Quick answer
Moving during the holidays works best when you avoid the holidays themselves and the days right next to them. Book movers early, confirm that your building, utilities, and closing office are open, pack decorations and gifts so they are easy to find, and plan one simple tradition for the first night in the new home.
In this guide
- Is moving during the holidays a good idea?
- Pick a moving date around the holiday calendar
- Booking movers during the holidays
- What is closed or slow in late November and December
- Holiday moving tips for packing gifts and decorations
- Keep the traditions going for kids
- Moving in December: weather and travel
- Holiday move checklist
- Frequently asked questions
Is moving during the holidays a good idea?
Nobody dreams of packing boxes in the last weeks of the year, but a holiday season move has real advantages along with the obvious drawbacks.
| In your favor | Working against you |
|---|---|
| Time off work you may already have | A calendar full of family plans and travel |
| Kids are out of school, so fewer missed class days | Offices and services that close or run short hours |
| Outside the holiday weeks, late fall and winter are quieter than summer for movers | Winter weather and heavy highway traffic |
| A fresh start in the new home for the new year | Moving costs and holiday spending in the same month |
The moves that go well are the ones scheduled around the holidays, not on top of them.
Pick a moving date around the holiday calendar
Start with a calendar and cross off the days that will not work.
- The holidays themselves and the days on either side. Many businesses close or keep short hours, and you will want those days for family anyway
- The heaviest travel days. The days around Thanksgiving and Christmas bring heavy highway traffic, which matters for a long drive or a truck on a schedule
- The last days of the month. Leases still turn over on the 30th and 31st, so the end of December is busy even though the season is not
What is left is usually the best choice: the first half of December, or a mid-week day well clear of the holiday itself. If you are moving over Thanksgiving week, the Monday or Tuesday before is easier on everyone than the weekend after. If you are moving before Christmas, aim to be in the new home at least a week ahead so there is time to unpack the basics.
Booking movers during the holidays
Holiday weeks have fewer working days, so the open slots go quickly even when overall demand is lower than in summer. Treat a date near a holiday like a peak date.
- Plan on at least 1 to 2 weeks of notice for a local move and 3 to 4 weeks for a long-distance move, and add to that for holiday weeks and month-end
- Ask whether the company works on the specific days you have in mind. Schedules around holidays vary from mover to mover
- On a long-distance move, ask how the holidays affect the delivery window
- Get the date, the arrival window, and the quote in writing
Booking movers during the holidays is mostly a matter of asking early. Request a free quote as soon as you have a date in mind, even if the closing or the lease is not final.
What is closed or slow in late November and December
The move itself is one appointment. The services around it are where holiday schedules cause trouble. Check each of these before you commit to a date:
- Building management. Confirm the office is open to hand over keys and that you can reserve the elevator
- Closings. Banks, title offices, and county offices may close on public holidays. Ask your agent or closing attorney how that affects your date
- Utilities. Schedule electricity, gas, and water transfers early, and book internet or cable installation well ahead. Appointment slots are limited in holiday weeks
- Mail. File your change of address early so forwarding is in place before holiday cards and packages start arriving
- Schools and doctors. Request records before the offices close for winter break
- Rental trucks, storage, and cleaners. Confirm holiday hours if you are using any of them
Our moving checklist lists every notice and transfer to schedule.
Moving around Thanksgiving, Christmas, or New Year's Day? Holiday weeks have fewer open days, so request your free, no-obligation quote early.
Holiday moving tips for packing gifts and decorations
These holiday moving tips keep the season from getting lost in the boxes.
- Decide how much to decorate. If you move before the holiday, skip decorating the old home, or put up one small thing that packs in a minute
- Pack decorations so they open first. Label those boxes clearly and ask the crew to load them last so they come off the truck first
- Protect ornaments like glassware. Wrap each one, use divided boxes, and fill the gaps with paper
- Keep gifts off the truck when you can. Have online orders shipped to the new address after your move-in date, or carry wrapped gifts in your own car
- Buy bulky gifts after the move. There is no reason to move a bicycle twice
- Pack the holiday kitchen last. If you are cooking a holiday meal, keep the roasting pan and serving dishes in one marked box
- Do not host this year. Let someone else have the dinner, or keep it small
Our packing services can take the fragile items off your list, with boxes, paper, bubble wrap, and tape included.
Keep the traditions going for kids
Children worry less about the move than about whether the holiday will still happen. Tell them plainly that it will, and show them how.
- Pick one or two traditions that travel well, such as a favorite movie, a special breakfast, or a few decorations, and keep them no matter what
- Let each child pack a small box of holiday things to open first in the new home
- Set up the tree or the main decorations before you unpack the rest of the living room
- Take a walk or a drive to see the lights in the new neighborhood
For more, see our guide to moving with kids.
Moving in December: weather and travel
Moving in December means short days and, in much of the country, a chance of snow or ice. Start early in the day, keep walkways clear, protect the floors at the entry, and keep a backup date in mind if a storm is forecast.
If you are driving a long distance, avoid the peak travel days, check road conditions along the whole route, and build in extra time. Carry gifts, valuables, medications, and anything that can freeze in your own car.
Holiday move checklist
- Choose a date clear of the holidays, the peak travel days, and the end of the month
- Book the mover and get the details in writing
- Confirm holiday hours for your building, your closing, and your utilities
- File your change of address and redirect gift deliveries
- Pack and label the decorations and gifts so they come off the truck first
- Plan the first-night tradition and keep what you need for it in your car
- Watch the forecast in the week before the move
Key takeaways
- Schedule the move around the holidays and peak travel days, not on them
- Holiday weeks have fewer working days, so book movers early
- Confirm holiday hours for buildings, closings, utilities, and installers
- Load decorations last so they come off the truck first, and keep gifts in your car
- Keep one or two simple traditions so the holiday still feels like one
