You’ll be Home for Christmas – Five Tips to Survive Your Winter Move
A KlopasStratton blog by: Bridget Chambers, Life Coach, Writer
Winter in the city is upon us! The cold air and bright lights bring with them a sort of renewing energy that is difficult to match during other months of the year. Then there are the holidays, where everything is magnified, or, seemingly, more palpable. (That can be amazing or foreboding depending on your state of mind this December.)
If you’re in a state of transition, you’re probably feeling jumbled between both those extremes. With a to-do list full of shopping, groceries, and holiday obligations, it is possible to fit in a big move this winter? Well, we can help with that. Here’s how to skimp on stress this winter by saving time, money, and energy during your big move:
1.) Break out the label maker
There is an old phrase “a stitch in time saves nine.” This means that when we solve a problem immediately in real time, we are saving stress later on. When it comes to moving, avoid throwing everything together without a system. Purchase boxes (or find a big box store that hands them out for free) and get your sharpie ready. If you can label each box based on room and function, the organization of your new space becomes so much easier. (This especially rings true in the winter months where storing things outside for a long period can be damaging!)
2.) Make a list; check it twice
The only thing that makes a winter move more difficult is a winter move with no heat (and no Netflix!). There are small (and often mundane) tasks that often take a backseat to bigger jobs during a move. Often, ironically, those are the most important checklist items. Think about what you are using daily in your current home (cable, heat, water) and start there! If you need a step-by-step guide to transferring your utilities, here is a useful resource: https://www.apartmentguide.com/blog/how-to-transfer-utility-services-when-you-move/.
3.) Don’t let snow slow your roll
In Chicago, snow isn’t an “if,” but a “when.” Prepare, prepare, prepare! Make Al Roker your BFF and make a plan for the weather forecast on moving day. If you’re relocating to a single family home, make sure you designate someone to salt your driveway and walkways. Make sure you have a shovel and gloves handy, grab de-icing supplies at the local hardware store, and make sure your car has plenty of gas. Make your move manageable by getting the snow out of your way on moving day.
4.) Say thanks to your movers!
In the midst of the chaos, don’t forget to acknowledge the muscle behind the operation. Your movers (or friends-turned-movers) are blessing you so that many hands make light work. They are working rain or shine, and the winter can take a toll. Consider planning ahead of time to have hot drinks and warm pastries on hand. That fuel will get you through the day, too!
5.) Don’t forget the FRA-GI-LE items
Winter weather can make your breakable items more brittle, causing tearing and breakage on some of your most prized possessions. Prep for this by adding padding to fragile belongings, unloading delicate items first, and notating breakable items ahead of time. This goes for large items like TVs, and small ones like china and cherished picture frames or antiques.
6.) Find the reason in the season
Regardless of your move, the holidays will bring a little:
-Untempered Joy
-Humbling Solemnity
-A Touch of Good, Old-Fashioned Guilt
Here’s to hoping your holidays – and your move – are filled with lots of 1 and 2, with just a dash of 3 to keep it all real!
Finally, our wish for this year is that any challenges of 2022 have given way to the opportunities of 2023. We hope your holidays are full of joy, but for those who are shouldering burdens of one sort or another, we hope the holiday season grants you some measure of peace. Let’s all remember that the Chicago community gives us not only many opportunities for fun and laughter, but also opportunities to reach out to our neighbors when hardships arise. The spirit of the city isn’t the lights or the bustling neighborhoods or the entertainment or even the festive mood – it’s each other.
Merry Christmas, Happy Hanukkah, Happy Holidays.
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