Christmas can be a restful time where we enjoy spending time with friends and family and enjoying time off work. However, it can also be a very stressful time of year with the burden of buying gifts and food and arguing about which relations come to stay or who you’re going to visit. It can also be expensive and that in itself brings added pressure. So it’s important if you are in a position where you are moving house over the Christmas and New Year holidays to be prepared. You may be surprised to hear that a high number of people do choose to move at this time of year – mostly due to extended holiday periods, so there are things you can bear in mind in order to make the experience a smooth and much less stressful one.

Here at Mardan we’ve compiled some top tips to keep in mind if you’re one of those people who’re on the move at Christmas time.

1. Christmas is always a busy time for removal companies so as soon as you have an accepted offer start gathering quotes and make your decision early. A good tip is never to agree a completion date until you are sure your removal company have availability to move you.
2. Christmas cards are an excellent way of letting your friends and family know your new address. The postal service gets extremely busy at Christmas time so make sure your postal redirection service is in place.
3. Bad weather is highly likely. You may be lucky on the day but it’s best to plan for wind, rain, sleet or maybe even snow. So keep some grit to hand to make sure your paths, driveway and steps are protected against ice. We always provide floor and furniture protection for our customers, but do bear in mind that not all removal companies allow for this and hang on to any old newspapers to cut down muddy footprints and slipping inside.
4. Make sure you don’t pack warm and waterproof clothes away as you may very well need them. Keep them to hand. Importantly ensure your decorations boxes are clearly marked ready to decorate your new home!
5. One side effect of winter moving is the early onset of darkness in the afternoons. If you can, make sure that you are settled in your new home before night draws in and if this isn’t possible, then do make sure the lighting in the new house is all in working order. Take some spare light bulbs with you just in case. Crashing about in the dark is no fun on moving day.
6. Keep warm. If you can get information in advance from the agents/previous owner about the heating system, then do it. Fiddling about with unfamiliar controls whilst freezing is a stressful business. Cold fingers don’t do well with manuals on boilers and thermostats. It won’t be much fun to be cold on your first night in your new home.
7. Local shop opening times over the Christmas holidays should be noted in advance. You’re bound to need some essentials during and after the move.
8. Try and find a warm and safe home for your children and/or pets to stay whilst you get the worst of the move out of the way. People are often very optimistic about how their little loved ones will cope during a move, which is pretty stressful for adults – so will definitely unsettle your children and furry friends. Far better for them to come to the new home once some semblance of order has been found.

And finally, don’t forget to keep the sherry and mince pies in a separate box for when you finally put your feet up.