Deck the halls… with moving boxes and wine

POSTED ON 04 DECEMBER 2019

Making the move out of an old house and into a new one in December can be a taxing time. But never fear: we are here to spread festive cheer with some excellent tips to help keep the magic alive during this hectic time.

The Tree

Buy an artificial tree. We all love the smell of a real Christmas tree, but do you want pine needles in all your moving boxes and around your new home? Artificial trees are easy to pack away and store for the next year and are available in a range of sizes too. They are also cost-effective and if you want a real tree when you’re settled, an artificial tree is great for a kid’s bedroom.

Really Elf–ul Tip:

Don’t buy an artificial tree with snow-effect spines, buy some snow spray and do it yourself!

Christmas Shopping

If you are moving over the festive period, try to get your Christmas shopping done early to avoid rushing around at the last minute. This will give you time to settle into your new home, comfortable knowing that you have finished the Christmas shopping. You will also be able to store any presents in a safe place where they won’t get confused with moving boxes. Love a large Christmas dinner? Avoid busy supermarkets and order your food online early for delivery. When you get your food delivered, you can put it straight away without it overtaking your house. You can stock up for the whole month, saving you the trek to the shops over the busy festive period.

Really Elf–ul Tip:

Before doing an online food shop, search for any offers available, as most supermarkets do discounts on your first online food shop.

Moving Boxes

Mark your moving boxes to keep them separate from Christmas decorations. If you mark each box according to which room they are going into, this will make unpacking a lot easier. You could also mark boxes in matter of importance, so you know what needs to be unpacked straight away and what can wait until after the festive period.

When you are unpacking, this is a great time to bring out the festive cheer by putting up the decoration at the same time. Sort through old decorations before your move; if you have any sentimental decorations, keep them. Otherwise, why not buy new decorations for your new home? This way you may free up some boxes for moving while not having to search for the old decorations!

Really Elf–ul Tip:

Why not wrap used moving boxes in Christmas wrapping paper, ready to put under the tree to make your new home feel even more festive?

Practical Matters

Get the heating system checked before you move. If your boiler needs servicing, arrange for a professional to do these jobs before you move. The last thing you need over the holidays is for your heating to break. If you have a log burner or oil heating, ensure you order your logs or oil before you move in. Winter is the busiest season for logs and oil, and you don’t want to be miserable without heat over the festive period.

If you plan on doing some work to your new home, leave it til after Christmas. You don’t want to be serving Christmas dinner in a half-finished dining room with a cold breeze blowing through. Also, because of the weather, any professionals you may get in will breakup for the festive season themselves.

Really Elf–ul Tip:

Shop around for log and oil prices online. Just like broadband and insurance, there are some fantastic deals to be found.

No Scrooges Allowed!

To keep Christmas spirit flowing, get your kids involved from day one. Keep advent calendars and get your children to write letters to Santa explaining they have moved. Find fun ways to keep the children festive; if you are moving to a new area, find out the best place to visit Santa and any other festive events taking place.

If you have children, you will already understand how many presents they receive over Christmas. Adding these new toys and games onto their already huge existing stash can seem impossible when packing to move. So, why not sit with your children, picking out their favourite toys, and any they no longer play with could be donated to charity. This way, you will have more space at your new home, plus you will have helped to make someone else’s Christmas.

Really Elf–ul Tip:

Christmas movies and Christmas songs are a great way to keep everyone’s spirits up during this busy period.