Moving During the Holidays

Even if you’re excited to move, very few new homeowners are excited about the moving process. No matter what the time of year, it can be a headache. If you have to move sometime between November and January, that stress can be tenfold. There are a lot of adjustments to be made. What traditions will need to be foregone during the moving process? How are you going to manage visits to and from extended family? If you’re moving a long distance, how can you help the kids prepare for a semester at a new school away from their old friends? It can be trying, but it’s possible. Here are some of our tips for moving during the holidays this season:

Plan Ahead

If you know that you’re going to have to move by the end of the year, try to do most of your packing in November or early December. Keep only the necessities out of boxes so that by Christmas, all you have left to pack is the decorations and casserole dishes. The best thing to do is to move after Christmas, but if you have to move sometime between Thanksgiving and December, take care of most of the family get-togethers during the earlier holiday and agree to have a more laid back Christmas--you’ll have enough on your plate. Be realistic. If you have to tone things down this year, you can always make a bigger to-do next year.

Maintain Normalcy

Normalcy may seem impossible when trying to move during the holidays, and of course it won’t be the same, but keeping things as close to tradition as possible will be best for everyone’s peace of mind. If you usually decorate the house for Christmas, but you have to move out by December 31th, go ahead and decorate the house as you might have before. When it’s time to take the decorations down, you can save yourself some time by putting them in packing boxes rather than moving them back into storage. Open presents on Christmas Eve, but open them at your old home if you can. On the drive to the new house, listen to your holiday favorites to keep in the spirit. If you don’t have time to visit family because of all the demands of the move, have your neighbors over for both Christmas dinner and a farewell, whether you’re moving to a new city or just a new neighborhood.

Hire a Professional to Help

You have enough to worry about: let a real estate professional help you when it comes to selling your home or getting the best deal on a new home. Many homeowners think that the process will be simpler if they try to sell their home or buy a new home themselves, but they compound the stress of moving by taking on too much. Your local realtor not only does this kind of thing every day, but is an expert when it comes to the housing market in the area. You can focus on packing and transitioning into your new home and just trust your real estate agent to take care of finding the best deal for your home, old or new.


Moving during the holidays is a challenge, but not an insurmountable one. Let your local real estate professional help make it easier this year.

House for Sale in College Station

Sarah Miller, your RE/MAX realtor bryan-college station can help you discover a lot of great tips for making a profitable sale of your home. Call Sarah Miller at 979-255-1904 for your real estate needs in Bryan-College Station and the entire Brazos Valley!