Nationwide Movers Provide Tips for Peaceful Holiday Relocation

(Vocus) December 14, 2009 -- Moving has the potential to be stressful at any time of year, but pair moving with preparing for the holidays and anxiety overload is on the horizon. Holidays normally mean decorating, shopping, wrapping presents, cooking and hosting guests. Enjoying these traditional activities while moving boxes (http://www.upack.com/moving-supplies/moving-boxes.asp) are invading a home can quickly turn into a logistical nightmare. When already anxious children are added to the mix, it is a holiday recipe to be avoided. Movers (http://www.upack.com/about/full-service-movers.asp) like ABF U-Pack Moving offer tips that help moving around the holidays become more memorable and merry.

Get moving quotes and make reservations early –

Holidays mean short staffs and reduced work time for many movers. To make sure equipment and drivers are available when you need help moving, make your reservation early. It may cost more to move on some days than others, so for best prices, discuss holiday peak times with your movers. Also, if you need to receive your shipment before the holidays, ask about guaranteed transit or expedited services.

Consider moving help alternatives –

Rather than truck rental (http://www.upack.com/about/truck-rental.asp), consider moving containers (http://www.upack.com/moving-services/moving-container.asp) with storage options and flexible load and unload schedules. This is convenient when you want to reduce the pressure to load or unload quickly. In fact, if you need a break before unloading the entire shipment, you can start with holiday decorations and necessities and save the rest for later. If your budget allows, you can get more help moving (http://www.movingstaffers.com/) by hiring labor to do all the packing and loading or just some of it. Combining moving labor with a self-move is often a money saving alternative to full service movers.

Purchase gifts online and have them shipped direct –

With the clutter of moving boxes, it might be tough to add a slew of gifts to the chaos. And traveling to relative’s homes as usual might be out of the question. If so, consider purchasing gifts online and shipping them directly to a relative’s home or your new home – wherever you will be celebrating the holidays. Not only is this more convenient, it also means less moving boxes, which results in a money-saving opportunity. In most cases, the less you move, the less you pay.

Decorate with less –

Although it is nice to have all of your decorations out for display, consider paring them down while in the midst of moving. Choose those decorations that hold the most tradition and meaning for your family, and pack the rest in moving boxes ready for the movers to ship to your new home.

Pack holiday essentials separately –

Have everyone put their holiday “must haves” together in specially labeled boxes. Then load these boxes last. That way the decorations, fuzzy slippers, hot cocoa, cameras, holiday music and other special items are easy to locate right away on arrival. You won’t have to unload everything and dig through moving boxes to find just what you need. You may find that wardrobe boxes (http://www.upack.com/moving-supplies/u-pack-wardrobe-box-bundle/) are well suited for a small tree with trimming and traditional favorites.

Make it an adventure –

Incorporate your favorite traditions in new ways. Spend the day in your pajamas rather than unpacking clothing from the moving boxes. A tree in the corner of an otherwise empty room becomes even more special. Camp out in your new living room rather than moving the furniture in. It can wait until another day. Hang on to your traditions and maybe create some new ones. You may find that “different” can be special and memorable.

Moving over the holidays may not be the best scenario but it can be an opportunity to embrace change and adventure together as family. Making the most of a potentially stressful situation can make this holiday season your best one yet.

ABF U-Pack Moving is a leader in the self-move industry with a network of 290 service centers nationwide. U-Pack specializes in affordable do-it-yourself moving, combining the professional driver and equipment of traditional full-service moving companies (http://www.upack.com/) with the cost savings of a rental truck. Visit http://www.upack.com/ for more information.

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