wreath, stockings) to help get everyone in the holiday spirit, and leave the rest for next year. 

Make the Season Bright

Moving during the holidays can be disruptive. There’s a temptation to ignore the festivities and focus on the work at hand. But not celebrating tends to make the process feel more stressful than it otherwise would be. To keep your spirits up, set aside a little time to go out and be merry. 

You might not be able to participate in all your normal holiday activities, but picking out a few favorites will help you stay positive throughout the whole experience. If you’re traveling cross-country, choose a few activities in your old town and research some popular activities in your new one, as a way to say “goodbye” to your old community and connect with your new one.

Household Moving with Allied Van Lines

Nobody knows how to organize holiday moves better than Allied. We’ve been helping people relocate for nearly a century. No matter the season, our teams are available to make your move as seamless as possible. From planning to packing to shipping, storage, and final delivery, there’s nothing we can’t handle. Contact us today for a free quote!