Moving house over the Christmas holidays is very common in Australia.
Because the Christmas break also falls at the end of the school year, which is when families with school age children find it most convenient to move house.
Relocating interstate is stressful enough, especially when children are involved but throw into the mix Christmas celebrations, end of year parties, family get-togethers and preparing for a new school year – you may find the thought of the whole thing just too overwhelming to deal with!
The good news is, lots of people have done it before you and many will do it after. If you can take some advice from people that have already been through the process, you will hopefully have a much smoother and stress free interstate move.
Moving tips for the holidays
There are many things you can do to make your holiday move go smoothly. While it may seem like a huge hassle moving (especially around Christmas time), it can actually be a blessing in disguise – just don’t forget to send a change of address card to Santa!
Advantages to moving at Christmas:
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The kids are on school holidays
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Moving during school term is never easy. It can be very disruptive to the child to be uprooted mid year and adjust to a new school’s curriculum.
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You will be more likely to be able to have time off work
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A large percentage of the work force takes time off at Christmas or as many businesses are quieter over the holiday period, it may be easier to request time off to pack and prepare to move.
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There may be more help available
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If you are moving interstate the cheapest way – using a self pack shipping container – it’s always handy to have a few extra hands to help load it up. A lot of people take time off over Christmas so you could entice them to help by offering Christmas drinks at the end of a day’s packing!
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Preparing for an interstate move over the holidays
The most important thing during any move – but especially when you’re moving during the holidays – is to be organised. Because so many people do move at this time, interstate removalists are generally flat out so it’s great to book in your move as early as possible to ensure you can move on the days you choose.
Download a moving checklist two months before you plan to move. A good checklist will itemise what you should be doing 2 months out, 1 month out and so on. To be able to tick items off the list gives you a feeling of being under control and not feel overwhelmed with tasks when you can see them written out.
Start packing early. It seems obvious but the more you can pack early on, the better you will be off, come moving day. There are so many items around the house that are not regularly used and getting these things, (like out-of-season clothing, rarely used kitchen equipment, keepsakes), packed and stacked away a couple of months before you move will make all the difference in the final weeks before you move. If you have a spare room, or a spare spot in a shed, stack all your packed items together so you can keep track of where you’re at with your packing.
Get your paperwork done early. Once the silly season descends in December, the last place you want to be is in a never-ending line at the post-office, waiting to process a change of address request. If you’re able to tick off your list – change of address forms, contacting utilities companies, getting your Christmas cards written and ready to post and completing new school documentation – you’ll appreciate your efforts when you’re caught up with Christmas parties and packing, come December.
Top tips for moving over Christmas with kids
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If your usual Christmas day celebrations are going to be different due to moving house, prepare your kids for this. Whether it’s a reduced amount of decorations or not being around your family, it’s much easier on children if they are made aware of what is happening and why.
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Pack smartly. If you’re moving with a self pack shipping container, make sure you pack your most essential items in last of all (so they are first out at the other end). Whether it is the Christmas decorations, everyone’s swimmers and beach toys or maybe even the Christmas pressies – the last thing you want to be doing is hunting through endless boxes for what you need.
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Shop online. If you are worried about transporting Christmas presents for the kids, consider shopping online and having it delivered to your new home. You can even rent a post office box to hold your packages if you’re not sure of your arrival day. That way, you can pop to the post office on Christmas Eve and grab your pressies, and you’re good to go!
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mom81879 said
- 18 Apr 2017
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ella12 said
- 14 Feb 2017
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june11 said
- 10 Feb 2017
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mom112217 said
- 06 Feb 2017
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mom101628 said
- 05 Feb 2017
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tessie said
- 01 Feb 2017
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Ellen said
- 01 Feb 2017
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rachelvk said
- 15 Jan 2017
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mom81879 said
- 15 Jan 2017
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taynik46 said
- 14 Jan 2017
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Sheree BSPC replied
- 17 Jan 2017 , 1:21 pm
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mom93821 said
- 14 Jan 2017
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Sheree BSPC replied
- 17 Jan 2017 , 1:23 pm
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mom93821 replied
- 18 Jan 2017 , 7:41 am
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